For some reason Heath never do well in this competition having lost at the first attempt in each of the last 3 years to lower league opposition, in fact Heath haven’t won a game in the FA Vase since we last played Lewisham Borough back in 2018 so we were hoping a repeat of that performance would help turn our fortunes this year.

Heath were again missing a host of players with Jamie Taylor, Renato Carvalho and Jack Frankland joining the long list of injuries but there was still plenty of quality in the players who came into the side.

The hosts had the first attempt at goal on 7 minutes when a shot from distance was gathered comfortably by Jasper Sheik. While for Heath Ben Cooksley muscled his way past two defenders to bare down on goal but his rasping right foot shot from the edge of the penalty area crashed against the post with the keeper well beaten.

Heath took the lead on the half hour mark when Andy Waddingham sent Sam Lemon off down the left flank, the striker crossed the ball low into the box and Lewis Croal came running in at the far post to rifle a right foot shot into the roof of the net to make it 1-0 at the break.

Heath doubled their lead on the hour when Croal received the ball on the edge of the penalty area and played a back heel pass to Sam Lemon who went on to net his debut goal for The Bears.

That goal should have been enough to have won the game but instead it seemed to spur the home side on who were suddenly chasing everything, putting pressure on the Heath defence and they deservedly pulled a goal back 15 minutes later.

Now it was getting interesting with Heath on the back foot and Borough pushing everyone forward searching for that all important equaliser, two or three goalmouth scrambles followed as Heath struggled to clear their lines but on 83 minute came a chance to restore the lead and ease the pressure when Ben Cooksley was brought down in the penalty area.

Lewis Croal stepped up to take the spot kick but drove the ball straight at the keeper, luckily enough Croal reacted quickest to drill the rebound into the net and make it 3-1 to win the game.

Not a great performance by the Bears but finally a win in the competition which will see them play a home match against Erith & Belvedere in the 2nd Qualifying Round on the 24th September.

Team: Sheik, Terry, Chesworth, Brackpool, Sim, Waddingham, Weller (Clark 63), Evans (H Mark 80), Cooksley, Croal, Lemon (M McCormick 75).