The rain stayed away just long enough for the Bears to travel to Isthmian Premier Division side Whitehawk on a cold, wet, October evening for a Sussex Transport Senior Cup match.

For the trip Heath manger Chris Simmons made five changes to the starting line-up with James Archard, Mark Goldson and Sam Lemon all starting for the first time this season.

The early exchanges were fairly even with Heath goalkeeper Billy Eastwood cutting out a low right wing cross at the near post from Jerry O’Sullivan in the opening minutes and Hawks keeper Filip Chapuniczak making a good save low to his right to deny Sam Lemon’s powerful right foot shot from distance.

The opening goal came on 19 minutes with Whitehawk’s Tyler Cox getting behind the Heath defenders and delivering a perfect cross from the left into the path of Gianluca Botti who headed home from close range.

The celebrations were short lived though as the Bears responded well and drew level just 2 minutes later. Mark Goldson received the ball wide on the right and skipped past two Hawk challenges to advance to the edge of the penalty where he dinked a left foot chip over the advancing keeper and saw it drop into the net, a really classy finish for the former Steyning Town striker to net his first in Heath’s colours.

This time it was the Bears whose celebrations were short lived when minutes later O’Sullivan played in Tyrese Sutherland down the Hawks right who took the ball to the goal-line before picking a pass to Will Seager arriving late and unmarked at the far post and the Hawks midfield player picked his spot to restore his teams lead which was how it remained at half-time.

The players emerged for the second half with the rain getting heavier and the task for the Bears becoming even more difficult with the hosts adding a third on 50 minutes. The home-side took a throw-in on the right close to the corner flag, the ball was played to O’Sullivan who delivered an inch perfect cross towards the far post where Botti spun off his marker to power a header back across the face of goal into the far right corner, a clinical finish from a top striker.

The weather worsened with thunder and lightning over the Downs but both sides continued to entertain the hardy bunch of supporters who had come out of the warmth of their homes to witness the match but there no further goals. Heath had a couple of half chances with Jamie Buchanan shooting just wide of the post from distance and Jake Lindsey shooting across the goalmouth but wide of the post.

So that ends our 2024/25 season in the Sussex Senior Cup so no trip to the Amex this season, unless of course Horsham FC came make it again.

Next up for the Bears is another away fixture on Saturday 12th October, when we travel to Ashford United, Kick Off 3.00.

Team: Eastwood, Archard, Terry (Chesworth 58), Penfold (Buchanan 64), Bromage, Waddingham, Dowdell (Lindsey 72), Parmiter, Goldson (Aubrey 72), Hay, Lemon (Cranmer-Flynn 58).