It was local Derby time in the Isthmian League South East division where for the first time this season Three Bridges supporters only had a short trip to watch their favourite team when they travelled to The BodyMould Community Stadium home of Broadbridge Heath F.C.

Heath manager Chris Simmons was forced to make four changes to his midweek starting line-up as player injuries are beginning to mount up but despite that the Bears made a great start scoring in the opening minute when a long Kyle Sim throw-in from the right was headed home by Mark Goldson running across the face of goal and glancing a header past Bridges keeper Luke Glover.

The visitors hit back 8 minutes later when Bridges skipper Billy Irving received the ball in the centre of midfield and played a diagonal pass down the left to Nodirbek Bobomurodov who ran at the Heath defence, before crossing the ball from the goal-line in towards the near post where the Heath defence only half cleared their lines and the ball fell kindly to Kevin Rivera to level with an acrobatic overhead kick from 8 yards.

Heath had a great chance to equalise on 31 minutes when Sam Lemon whipped the ball in from the left which was headed goalwards by Sean Terry but Glover was on hand to deny the Heath fullback.

Minutes before the break the visitor’s took the lead when Bobomurodov received the ball wide on the left, looked up and played a left foot diagonal cross into the path of Reece Hallard coming in at the far post who converted from close range.

Things got even better for Bridges in added time when they played a free-kick down the right flank to Hallard who drilled a low cross into the Heath penalty area to Rivera who struck it first time with his right foot past Heath keeper Billy Eastwood to make it 3-1 at the break.

Simmons was forced to make a second substitute during the break with Jamie Chesworth already off on 15 minutes with a badly swollen ankle, and his replacement at fullback Sean Terry, suffering a thigh injury.

With goals in the bag Bridges saw out the second half without too much trouble and could have added a fourth when Tad Bromage cleared Rivera’s right foot shot off the line and Hayden Velvick hit the post with the follow-up and in the closing stages Rivera was involved again with a shot into the side netting.

A comfortable win in the end for Bridges with the Bears well below par and not helped by the ever growing list of walking wounded.

Next up for Broadbridge Heath is a trip to Burgess Hill Town for a Velocity Cup match on Tuesday 22nd October. Kick Off 7.45.

Team: Eastwood, Sim, Chesworth (Terry 15 (Archard 46)), Buchanan (Barlow 85), Bromage, Marino, Lindsey, Parmiter, Goldson (Croal 75), Evans, Lemon (Dowdell 64).