Full credit to the Hythe Town grounds-staff who worked tirelessly on the pitch to get this match played when so many others were once again victims of the atrocious weather we’ve all faced recently. Although the surface was heavy-going for both sets of players it was good to get the game on.

For the match Heath Manager Chris Simmons welcomed back his midfield dynamo Louis Evans who missed the draw at Herne Bay on Saturday and there was a welcome return to the squad to Matt Hay who’d been missing from the side for the last ten games through injury.

Heath started well and had the first shot on target on 5 minutes when Mark Goldson hit a left foot shot from the ‘D’ which was gathered comfortably by the Hythe keeper Joe Coleman but it didn’t take the Bears striker too long to get on the score-sheet when a long drop kick by Heath keeper Alfie Hadfield released Adam Adam down the right flank, an exchange of passes with Charlie Parmiter saw the ball played to Callum Dowdell at the far side who turned it back inside to Goldson who hammered it into the roof of the net for his 13th goal since joining the Bears from Steyning Town.

Minutes later the Bears came close to doubling their score when Parmiter played the ball from the left wing into the path of Adam who hit it first time with his right foot only to see it crash against the post and go out to safety.

At the other end Henry Young came close for Hythe when he struck a left foot shot from 18 yards that deflected off Heath skipper Kyle Sim and went narrowly wide of the post.

The action switched back to the other end and Adam was again close for the Bears with a right foot shot across the face of goal that was deflected wide and from the resulting corner the ball was played into the danger area to an unmarked Goldson who headed wide of the target.

The Bears doubled their lead 6 minutes before the break when Parmiter sent Adam away down the right, the Heath winger picked out Louis Evans 16 yards from goal who drilled a low shot under Coleman for his fourth of the season. The Bears went on to dominate the remaining minutes of the play and the only surprise was they didn’t score more but it remained 0-2 at the break.

Goldson was again in action minutes into the restart with a left foot shot from distance that forced Coleman into a diving save to deny the Heath striker.

The hosts pulled a goal back on 63minutes when Walters played the ball between two Heath defenders allowing Anthony Adesite to run on to and drill a low right foot shot past Hadfield to give his team hope of a recovery but it wasn’t to be as the Bears held on comfortably to win the game, a result that sees Chris Simmons side move up to 12th place in the table.

Next up for the Bears a home game against Ashford United on Saturday 15th Feb at 3.00.

Team: Hadfield, Fuller, Terry, Marino, Sim, Peters, Dowdell (Moteane 57), Parmiter (Waddingham 83), Goldson (Hay 75), Evans, Adam (Barlow 79).