Pat Harding hits 80th goal for Burgess Hill as they beat Guernsey

A crowd of three hundred and sixty visited the Green Elephant stadium for this early league kick off.

Burgess Hill started brightly and created their first chance of the game on four minutes when Lee Harding crossed to Rob O’Toole but his header went just wide and just three minutes later Lee Harding created his own chance when he cut in from the right but his shot was deflected for a corner.

Guernsey’s Ross Allen found space in the box on ten minutes but Toby Pointing’s last minute tackle denied him a shot on goal and Allen caused more problems for Hill just a few moments later when he hit a low cross in from the right but visiting players were able to get on the end of it. On fifteen minutes the visitors were awarded a penalty when Spencer Slaughter committed a foul inside the box but luckily for Hill Marc McGrath could not find the target from the spot.

Hill took the lead just a minute after this when the impressive Sam Fisk put in a cross from the left and Lee Harding’s header was blocked but he made no mistake when the ball fell back to him and he toe poked the ball home.

Hill kept applying the pressure and chances kept coming with Keehan and Budd both going close, Guernsey’s Dominic Heaume set up the impressive Marc McGrath but Josh James was alive to his effort and saved comfortably to his left and just a minute later McGrath found space but his effort went well over the bar.

On thirty six minutes Hill got their second of the game when another great run from Fisk down the left saw him put in a dangerous cross that found Pat Harding at the near post and his header found the back of the net, on the stroke of half time Toby Pointing had a great chance to add to Hill’s lead but his header from a Budd corner went just wide. The second started with Hill attacking early on and two minutes in Dan Pearse hit his shot goal bound but Tardif in the Guernsey goal made a good save low to his left.

Guernsey had a good chance to get on the score sheet when Dan Pearse gave away a free kick just outside the box but Glyn Dyer was unable to find the target, Lee Harding was causing problems with his very direct running and he presented Rob O’Toole with a good chance when he put in a cross that found him at the far post but his effort was blocked by a last ditch tackle. Guernsey had another chance midway through the half when Mathew Loaring’s well struck shot was goal bound but took a big deflection for a corner. Ian Chapman made a change with Darren Budd being replaced by Dan Perry who went up front and Pat Harding dropped back into midfield.

Josh James was called in to action just after this change when McGrath shot from just outside the box but James made a comfortable save. Dan Perry created himself a good chance on seventy minutes when he turned Jamie Dodd but his shot was straight at Tardif, the visitors Ross Allen had the best chance for the visitors on sixty nine minutes when a Dominic Heaume effort fell kindly to him inside the six yard box but Josh James pulled of a fine reaction save that was then cleared by Pointing to safety.

Joe Keehan was thanking James in the Hill goal just a minute later when he deflected a McGrath cross goal wards but James reacted quickly to save at his near post.

Guernsey’s Dominic Heaume couldn’t get his header on target from the far post on seventy three minutes and Dan Perry couldn’t find the target with his shot on seventy five minutes. Scott Kirkwood replaced Rob O’Toole and Hill got their third goal just after this when Dan Pearse had his shot blocked but it fell to Pat Harding who made no mistake from just inside the box smashing the ball in to the net to score his eightieth goal for Burgess Hill.

The last change for Hill saw Joe Keehan replaced by Callum Saunders but no real chances were created by either side after this and Hill carry on the impressive unbeaten league record.

Burgess Hill Town: Josh James, Spencer Slaughter, Sam Fisk, Darren Budd (Dan Perry 64), Andy Pearson, Toby Pointing, Dan Pearse, Joe Keehan (Callum Saunders 82), Pat Harding, Lee Harding, Rob O’Toole (Scott Kirkwood 76)

Unused Subs: Stuart Tuck, Matt Morrish