Defensive Blunder Hands Hill Opening Day Three Points - Hythe Town vs. Burgess Hill Town

Sunny Kent afternoon

I was keen to see a game on the coast this weekend and I took the opportunity to tick off one of the few remaining Ryman League grounds I had left to visit. The ground in question was Hythe Town's Reachfields Stadium where Burgess Hill were the visitors in the Ryman Division South. I have seen both sides in action once before although both occasions were some time ago. I had seen Hythe put up a brave fight against Woking in an FA Cup replay in the 2009-10 edition of the competition. Even further back in time, I saw Burgess Hill entertain Tooting and Mitcham in a pre season friendly. Both sides finished just outside the play offs last season and they were looking to go at least one more step further this season.

Start of the 2014-15 Ryman League season

Burgess Hill have the best of the opening stages. They have a couple of free kicks in decent positions with the Hythe keeper making a good save at the back post following the second one. Hythe then have their first and it is the Burgess Hill keeper who has to make a good low save from a well hit half volley. The visitors then put a decent ball in to the box which eludes the Burgess forwards. Getting in to good positions without trouble the keeper would prove to be a constant theme. Hythe come close with a looping header from a corner which floats just wide of the opposite post. Hythe then gift the away side the lead as a poor back pass is seized upon by the forward who keeps the ball despite the keepers best effort and rolls the ball in to the goal. The last significant chance of the half is a weak Hythe effort which the keeper easily deals with.  

The Hythe goalie claims a cross

Hythe open the half with a couple of free kicks and they both fail to seriously threaten the Burgess Hill keeper. The closest they come is one from the edge of the area which goes just over. Burgess Hill then have their first chance of the half. The ball reaches the centre forward via a deflection but the keeper is able to make a good one handed save. The centre forward again finds himself in a good position. Unfortunately for the visitors he gets caught in two minds and the chance is gone. Towards the end of the game Hythe begin to have more of the ball. They create a couple of half chances but the Burgess Hill keeper isn't really tested and the visitors claim the three points. 

Hythe attack the firing range end

There is no rail station in Hythe and the best bet is to get a train to Folkestone and catch a bus from there. Fast trains to Folkestone depart from St Pancras and the really quick ones take forty five minutes. The slower trains depart from Charing Cross and these trains take nearly two hours. There are several bus routes which go to Hythe (I took the 101) and this section of the journey takes twenty minutes. Once in Hythe there is a fair bit to see. There is of course the sea front but there is also St Leonard's Church which has a rare example of an Ossuary in Britain. Pub wise I visited the The Three Mariners and The White Hart. At the later I would recommend trying the Blue Top from the Old Dairy Brewery. The ground is a ten minute brisk walk from the High Street. The club house is welcoming and if you get there early enough you can watch the game from the balcony. While I was waiting for my bus I popped in to The Red Lion which is right next to the bus stop.

As I eluded to earlier, the ground is located next to a MOD firing range which provides a unique background noise to proceedings.

Coverd standing down one flank