Seaford Come Back From The Dead - Haywards Heath Town vs. Seaford Town

Match action at The Hanbury Stadium

I made my first Sussex trip of the season for the Sussex County League Division 2 opener between Haywards Heath and Seaford Town. Haywards Heath won Division Three title the previous season, losing just the one game all season. They also won the Intermediate and Division 3 cups to complete an impressive season. Seaford finished mid table last season in Division Two and also won the Division 2 cup competition. I visited Seaford Town's Crouch Ground a couple of seasons ago for a Brighton Charity Cup match against Crowborough a couple of years ago when every other game in the south was frozen off. 

The start of the Sussex County League season.

Seaford almost take the lead straight from the kick off but the forward is held up by the defence after initially been able to break through in to the box. The sides then exchange long range efforts which go wide of the target. The Haywards Heath winger then breaks free but his cross / shot flashes across the face of the goal. They take the lead soon afterwards from a bullet header of an own goal which the Seaford keeper could do nothing about. It soon becomes two as the forward breaks through in the penalty area and he rounds the keeper and slots the ball home. They really should be three up as the forward breaks through again but his effort is put well over the bar. They miss another great chance from a free header but this chance also goes begging.

Haywards Heath look to increase their lead in the first half

In the opening stages of the first half, the Seaford keeper keeps his side in touch with a great low save. However, he is powerless to stop the Haywards Heath striker tapping the ball home following a quick break and there was a suspicion of offside about the break away. Seaford get themselves back in to the game with a great goal from the edge of the area which the Haywards Heath keeper does well to get a hand to. The home side almost restore the three goal advantage shortly afterwards and fell they should have a penalty when the Seaford keeper clashes with their forward. Seaford manage to get within one goal with a header from a short corner. They level game with another header to delight their travelling support. Haywards Heath should really make it 4-3 but the Seaford keeper makes a great save. In the closing stages Haywards Heath create a great one on one chance but the effort is weak one and cleared away. The game finishes level and was a fantastic advert for the Sussex County League.

Grass bank down one side of the pitch which provides a good view of the action.

Quick trains to Haywards Heath depart from Victoria and the journey takes around fifty minutes. Trains also depart from Blackfriars but this journey takes over an hour. The walk to The Hanbury Stadium takes around twenty five minutes and there are hills in both directions. In between the station and the ground is The Star which was quite cheap but also fairly non descript. Opposite the station is The Burrell Arms which is good if you have a little wait for a train. The clubhouse underneath the stand is worth visiting and the club is in the final stages of gaining the necessary certificates to begin selling hot food.

A full colour programme is produced by the club which has a lot of detail regarding the different sides run by the club and there is an interesting part regarding the clubs first ever game.

Another view of the stand.