Taking a gander at the Hill

The Medical Travel Compared Stadium glinted in the evening sunshine, as shiny as a new pin. The home of Pitching In Isthmian Premier side Burgess Hill Town, the ground formerly known as Leylands Park has undergone a great deal of recent work, and it showed. Refreshment outlets dotted around the ground, a fabulous scoreboard, a new club shop about to open, new floodlights, new covered fan zone, new fencing- and, of course, a new 3G pitch, providing perhaps the only patch of green in Mid Sussex apart from the local golf course.

Before the match we were regailed by a collection of hot hits from the 1970’s as both the hosts and their visitors, AFC Whyteleafe, warmed up. The temperature had fallen to a rather pleasant level, and on the sidelines most of the seven hundred and twenty nine awaiting their evening’s entertainment seemed to be holding a cold glass of something amber coloured. Roxy Music advised us that love might be the drug, but we're sure that Mr Ferry et al would agree that a beer was also an acceptable stimulant. It took eighteen seconds before some of that liquid was heading skywards.

This was a meeting between the last two sides to win our Pitching In Isthmian South East Play Offs, and between two sides who lost their opening game on Saturday. Leafe were hoping to adapt to the top flight as well as Hill did last season, but for now only the next ninety minutes mattered.

Hill, in their usual green shirts and black shorts, seemingly lost the toss, as the sides changed ends and the hosts were kicking into the sinking sun. If that was an attempt to gain an advantage by the visitors, it failed miserably. A defensive error, Kieran Rowe wise to it, and the hosts were ahead before some of the crowd had even managed to escape the clubhouse. Whyteleafe may have been in gold, but there was nothing glittering about their start.

Goal: Burgess Hill Town 1 AFC Whyteleafe 0, Kieran Rowe, 18 seconds

On two and a half minutes it could have been two-nil, a defensive header looping just over Slav Huk’s bar with the keeper unlikely to reach it. The visitors needed a moment of calm to regain their composure, but what they delivered was something rather different. Ben Pope tested Huk on five minutes, and then a minute later Leafe delivered another moment of defensive calamity, allowing Chris Whelpdale to chip the keeper from a full forty yards. It was a composed finish, but Huk was so far out of his goal trying to play a sweeper role that composure was all that was needed. The home fans were as bemused as they were delighted, the visiting support silent.

Goal: Burgess Hill Town 2 AFC Whyteleafe 0- Chris Whelpdale, 6 minutes

Leafe tried to respond. Ryan Gondoh- brilliant as he helped his side to Pitching In Isthmian South East promotion last season- began to move through the gears, curling a shot past Roco Rees’ post on twelve minutes and forcing a fabulous tackle from Rowe as he motored into the area four minutes later. The problem was that at the other end Hill looked likely to score every time they went forward. The visitors defence was playing as if it had been coached by Miranda Hart, with one pratfall after another.

On the other wing Francis Mampolo cut inside a number of defenders before setting up Montel McKenzie for a shot which cleared the bar, and then another attempt for the hosts saw Ben Pope head wide after a fine run from Hamish Morrison.

On twenty three minutes we had a moment of controversy. The referee signalled a drinks break, and the hosts, who were well on top, were clearly unhappy and a long debate between the official and the home bench followed. The ref explained that the stoppage was prearranged, and- so far as could be ascertained from the perimeter- that the visitors had asked for it prior to kick off. It seemed rather strange, as by this point the temperature had dropped to an extent that a stoppage for fluids seemed unnecessary.

The lack of advertising on the scoreboard during the refreshments demonstrated conclusively that Donald Trump had not been involved on this occasion.

Whether justified or not, Hill were rather annoyed about it, and they quickly put their frustration to good use, scoring a third on 28 minutes, another fine strike from Rowe.

Goal: Burgess Hill Town 3 AFC Whyteleafe 0, Kieran Rowe, twenty eight minutes.

The hosts continued to press, and could have had number four on the half hour. Another chance came to Rowe, who cleared the bar and the clubhouse, “Kieran wants a hat trick,” sang the home fans, and the skipper smiled sheepishly, but you couldn’t really blame him for trying.

At that point we had one of the strangest stoppages ever witnessed.

Seven geese flew over the ground. One landed just outside the Leafe area and lined up as if he wanted to play left back. In truth they needed the defensive reinforcement, and he seemed determined to play his part for the visitors, as when chased by a steward he tried to enter the away dugout. Sadly he emerged without a shirt, and was finally persuaded to leave the arena without being shown a red card.

Another short back pass left Huk with far too much work to do and with Pope charging towards him. The keeper just about got there first, but a moment later he was called into action once more to save point-blank from a Whelpdale header.

Half time arrived with the score at three-nil, and had the hosts scored double that it wouldn’t have been flattering. Take a gander at the highlights and you’ll see for yourself!

Half Time: Burgess Hill Town 3 AFC Whyteleafe 0

The visitors started the second half strongly, soon forcing Rees into action, but the hosts defended stoutly and slowed the game down when in possession. Soon the ball was back at the Leafe end, a fine corner routine ending with a header that flashed past Huk’s right hand post. Another cross almost escaped the visiting keeper, and it looked more likely that Hill would add to their lead than the visitors reduce it.

“Glory Glory Burgess Hill Town,” chorused the Ashley Carr Terrace, whilst at the other end Mampolo shot both wide and high.

A cross was tipped onto the top of the bar by Rees as the visitors pressed on sixty six minutes, but the ball was eventually cleared. Suddenly Leafe looked dangerous, but their pressure ended when when Palace Francis fired over the bar and into the park, and as it turned out that was their last significant spell of the match. The home fans serenaded us with a green version of ‘Anarchy in the UK,’ substitute Shamir Fenelon was thwarted by Huk as he looked to add a fourth, and right at the end the visitors went down to ten men as McKenzie waved an- only slightly early- goodbye at the referee’s insistence.

Final score: Burgess Hill Town 3 AFC Whyteleafe 0

As many of us wandered back towards Wivelsfield station, a conversation between home two fans hung in the humidity. They were clearly delighted with the result, as of course they would be, but one line rang rather true.

“We’re not going to be gifted goals like that every week.”

Hill had played well, no question. They had attacked with verve, and demonstrated good organisation at the other end. Boss Gary Mansell had much to be be happy about, but there would be much bigger tests to come. Leafe, in the first half at least, and specifically in defence, had looked a shadow of the side who we watched seal promotion on that warm Croydon night at the end of April. You’d have to expect them to put that right. After all, this was almost the same defence who delivered that triumph- with the exception of McKenzie, who instead was winning the title with Folkestone Invicta, so clearly will provide a strength rather than a weakness. We suspect this won’t become the new normal for Ennio Gonnella’s side.

As well as their shiny upgraded stadium, The Hillians also have a glossy advertising board affixed to the shopping centre in the middle of the town; and indeed it is the only thing that looks new, modern and impressive in the entire town centre.

A former local administration entered into an agreement with a developer to remodel the area seven years ago, and much of it was then demolished and units left empty, and that remains the case all these years later. Recently plans were revealed that suggested the redevelopment will start ‘in the summer of 2026,’ but perhaps they are being delayed by the wrong kind of sun? At the moment residents of the town- which, by the way, is expanding enormously at its northern edge- have little to be proud of or to be delighted by, with perhaps the one exception being their football club, which is taking great strides forward.

In his programme notes Colin Bowman, who co-edits the magazine as well as being the new presenter of BHTFC Radio, mentions the ‘five hundred and fifty youngsters playing in our junior setup,’ and for the locals (your scribe counts himself amongst that number, although from a distance of three miles) that is both delightful and astonishing. There is an air of optimism around the place that seems entirely missing in the town centre, and the local authority who are now trying to clean up their predecessors mess might be advised to learn from that success. Visit Burgess Hill and you are likely to leave distinctly underwhelmed, visit Burgess Hill Town and the opposite is true.

Hill are a club on the up. Just how far ‘up’ the team will get remains to be seen, but off the pitch the sky seems to be the limit.