Beckenham Town maintained their place at the top of the Isthmian League Division One South East table with a 3-2 win over Broadbridge Heath in a hugely entertaining game at Eden Park Avenue that could have gone either way.

The game started with the visitors looking the more positive, Callum Dowdell having an early shot saved by Archie Burford in the home goal.

Matthew Hay then put a low cross shot just wide of the far post and Mark Goldson fired wide from the edge of the area. Louise Tehophanous had Beckanham’s first effort on goal, which was well saved by Alfie Hadfield.

Despite the visitors good start, it was Becks who took the lead on 15 minutes when Hadfield under hit a pass out from his area and it eventually fell to Tyler Anderson who coolly slotted the ball home from 15 yards out for 1-0.

The Bears kept pressing though and went close again when Mason Doughty had a shot saved by Burford and then saw his effort from the rebound cleared off the line for a corner.

With the game opening up, both sides created more chances, Theophanous had a great free kick well saved by Hadfield after he had been brought down on the very edge of the area.

Broadbridge then went close when Hay played in Goldson, but he dragged his shot wide when well placed. From the corner though, the visitors did pull level when Burford’s punch out only found Doughty on the edge of the box, who crashed the ball home past a crowd of players to make it 1-1.

The Bears then went close again when Sean Terry found Charlie Parmiter, but his shot was blocked on the line and Goldson then had a shot deflected for a corner.

Going into the half Marino played a great one two with Dowdell before shooting just over for The Bears, while Theophanous had a shot saved by Hadfield at the near post after the former Bromley striker striker had shown great footwork on the bye line.

The final chance of the half fell to Jamarie Brissett who was just off target after a powerful run and the teams went in at the break all square.

The second half saw early chances for the home side, Theophanous had a shot saved by Hadfield after good work by Henry Griffin and Oscar Williams headed over from the resulting corner. Theophanous then shot wide latching on to a great ball from Brissett.

After a spell of pressure from Broadbridge, Beckenham took the lead when a long ball upfield by Steven Townsend found Theophanous and he ran clear before producing a great finish past Hadfield to make it 2-1 on 63 minutes.

Two minutes later it was 3-1, when an almost identical ball up field, this time from Robert Carter, found Theophanous again and the striker coolly took the ball round Hadfield and despite attempts to bring him down, he got up to slot the ball home doubling the home sides lead.

Doughty had a shot saved soon after as The Bears rallied again, before Becks went close when Brissett’s cross found Tylah Wallace-Ming who had his header well saved by Hadfield from close range.

Hay then forced a good save from Burford, before Heath pulled a goal back on 82 minutes when Hay picked up the ball in midfield and raced towards goal, unleashing an unstoppable drive that crashed into the top right hand corner of the net, to set up a frantic finish to the game.

Hay fired over soon after and Lewis Croal was booked for diving when he appeared to be pulled back in the area as the visitors pressed for an equaliser.

With Becks camped in their own half, the experience of Jack Holland at centre back proved to be invaluable as they held out and on a rare break upfield Theophanous was also booked for diving, before he had a shot saved by Hadfield soon after.

Late on Becks took the ball upfield and ran the clock down in the corner as they dug in to take the three points, edging the win in a superb match for the spectators.             

                
BTFC – Burford, Nyhus (Hedges 77), Griffin (Agoro 55), Holland, Williams, Carter, Townsend (Wallace-Ming 72), Morgan-Griffiths, Theophanous, Brissett (Bloomfield 95), Anderson. Subs not Used: Meija.   
BHFC – Hadfield, Terry, Chesworth, Buchanan, Beomage (Marino 39), Peters, Dowdell, Pamiter, Godson, Hay, Doughty. Subs Not Used: Lemon, Croal, Berry, Cramner-Flynn.  
Goals: Beckenham: Anderson 15, Theophanous 62 & 65mins, Boraodbridge Heath – Doughty 35, Hay 82mins    
HT 1-1 FT 3-2 
Referee: Mr Barnett 
ATT: 345