Both teams cancelled each other as Hythe drew 0-0 with Haywards Heath Town on a mild Saturday afternoon at Reachfields.

The game started slowly with few early opportunities and it was not until the eleventh minute that Hythe’s Zak Ansah looped a shot over the bar. The ever-dangerous Alex Laing gave the hosts some concerns throughout the afternoon and was involved in three moves in quick succession. Firstly, he fired a free-kick that was blocked by Mitchell Dickenson and then he hit a long-range shot that sailed over the bar. He was then to break free but his final attempt flew straight into the arms of Hythe keeper, George Kamurasi.

Junior Aikhionbare then got involved in two attacks for the Cannons as he firstly played a neat ball into Ansah whose final attempt was easily collected by Haywards Heath keeper Josh Heyburn and then worked his way through the visiting defence but his effort was again stopped by Heyburn. Both teams continued to look for the breakthrough with the more meaningful chances coming for the visitors. Max Miller broke down the right and his final shot was well saved by Kamurasi and then on 32 minutes the Cannons can consider themselves lucky as Melford Simpson rattled the upright with the ball coming out to Laing who stroked the ball home. However, the referee’s assistant was flagging for offside and the goal was ruled out.  One real positive of the half was the solid defensive performance from the new look back four including an impressive debut from new signing Ollie Rowe who dispossessed Simpson five minutes before half-time preventing an attempt on goal.

The second-half started with the hosts on the attack. The lively Kieron Campbell laid the ball off to Ansah on the left but Heyburn was quickly off his line to close down the attack. A great clearance followed from Dickenson setting Aikhionbare free but he couldn’t get the ball under control and the chance was gone. Whilst the second period saw more chances for Hythe, Haywards Heath still threatened as on 56 minutes a shot from Miller was deflected and was easily saved by Kamurasi.

However, at this stage of the game Hythe looked the more likely as substitute Jack Sammoutis played the ball through to Ansah but his final effort went wide and then at the other end Kane Louis got onto a loose ball but also fired wide. On 72 minutes Hythe got the ball into the visitor’s net as Sammoutis played the ball through to Ansah who finished clinically but again the goal was ruled out for offside. Another Dickenson clearance followed finding Ansah whose attempt drifted wide.

The visitors had the final two chances of the game as Laing curled a shot into Kamurasi’s arms and then the Hythe keeper had to be at his best to tip the ball over the bar from a dipping shot from Callum Saunders.

The game ended with both sides getting a point which was a fair reflection of the game. Hythe remain in seventh place as they prepare to entertain ninth placed Sevenoaks Town next Saturday. Kick off at Reachfields is 3pm.

Team: George Kamurasi, Salvyn Kisitu, Charlie Webster, Chris Kinnear, Ollie Rowe, Mitchell Dickenson, Ryan Palmer (Nigel Neita 73 mins), Zach Fagan (Aziz Lyoubi 90 mins), Zak Ansah, Junior Aikhionbare (Jack Sammoutis 58 mins), Keiron Campbell.

Attendance: 189