Heathens sign off season with victory over Holyport
First half goals from James Mansfield, Jamie Essex (above), and Callum Mapley earned Flackwell Heath a convincing 3-0 away win over Holyport in their final game of the league season.
Chris Ayres' side rounded off their Combined Counties Premier Division North campaign in impressive fashion, taking the game away from their hosts in the first half.
Mansfield steered home a low strike from the edge of the box in the seventh minute to put the Heathens ahead and the points were all but wrapped up when Essex rose highest to head home from a corner in the 32nd minute.
The visitors weren't quite done there, however, with Mapley firing home a trademark daisycutting free-kick in first half stoppage time.
The result sees the Heathens skip back above Burnham to fourth in the table - for now however, Ben Murray's side have two matches in hand to make up the one point needed to go back above them.
Holyport, who still have four matches to play, are 15th on 35 points. They are set to play all of those matches before May 1, with the league having granted clubs involved in promotion or relegation fights the chance to extend the season beyond the scheduled date for final matches.
They will play at Egham Town on Thursday and North Greenford United on Saturday, before hosting Edgeware & Kingsbury on Tuesday and finishing their season at home to the London Lions on Monday, May 1.
Speaking to the Advertiser this week on the Heathens’ victory over Holyport, manager Ayres said: “I wanted us to end our winless run and we did that so I am really pleased.
“I know Holyport have had a lot of games recently and Sam (Lock) had rotated his team around quite a bit – they were lined up a little bit different to normal – but, we started well and were on the front foot.
“I thought we had too much experience for them and we were 30 up by half time. We’ve not had a great deal of luck in front of goal recently, we’ve had chances but not taken them etc. Last night (Tuesday) we did and it made such a difference to the confidence of the team. To keep a clean sheet aswell was good.”
Reflecting on the Heathens’ overall season, Ayres added: “I look at it and there’s definitely been progress.
“I know at one stage we were looking at potentially making the play offs but I think the league, at any level, will always work out that the teams who have the most money will finish at the top. Obviously, this year, that’s Ascot and Egham.
“I am really disappointed that when we had the four games in eight days, we fell away a bit but hopefully we will learn from it and it will put us in good stead for next year.”
Flackwell Heath’s development squad were crowned champions of their league on Tuesday night after a 5-0 victory against Marlow at Wilks Park.