Heathens showcase a winner’s mentality to beat Jets
Flackwell Heath showed they have a winners mentality on Saturday as they came from behind to beat Oxhey Jets with a brace from stand-in skipper James Mansfield.
The Heathens looked like they were headed for a disappointing result when Kyle Matthew fired the visitors ahead midway through the second half, however, Mansfield had other ideas and he deservedly dragged the home side level in the 84th minute.
The Jets had been under the cosh for much of the second half, and that pressure was ramped up ten-fold when the league's bottom club were reduced to 10 men for the final minutes. And the Jets’ defences were breached for a second time by Mansfield in the 93rd minute, sparking scenes of celebration with substitutes charged down the touchline to join in.
The result lifts Flackwell to fourth in the table, three points behind unbeaten leaders Ascot United, who they face next on September 27 in the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup. They’ll then visit the Yellamen once again in the league on October 4, two matches that will give manager Chris Ayres a better idea of the progression of his team.
“Saturday was a tough game and I believe their position in the league is a false one,” Ayres said of the Jets.
“They made it very difficult for us but we showed resilience in front of a big crowd for our community day.
They kept us going and I thought we got the three points we deserved.
“Yes, we scored two late goals, but I thought that we were very much on top. We now don’t have a fixture for the next two Saturdays, when we want to keep playing and keep moving forward. We’ll deal with it. I’m pleased with the group at the minute, and we've got one or two coming back as well. We miss out captain, Jamie Essex who has broken his ribs, but it gives others a chance to come in.”
W Elsewhere in the division, Burnham
picked up their third win of the campaign with a 3-2 victory over Broadfields United at the 1878 Stadium.
Oliver Bishop, Leo Decabo and Ethan Light with the goals that move the Blues up to eighth ahead of Saturday’s home game against Wokingham and Emmbrook.