Mansell’s Burgess Hill Town impress in draw while Benson keeps scoring for Haywards Heath Town

Despite the change in the dugout, newly appointed former assistant and under 18s manager Gary Mansell oversaw a 3-3 draw against Sevenoaks town.

It was Mansell’s first game since his appointment and The Hillians were unlucky not to take all three points after conceding a 96th minute equaliser and being two goals up with twenty minutes to play.

Alex Brewer, a striker promoted from the Under 18s who previously played under Mansell scored his first senior goal. With youth becoming ever more prevalent in football as each day passes, Hillians fans will surely be hoping Mansell’s experience working with the youth squad may see more new signings from the academy instead of further afield.

Opposing manager Mark Dacey was full of praise for new man Mansell after the game saying: “Their patterns were clear, I thought they played some outstanding football I’m going to give full credit to Burgess Hill, they’ve come in with a new manager a whole new philosophy and I thought they were brilliant.”

It’s been three draws so far for the Hillians in December, bringing that to a total of eight for the season which is the most in the Ismithian League Southeast Division where they sit in 12th place.

It’s ninth place Lancing next up at Leylands Park on Boxing Day.

Haywards Heath have had a less rocky time, undefeated in five and eight goals in their last two games as manager and former captain Naim Rouane reaches two months in charge. Last time out was a 4-1 win against Crawley Down Gatwick, Liam Benson added a 20th goal of the season after joining from Hassocks last month.

Recent signing Finn Daniels-Yeomans who recently made the Mid Sussex switch from Burgess Hill started and played the 90 minutes in a dominating display. Rouane said after the announcement of his signing: “Really pleased to have secured Finn, a player that slots into the squad seamlessly Finn fits the profile of player we required, energetic, has a simplicity and efficiency to his game whilst also being a great character both on and off the pitch.”

The win puts The Heath in eighth place, with three games still to play until 2023 comes to a close. The next of these is a home tie against a struggling AFC Uckfield. Uckfield sit in 19th place and with 18 goals conceded in their last four.