Burgess Hill Town grabbed a 2-1 victory over East Grinstead as 17 year old Damien Theodore came off the bench and netted a superb individual goal.

Hill continue to be plagued by injuries and Gary Mansell and Jay Lovett added Harry Lawson and Nathan Cooper to the growing list of players absent following last weeks FA Trophy game.

The Hillians started brightly and Joe Overy did well down the left and his low ball back to Ryan Worrall on the edge of the box saw Grinstead keeper Matte Pierson tip Worrall’s drive over the bar.

From the resulting corner the Hillians took the lead as Brannon O’Neill’s corner saw the ball fall for striker Alex Brewer who karate kicks the ball home for an excellent poachers goal for his fourth strike of the season.

Grinstead responded with a good move which resulted in Charlie Harris smashing the Hillians bar. On 19 minutes a well worked attack from the Hillians see’s Marcel Powell’s cross falling into the keeper’s hands.

Just before half time Elliott Bresciani picked up the ball in the middle, drives and fancies his chances from long range but it’s picked up comfortably by Pierson whilst at the other end Hill keeper Will Huffer comfortably saved a Harris long range effort as the Hillians went in at the break leading.

The second half saw Grinstead come out firing. Ex-Hillian Connor Tighe fired one just wide before they did get themselves level. A free kick was swung in and Kieran Humphertson’s header hit the post before bouncing in off an unfortunate Hillian defender for an own goal.

Another corner caused Hill problems and Humphertson saw his effort cleared off the line.

A double substitution breathed new life into the the Hillians and one of those made an immediate impact scoring three minutes after coming on.

Kieran Rowe put an excellent ball out wide to Damien Theodore who went on an excellent solo run going past two defenders and smashing the ball low into the corner of the net for his first senior goal for Burgess Hill Town.

Theodore went close again as he nicked the ball off a defender and struck a shot which Pierson parried away as the young forward was causing the Grinstead defence plenty of issues.

It was so close to three for the Hillians as Hamish Morrison smashed the post and luckily for the Grinstead the rebound went straight to Pierson.

The last chance fell to sub Lewis Taylor who smashed an effort wide as Hill claimed the three points thanks to a brilliant winning goal by Theodore.

Hill: Will Huffer, Bobby Price, Hamish Morrison, Brannon O’Neill, Elliott Bresciani, Alex Malins, Joe Overy (Ollie Davies 59), Kieran Rowe, Alex Brewer (Reggie Ward 80), Ryan Worrall (Lewis Taylor 90), Marcel Powell (Damien Theodore 59). Not used: Charlie Bonwick-Adams.