The Islanders started well and almost took the lead from a set piece as a corner was allowed to come all the way to the back post but was eventually stabbed wide by a Gull at the far stick. In what was a first half of little quality from all 22, set pieces seemed the most likely and Hill No1 Roco Rees was forced into a brilliant point blank save to deny a Canvey man, again at the back post from a corner. Long range efforts and set pieces were the order of the day in the opening 45, with Burgess Hill creating very little until the last kick of the first half when Canvey didn’t clear a cross into the box and it came to George Vorster, 9 yards out to tap home but it was brilliantly blocked on the line by Joe Halsey.

It is becoming a theme of Burgess Hill’s season, head into the interval level, and then fall away second 45. This time, it only took 75 seconds for that familiar feeling to hit the 448 in attendance as somehow, the hosts thought it a good idea to allow Callum Newsome the whole half to run in a straight line at Hill’s back 4, eventually squaring the ball for Canvey talisman Max Fiddes who could not miss from 6 yards. Once again, the game fell back into the pattern of long range chances being the best source of entertainment in a drab affair, before Roco Rees once again, made a terrific flying save to tip away the football of his very top corner to preserve the damage for Hill. With 21 minutes left, that damage for Hill was doubled as Hill didn’t clear a cross, it was hooked back into the mixer and the defending was almost comical from men in Green, as Max Fiddes again was the sharpest to react, slamming home a second and sending the masses of Gulls who had made the long journey, into delirium. There was still time for Canvey to rocket an effort off the underside of the bar, but in truth there was only ever 1 team in this contest, and they didn’t look like a team bottom of the table. Deserved winners and hope renewed all around the Island for Garry Kimble’s men.

Hill: Roco Rees, Hamish Morrison, Reggie Ward (Harry Lawson 75), Glen Rea, Josh Spinks (Brannon O’Neill 75), Luther Williams, George Vorster, Kieran Rowe, Chris Whelpdale (Luke Gambin 45), Ben Pope, Stefan Vukoje. Not used: Jack Meeres and Ryan Worrall.