Burgess Hill Town suffered a harsh defeat on the road as three costly mistakes saw the Hillians lose 3-1 at Sevenoaks on the opening day of the season.

After a cagey opening 10 minutes the first chance fell to the hosts. Hill don’t clear a free kick and it falls to a Sevenoaks CB but he volleys inches wide.

The Hillians first sniff on goal came 3 minutes later as we caught the visitors sleeping from a short corner, Ryan Worrall whips it in and Lewis Taylor heads at the Oaks keeper Jordan Perrin.

It was the hosts who took the lead after a really even 26 minutes, one ball down field is cleared against a Hill defender and it breaks perfectly for former Hill forward Warren Mfula to slot home.

On 39 minutes there was half a chance for the Hill as Kieran Rowe does a give and go with Ben Pope but smashes wide with his left foot. It was still very even, with the only major chance coming for the goal.

Minutes before half time the Oaks break in a flash and the cross from the left is swept just wide by Mfula and down the other end a better move from Hill sees space open up for Bobby Price but he fires straight at Perrin, before Hill break quickly but Ollie Davies sees his shot blocked as the Oaks went into the break leading.

The Hillians came out superbly in the second half and saw two chances in the opening 5 minutes.

Chesworth works his way down the left and his cross falls to Davies who heads straight at the GK and then Chesworth gets put in behind but again can’t beat Perrin.

Hill did get their deserved equaliser though as Davies gets in down the right and he fires a cross in which Kieran Rowe slides home much to the delight of the travelling fans.

Hill continued to press and look to take the lead and Perrin was again called into action as he made an excellent save to deny Pope’s header.

On 67 minutes the Hillians couldn’t believe they hadn’t taken the lead as Pope flicks a corner on, it bounces around, we can’t scramble it in, the lose ball falls to sub Reggie Ward who’s shot is blocked on the line.

Chances arrived at both end as Hill give it away and Slav Huk does brilliantly to deny the Oaks, before we break down the other end and it falls to Harry Lawson who thumps it but it’s another great save from Perrin.

With five minutes left on the clock Hill give the ball away on the edge of our box and Sevenoaks won’t get an easier goal all season as Mfula grabbed his second of the game.

In injury time a bad error at the back saw Sevenoaks make it 3-1 as Gael Kaliba scored into an empty net.

Hill dominated for large periods but it was a tough pill to swallow as we left Kent with nothing as the Oaks took all three points.