Three Bridges 5 Worthing United 1: Bridges miss out on title in final day drama

Three Bridges are celebrating promotion to the Bostik League after missing out on finishing as Southern Combination League champions.
Three Bridges trio left to right - Liam Collins, George Gaskin and Nathan Crabb in action against Peacehaven. Picture by Dave Burt www.daveburtphotography.co.uk SUS-180424-160657002Three Bridges trio left to right - Liam Collins, George Gaskin and Nathan Crabb in action against Peacehaven. Picture by Dave Burt www.daveburtphotography.co.uk SUS-180424-160657002
Three Bridges trio left to right - Liam Collins, George Gaskin and Nathan Crabb in action against Peacehaven. Picture by Dave Burt www.daveburtphotography.co.uk SUS-180424-160657002

They finished their campaign in second place behind new champions Haywards Heath after both sides easily won their final games.

Bridges hammered second to bottom Worthing United 5-1, while Heath thrashed fifth-placed Chichester City 6-1 away, which meant Shaun Saunders’ Heath won the title.

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The Jubilee Field side cruised to victory through a George Gaskin hat-trick plus goals by Jensen Grant direct from a free-kick and John Lansdale.

Worthing scored in the 58th minute to make it 3-1 through Joe Patching.

The visitors were reduced to ten men early in the second half when striker Kieran Deacon was sent-off.

Bridges were relying on Heath dropping points against Chichester, who beat Bridges 3-1 just 11 days ago, if they were lift the trophy for the second time in six years.

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The crucial damage was done on Thursday night when local rivals Crawley Down Gatwick, themselves lying in midtable, held their title-chasing neighbours to a shock 0-0 draw.

This ultimately decided the destination of the title and was celebrated by the Crawley Down Gatwick players as if they has won the FA Cup!

Bridges’ promotion celebrations were tempered by a nasty injury suffered by Nathan Crabb, who suffered a suspected broken leg near the end of the first half.

He had to be carried off in a stretcher and was later treated by paramedics beofre being taken ambulance to East Surrey Hospital in Redhill.

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Three Bridges: Thorp, Collins, Whitehead, Hall, Peters, Crellin, Crabb, Grant, French, Lansdale, Gaskin

Subs: Bacon, O’Neill, Simpson, Siaw, Berry

Worthing United: Bromage, Williamson, Webber, Layton, Bukleb, Fuller, Patching, Nagle, Deacon, Moulton, Osei-Asamoh

Subs: Sherwood, Foster, Alabi, Evans

Referee: Luke Chapman