Broadbridge Heath Denied by 94th-Minute South Park Winner
Dougie
FA Trophy
Broadbridge Heath suffered a heartbreaking start to their 2026/27 Isuzu FA Trophy campaign as Ross Stepney’s 94th-minute header gave South Park a 2–1 preliminary-round victory at Whitehall Lane.
The Bears were the only Sussex club required to enter at this earliest stage of the competition and looked well placed to carry the county flag into the first qualifying round after Sal Marino headed them in front four minutes before half-time. South Park responded through Bailee Cain in the 75th minute, however, before Stepney struck deep into added time to complete the comeback.
It was a particularly painful reversal for Broadbridge Heath because they had won by the same score at the same ground in last season’s FA Trophy. This time they were moments away from taking the tie to penalties when Stepney delivered the decisive blow.
Heath leave the competition with the £400 payment allocated to preliminary-round losers, while South Park receive £1,500 and advance to an away tie against Bognor Regis Town on Saturday 29 August. The result also means that seven Sussex clubs will begin their Trophy campaigns in the first qualifying round, all with home advantage.
South Park 2–1 Broadbridge Heath
The bare result tells the story of a late defeat, but it does not fully reflect how close Broadbridge Heath came to advancing.
The Bears created opportunities to establish control before the interval, with Mason Doughty twice denied by South Park goalkeeper Danny Bracken. Those saves became increasingly important as the afternoon developed. One goal from either chance could have changed both the score and the tactical direction of the contest.
South Park carried a threat of their own. Tom Jackson sent a 25-yard free-kick into the side netting, while George Vincent directed a glancing header narrowly past the post. The exchanges suggested an evenly balanced knockout tie rather than a match in which either side could afford to play with caution.
The breakthrough arrived in the 41st minute through Marino. Broadbridge Heath used a long throw to deliver the ball into a crowded penalty area and Marino won the decisive aerial contest, directing his header beyond Bracken to give the visitors the lead.
Set pieces and long throws can be invaluable in early-season cup football. Teams are still developing their rhythm in possession, but a well-delivered dead ball or rehearsed restart can create a clear opportunity without requiring a long passing move. Heath’s opener was a reminder that direct play does not have to mean hopeful play when the delivery and movement are coordinated.
More importantly, the timing appeared ideal. Scoring four minutes before the interval allowed Broadbridge Heath to enter half-time with a lead and left South Park needing to alter the contest. For the Bears, the task became one of retaining their attacking threat while managing territory and preventing the hosts from building sustained pressure.
South Park emerged knowing that their Trophy campaign could disappear unless they found a response. Broadbridge Heath remained in front for half an hour after the restart, but the earlier Bracken saves meant there was never a two-goal cushion to protect.
The equaliser came in the 75th minute. Cain reacted first when the ball broke loose and finished to restore parity. It was precisely the type of goal that can transform a knockout tie: not necessarily the product of an elaborate move, but a reward for remaining alert when possession became contested around the penalty area.
With no replays in the FA Trophy, both teams knew a draw after 90 minutes would lead directly to penalties. That creates a difficult balance during the closing stages. Push too aggressively and space can open at the other end; become too cautious and the opponent is invited to take control.
For most of the remaining period, penalties appeared increasingly likely. Then, in the fourth minute of added time, Stepney headed the winning goal. The timing left Broadbridge Heath with virtually no opportunity to respond.
From South Park’s perspective, it was a display of persistence. They went into the interval behind, stayed within one goal and found a way back before producing the final act of the afternoon.
From Heath’s viewpoint, it was the cruellest possible conclusion to a tie in which they had led and created enough chances to believe progression was within reach.
Bracken’s Saves Changed the Tie
The goals will naturally dominate the headlines, but Bracken’s contribution should not be overlooked. His two saves from Doughty kept South Park close enough to recover.
Goalkeepers can determine knockout matches without saving a penalty or producing one spectacular intervention in added time. Sometimes the defining work happens earlier, when the scoreline still appears comfortable and the full importance of a stop is not yet obvious.
Had Doughty converted either opportunity, Broadbridge Heath could have established the two-goal advantage that their overall performance needed. South Park would then have been forced to take greater risks, potentially leaving even more room for Heath to counterattack. Instead, Bracken ensured the hosts remained one moment away from equalising.
Doughty should still take encouragement from repeatedly finding positions from which he could threaten the goal. The next step is converting that movement into an end product.
For Marino, the afternoon provided an immediate personal positive: a competitive goal, scored away from home in a national cup competition, even if the team result overshadowed it.
At the other end, Cain and Stepney showed the value of contributions arriving from different sources. Cain was alert to the loose ball for the equaliser and Stepney attacked the decisive header when the tie was almost out of time. Their goals transformed South Park’s afternoon from elimination into a place in the next round.
Exact Revenge for Last Season
There was an unavoidable sense of role reversal at the final whistle.
In September 2025, Broadbridge Heath visited the same opposition at the same venue in the first qualifying round and returned to Sussex with a 2–1 victory.
That win launched the Bears’ best FA Trophy run. They went on to beat Bedfont Sports 2–1 in the second qualifying round before welcoming Isthmian Premier Division opposition Billericay Town.
Heath competed strongly in that third qualifying-round tie and reached half-time level at 1–1, but two late Billericay goals produced a 3–1 defeat.
Reaching that stage represented meaningful progress for a club that only won promotion from the Southern Combination Premier Division in 2023. It demonstrated that Broadbridge Heath could compete beyond their own level and gave their supporters a national cup journey extending into October.
This season’s Trophy experience ended at the first hurdle. The contrast is sharp: last year, Heath won 2–1 at Whitehall Lane and used the result as the foundation of a three-match run; this year, South Park won 2–1 and earned the right to continue their own campaign.
The result also represented a response for the Surrey side after they had been knocked out of the FA Cup by Virginia Water a week earlier.
Broadbridge Heath entered Saturday in a similar position following a 1–0 home defeat against AFC Greenwich Borough in the FA Cup extra preliminary round.
For the Bears, two national cup eliminations before the league season has properly gathered speed will be frustrating. Yet the margins were narrow in both cases: one goal against Greenwich Borough and a winner four minutes into stoppage time at South Park.
The important task is ensuring disappointment does not become early-season negativity. The evidence from Saturday suggests Heath can create opportunities and compete effectively against teams at their own level. Turning that competitiveness into results will depend on greater efficiency in both penalty areas.
An Immediate Opportunity for Revenge
Broadbridge Heath will not have to wait long to see South Park again. The clubs meet in the Isthmian League South East Division at the Air Engineering Stadium on Tuesday evening, only three days after their Trophy contest.
That unusually quick reunion gives Chris Simmons and his staff an immediate chance to apply lessons from the cup tie. South Park will arrive with confidence, but they will also know that Broadbridge Heath led for 34 minutes and twice forced Bracken into important saves.
The psychological challenge is significant. Heath must retain the positive aspects of Saturday’s performance without allowing the 94th-minute goal to dominate their thinking.
South Park, meanwhile, must guard against believing that one late victory guarantees another. Cup progression does not provide league points, and Tuesday begins at 0–0.
Selection decisions will also be interesting. Managers rarely want to overhaul a side that has performed well, but a second meeting in such a short period allows each coaching staff to adjust pressing triggers, set-piece organisation and individual match-ups with unusually recent evidence.
For Broadbridge Heath, a league victory would not restore their place in the Trophy, but it would provide an immediate shift in momentum. For South Park, another positive result would reinforce the belief generated by their comeback.
Seven Sussex Clubs Waiting in the First Qualifying Round
Although Broadbridge Heath’s campaign is over, Sussex will have seven representatives in the first qualifying round on Saturday 29 August. Remarkably, every one of them has been drawn at home.
Bognor Regis Town v South Park
Bognor Regis Town will host South Park, giving the Rocks the first opportunity to end the Surrey club’s run.
South Park’s comeback against Broadbridge ensures they will travel to Nyewood Lane with confidence, but Bognor’s home support and familiarity with their surroundings should make this a very different examination.
The Rocks will also have the benefit of reviewing Saturday’s match. They know South Park can be vulnerable to direct deliveries and aerial pressure, but they have also been warned that the Sparks remain dangerous until the final whistle.
Peacehaven & Telscombe v Merstham or Ashford Town
Peacehaven & Telscombe will face the winner of Sunday’s preliminary-round fixture between Merstham and Ashford Town (Middlesex).
The delayed identity of their opponent creates a small scouting complication, although Peacehaven will have two weeks to prepare once the tie is settled.
Home advantage at the Sports Park should provide confidence, particularly if Peacehaven can use the surface and dimensions of their own ground to establish control early.
Crowborough Athletic v Ashford United
Crowborough Athletic welcome Ashford United in an all-Isthmian South East contest.
With both teams accustomed to the same competitive level, there should be few surprises. Small details such as discipline, set-piece delivery, second balls and finishing are likely to decide the outcome.
Crowborough’s home support could become particularly important if the tie remains level entering its final stages.
Eastbourne Town v Bedfont Sports Club
Eastbourne Town host Bedfont Sports Club at the Saffrons.
Town will be determined to make home advantage count after being handed a tie against opposition from outside their regular league programme. That element of unfamiliarity can make national cup matches particularly interesting, with both teams required to adapt quickly.
An early goal would help Eastbourne settle, but Saturday’s result at South Park demonstrated that scoring first provides no guarantee of progression.
Hastings United v Hendon
Hastings United face Hendon at the Pilot Field in one of the round’s most attractive Sussex ties.
Hastings will view home advantage and the Pilot Field atmosphere as opportunities to establish early momentum, but Hendon possess enough experience to make this a serious test.
For United, a strong Trophy run could add another dimension to their season and give supporters the prospect of meaningful national cup football as autumn approaches.
Littlehampton Town v Raynes Park Vale
Littlehampton Town meet Raynes Park Vale at the Sportsfield.
The Marigolds have avoided a difficult away journey and will hope to use their attacking energy to put Raynes Park under pressure from the opening stages.
However, knockout football rewards control as much as aggression. Littlehampton will need to balance their desire to attack with the defensive concentration required to avoid giving their visitors an easy route into the contest.
Steyning Town v Moneyfields
Steyning Town welcome Moneyfields to the Birchwood Ground.
The Barrowmen’s return to Isthmian League football gives them an opportunity to test their progress in a national knockout competition. Moneyfields will provide demanding opposition, but Steyning’s home surroundings and support should make this a tie they approach with confidence.
The Rules and Prize Money
The competition rules leave little room for uncertainty. There are no replays, so any match level after 90 minutes will be decided by kicks from the penalty mark.
Winners in the first qualifying round receive £1,500 and advance to the second qualifying round. Defeated clubs receive £400 and see their Trophy campaigns end.
The payments increase as clubs progress. Second qualifying-round winners receive £2,250, followed by £2,450 for third qualifyinground winners and £3,000 for success in the first round proper.
The eventual winners at Wembley will receive £60,000, with the runners-up collecting £30,000.
At Step Four, even the early payments can be valuable. Cup prize money can assist with travel, equipment, ground improvements and everyday operating costs. Progression also creates the possibility of an attractive home tie, increased attendance and additional commercial income.
Home advantage across all seven first qualifying-round ties therefore gives Sussex a genuine opportunity to build a strong presence in the next stage.
It is not a guarantee—South Park have just demonstrated how quickly a tie can turn—but avoiding travel and playing in familiar surroundings should help.
Fine Margins Define the Opening Weekend
Only three goals were scored in Saturday’s sole Sussex-involved FA Trophy tie, but the timing of those goals produced a complete knockout narrative.
Broadbridge Heath led from the 41st to the 75th minute, a period of 34 minutes. South Park then needed only the closing quarter-hour and added time to transform elimination into victory. The winning goal arrived approximately 19 minutes after the equaliser, deep into stoppage time.
Marino became the first Sussex scorer in this season’s FA Trophy, but Cain and Stepney ensured he would also be the county’s last scorer in the preliminary round. Bracken’s two saves from Doughty provided the hidden foundation for the comeback.
For Broadbridge Heath, the immediate emotion will be disappointment. They were ahead, had chances to increase the lead and stood seconds away from penalties. Once that frustration settles, however, the focus must move to Tuesday’s league rematch and the long campaign ahead.
For Sussex football more widely, attention now turns to 29 August. Seven clubs, seven home ties and seven opportunities to continue along the road to Wembley.
The county’s first representative may have fallen in painful circumstances, but its wider FA Trophy story is only beginning.
THE BEARS’ CLASS OF 2026/27 — OUT OF THE TROPHY IN STOPPAGE TIME, AND STRAIGHT BACK AT SOUTH PARK ON TUESDAY. PHOTO: BROADBRIDGE HEATH X
First published in Dugout News, Issue 002, Sunday 16 August 2026. Republished here in full.
