Reporter - Steve Rolls

Heartland United returned to Fleming Park to face Hedge End for the second time within three weeks – this time it was the league but there was to be no repeat of their recent cup match victory.

The Heartlands squad was decimated with six first team regulars unavailable, this meant a welcome if not possibly premature return for an injury hit Ryan Lee. As the players took to the field in the unseasonably warm sunshine there was a sense that this makeshift team, hastily patch worked together were going to face an uphill struggle.

Hedge End looked very lively from the start – the pace of their two forwards was a constant menace to the united defence. The away team struggled to find any fluency and so there was little surprise when they fell behind to an early goal.

Reece Drayton showed why you have to be a bit mad to be a goalkeeper – he followed up a great save with a couple of howlers that saw the home team establish a commanding lead. When the half time whistle finally blew, Heartlands were five nil down.

There was no way back from here and as the blues prepared for the second half they knew it was their pride rather than points that was at stake. Things didn’t get any better as Robbie Hammond limped off with a knee injury. Not for the first time this season the manager Gibbo took to the pitch.

Despite conceding a further two goals the team from Portsmouth showed some real heart and commitment with Michael Kelly and Alfie Fisher working tirelessly in the midfield. Eventually the teams determination was rewarded with a penalty – but as the Hedge End stand in keeper turned the spot kick over his cross bar Heartlands knew this definitely wasn’t their day.