It's perhaps one of the biggest and most eagerly-awaited Mid Sussex local derbies in years - Colin Bowman

All Mid Sussex football fans eyes will be focused on Sussex Fa HQ Culver Road, Lancing on Wednesday evening as our two Bostik League teams go into battle.
Simon Wormull and Shaun SaundersSimon Wormull and Shaun Saunders
Simon Wormull and Shaun Saunders

Hordes of local Burgess Hill Town and Haywards Heath Town connections will be making the short hop south or be straining to social media platforms.

The Blues from Hanbury Park, under manager Shaun Saunders, have been on a meteoric rise in fame over the past four seasons which has seen no less than two successful promotion campaigns.

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Indeed this column, whilst concentrating on the Hillians, has been keeping close tabs on our neighbours.

In late 2015, I travelled with the team to an FA Vase match, but my report suggested that these guys were sleeping giants which were about to stir. Since then I have ventured to quite a few Heath matches and have constantly suggested that the local people of Haywards Heath get right behind the vibe.

The team are currently having a very successful time in the Bostik South East division lying in 4th position. One can not under estimate how good that is as the division is tough with many long trips into Kent and flying to Guernsey.

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The team look destined to find themselves in the play offs and it would be a brave man to bet against them securing yet another promotion. In terms of the Sussex Senior Cup, Heath have beaten Crawley Town along the way.

The Hillians, under the current leadership of Head Coach Simon Wormull and assistant John Rattle look favourites to fall through the Bostik Premier League trap door come April 27.

We are bottom of the league with three teams going down.

Regular readers of this column over the past four seasons will have seen a myriad of poor results but punctuated with moments of high exaltation as former boss Ian Chapman, assistant Stuart Tuck and General Manger John Rattle staved off no less than three relegations.

I have always maintained that the drop in Bostik South East would be a complete disaster and have always kept the faith. However, three points from a possible 33 since January 2 tells you all you need to know about the current situation. With 10 league matches to go us fans feel we are going to need five wins to keep us up. Even for the Houdini’s of Bostik football it could be a step to far.

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So on to the Sussex Senior Cup Semi final at Culver Road on Wednesday evening. Its perhaps one of the biggest and eagerly awaited Mid Sussex local derbies in years and its exciting to be involved.

Emotions will be quite raw come kick off as both sets of fans make themselves heard. Hillian’s legend John Buck (83) quipped to me ‘if we lose, I will have to go into hiding! From a personal point of view, you just get the feeling that Heath will be holding a greater percentage of aces and will be very difficult to beat. The Blues into the Amex Final.