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This was as easy a victory as Whyteleafe are likely to get against a very poor Burgess Hill side and three very welcome points that take them away from the danger area.
'Leafe opened brightly and Steve McNamara won a second minute corner which he took himself but was well claimed by keeper Craig Stoner.
Burgess Hill were a very physical side and conceded numerous free kicks. One of them for pushing Robbie Smith over in the 11th minute was taken by Andy Martin but struck wide from 25 yards. Ben Johnson had a chance for the visitors from similar range in the 20th minute following a foul by Ali Reeve, but his free kick was blocked by the wall.
McNamara won another corner in the 23rd minute, from which he found Asher Hudson who headed wide at the far post. A minute later another McNamara corner found Martin. He headed back across goal but the danger was cleared.
Whyteleafe continued to dominate and were rewarded in the 33rd minute when a mix up between Stoner and the defence allowed Martin a free passage to goal and a tap in to gain the lead. Two minutes later, they were two up when Danny Grainsford headed spectacularly past his own keeper from another McNamara cross. The unfortunate Denva McKenzie was booked for his admiration of the goal!
The win was virtually guaranteed the game in the 42nd minute. With Smith on the ground following a very bad challenge by Grainsford, Martin ran clear whilst everyone else was demanding action from the referee and his well placed shot beat Stoner at the near post.
Whyteleafe started the second half in similar fashion to the first with Smith putting Ronnie Green through in the 47th minute, his pull back being well caught by Stoner. A minute later McNamara shot wide after a strong run towards the Burgess Hill area.
'Leafe looked to have scored their fourth in the 56th minute. Hudson's header appeared to cross the line before it was cleared away by David Piper and the clearance had more than a suspicion of handball about it.
Martin was put through in the 59th minute and shot across the face of goal, just inches away from his hat-trick. Green shot wide in the 63rd minute and then three minutes later headed just wide from a great cross from Michael Harney.
In the 70th minute, Smith, whose return added strength to the midfield, was brought down for the umpteenth time and McNamara's free kick was saved.
With the game safe, manager Stuart Massey took the opportunity to make changes with two games a week scheduled for the next month. Burgess Hill were never really threatening and on the odd occasion they did attack, Gavin Dilley looked very comfortable in goal, gaining a clean sheet on an impressive first league appearance for the Leafe.
Whyteleafe: Dilley, Hudson, McNamara, Reeve, Patterson-Bohner, Goodchild, Green (King 68), Smith, McKenzie (Murray-Price 60), Martin, Harney.