Robins could
have no complaints as the champions played
some excellent football to emerge worthy
winners at The Beacon. The hosts had the
chance to go third but despite gamely trying
to match their visitors, slipped to a first
home defeat of the season. It was in
midfield where they really struggled to
match their slick opponents and the writing
was on the wall early as Terry Gacias
cleared off the line from Steve Dallaway
inside the first two minutes.
But it was
Gacias who almost gave Hassocks the lead on
nine minutes when his excellent curling
effort from 25 yards was brilliantly tipped
around the post by Adam Sargeant. Brad
Manton lobbed over when clear on goal, Peter
Lear and Stuart Faith both blocked efforts
from Lucas Mann, and Tom Morton volleyed
wide.
The lively
Ben Billings drove over and the same player
forced a fine save from Joel Harding, while
at the other end Phil Gault had a penalty
claim waved away by referee Boris Erguven
and Michael Bates' attempted lob went way
over the bar after he was played in by
Ashley Marsh.
United
finally went ahead on 43 minutes as Brad
Manton applied the finishing touch to a fine
move involving Morton and James McKenzie.
And on 51 minutes United doubled their lead
when a speculative punt from halfway from
Lee Jules deflected off Gault and Arni
Kublickas before the bounce deceived
Harding. However,
within a minute Gault tapped in from close
range after Sargeant parried Anthony
Hibbert's shot and Hassocks were back in the
match.
They had the
champions on the back foot in an excellent
spell when Gault's header forced another
superb tip over from Sargeant and the same
player dragged his shot badly wide after
being played through one-on-one by Gacias,
who himself fired a 25-yarder just over. But
the visitors had their moments and
deservedly sealed victory when McKenzie
struck on 86 minutes.
Hassocks:
Harding, Jacques, Marsh, Lear, Faith,
Kublickas; Gacias, Bates, Hibbert; Gault,
Kane
Subs:
Johnson, Clark, Geard (unused)
Starman: Phil
Gault
