Sussex County League Division 1
Saturday 13th March 2010
RAMPANT ROBINS LAY MULLETS CURSE TO REST
Arundel 1-4 Hassocks

Mill Road, Arundel is hardly the happiest of hunting grounds for Hassocks over the seasons with just one league win of note and a penalty shoot out cup win. And for long periods on Saturday it looked as if this trend would continue as the Mullets dominated proceedings. However, Hassocks hung on, rode their luck, defended valiantly and in the end ran out remarkable 4-1 winners and move above the magical 40 point mark.

The Robins led after just 5 minutes, Dan Jacques shooting home superbly with his left foot from outside the box – the first time that Hassocks had actually got hold of the ball. From then on it was all Arundel, Scott Tipper had a goal ruled out for offside, the dangerous Russell Hardwell fired over twice, Dave Walker had a header blocked on the line by Stuart Faith and Jacques did equally well to clear from Tipper. Faith left the action with a hip injury on 23 minutes, Arni Kublickas coming on at right back with Jacques shifting to centre half. On the half hour Gary Norgate had a header deflected over by the immense Ashley Marsh, who seemed to be everywhere, cutting out crosses and heading away, ably back up by the composed Kieran O’Callaghan. Hassocks rarely threatened the Mullets goal and were further hampered at half time as Daley Clark was injured in a 50/50 challenge with Walker and was replaced by Nathan Miles, who operated a central midfield role and not his usual striker’s role.

Miles was immediately in the action firing wide from Anthony Hibbert’s lay off at the start of the second half, whilst the wasteful Hardwell blasted wide from the angle for Arundel. On 53 minutes, Hassocks almost doubled the lead, Sam Jeremiah was put through by Miles but his goalbound effort was saved by the legs of Ben O’Connor. Hassocks got a break a minute later when Norgate turned and fired home from close range but the assistant referee flagged for an infringement on Jacques and the goal was chalked off. On 61 minutes the same two players clashed again and this time referee John Pike pointed to the spot. Norgate took the kick himself but Jack Simpson pulled off a wonderful penalty save for the second game running to keep Hassocks’ noses in front.

This seemed to affect the Mullets and Hassocks doubled their lead on 70 minutes, Kublickas nutmegged Matt Axell before crossing to Miles who shot home past a helpless O’Connor from 18 yards. Tipper fired over before Arundel halved the deficit on 77, Walker shooting home from 30 yards through a crowd of players. Miles tried his luck from the same distance but his effort was magnificently tipped over the bar by O’Connor. But from the corner O’Callaghan was felled by Axell and Hibbert comfortably tucked away the penalty to restore the 2 goal advantage. On 84 minutes it was amazingly 4-1 Phil Gault heading Hibbert’s corner from 8 yards and it could have been worst for the home side, with O’Connor denying Jeremiah low down and the same player chipping over. Simpson made a fine save with his feet at the death to deny David Hibbert and give what looked like a comfortable win to Hassocks but was certainly not.

 

Hassocks: J Simpson, Jacques, Thompson, Marsh, O’Callaghan, Faith, Clark, Laing, Hibbert, Gault, Jeremiah

Subs: Kublickas (Faith 23), Miles (Clark 45), Dawson (Laing 86), S Brown, Harding (unused)

Starman: Ashley Marsh, numerous blocks and tackles, real captains performance