Sussex County League Division 1
Tuesday 13th October 2009
REARGUARD ACTION EARNS ROBINS GREAT POINT
Hassocks 2-2 Redhill

Hassocks produced a terrific rearguard action to earn a 2-2 draw against a lively, pacy and skilful Redhill outfit, arguably the best side seen at the Beacon this season.

The Robins back line repelled wave after wave of attacks, particularly in the second half and in the end could have snatched an unlikely winner in stoppage time when Arni Kublickas was denied in a one on one situation by Chris May. That would have been harsh on the visitors, with Joel Harding forced to make several fine stops denying the excellent Josh Bonnet twice and saving well from both Leon Dussard and Calvin Headley, whilst early on Terry Gacias cleared a Aliy Kyezu header off the line, before he left the action with a reoccurrence of his hamstring injury.

Neil Kane gave Hassocks the lead firing past May on 16 minutes after a powerful and marauding run from the edge of his own box by Spencer Slaughter. Bonnet rattled a post from long range before Redhill equalised, somewhat controversially on 41 minutes when Headley tucked away a penalty awarded against Slaughter for an alleged trip on Bonnet. In the melee that followed Dussard, Slaughter, Ashley Marsh and May, who had rushed the full length of the pitch to get involved, were all yellow carded, Dussard perhaps fortunate not to be shown a red for raising his hands to Marsh

On 49 minutes, full back Asher Hudson tucked home from close range after a fine interchange with Chris Hubbard but 10 minutes later, James Laing fired Hassocks level following an Ian Simpson pass. From then on Redhill pressed forward, Harding saving at the feet of Bonnet, Jacques and Faith both getting in great blocks in the 6 yard box and Harding parried away an effort from Marcus Elliott. At the other end Jacques volleyed a Phil Gault cross well over and the Robins had decent claims for a penalty waved away when Charles Ofusuhene handled but Kane was penalised for an initial push. Right at the death Daley Clark played in Kublickas but he was denied by May’s body and honours were even after another excellent evening’s entertainment at the Beacon.

Hassocks: Harding, Jacques, Kublickas, Marsh, I Simpson, Faith, Gacias (Laing 15), Slaughter, Bates (Clark 74), Gault, Kane

Subs: Laing (Gacias 15), Clark (Bates, 74), Bowra, Gander (unused)

Middy Starman – when a team puts as much effort would be unfair to pinpoint one person, so a team award is justified