Sussex County League Division 1
Saturday 14th November 2009
DISAPPOINTING ROBINS BLOWN AWAY BY CHI 
Chichester City United 1-0 Hassocks

HASSOCKS fought a magnificent rearguard action to win 1-0 at Shoreham a week earlier but on Saturday their defence was breached after only seven minutes. It was to prove costly although, in fairness, Chi had nearly all the chances and in the end should have won more comfortably.

But Robins tried hard enough, particularly in the second half, and in mitigation they were suffering from injuries. Skipper Ashley Marsh was ruled out by a shoulder injury, striker Phil Gault was also missing, and midfielders Anthony Hibbert and Terry Gacias played despite carrying knocks.

There was early warning of what was to come for less than two minutes in Callum Cutler played Mike Long through and only a lack of power in the finish enabled Hassocks to clear. Five minutes later they were not quite so fortunate as again Cutler sent the speedy Long on his way and this time he beat Joel Harding inside his righthand post. Two minutes after that Harding pulled off a superb reaction double save to thwart James Temple and Adrian Brockway and later in the half was again at his best in denying Temple after misheaders by Sol Bowra and Stuart Faith.

A gale force cross wind hardly made life easy for the players but Chi managed to play enough football to justify the game being played and certainly a combination of the wind and a grassy pitchy meant the surface was surprisingly good, if a little lumpy. There was barely a sniff at goal for Robins before the break although Neil Kane had a chance immediately after that Harding save to deny Temple for a second time.

Hassocks picked up their game a little after the break and there was more energy in their performance even though they still gave away possession far too easily. Chi continued to look the more likely scorers but the visitors did create one clearcut chance 15 minutes from time.

A foul on James Laing by the otherwise excellent Temple caused manager Dave John's blood pressure to rise a little when his player was refused treatment but from the resulting free kick, a neat touch by sub Logan Newington paved the way for Hibbert to be left with a clear shooting chance he put wide.

Newington looked lively enough after replacing Kane but in a healthy allowance of stoppage time, Chi had two great chances to double their lead. Temple got the better of Spencer Slaughter, by then playing at the back as Faith was pushed forward, but the effort went well wide and then Joe Briggs was also off target.

In the end, it hardly mattered as that early goal proved enough for the best side on the day to take all three points.

Hassocks: Harding; Jacques, Bowra, Faith, Simpson, Kublickas; Hibbert, Slaughter, Gacias; Laing, Kane.

Subs: Newington (Kane, 66), McNaughton (Gacias, 85), Scrase (not used).

Middy Starman: Plenty of effort but no-one stood out enough to merit the award