Hassocks'
heavy investment on pitch drainage meant a
remarkably good surface was available for
their return to County League action on
Saturday after the enforced break. And in the
end it yielded them an excellent point that
was only a forlorn hope a minute after sub
Nathan Miles was introduced with 13 minutes
remaining. He had only just joined the action
when Joel Harding’s clearance was returned
through the middle and former Burgess Hill
striker Nick Sullivan beat the perplexed
keeper to make it 3-1.
But
four minutes later, Redhill referee Paul
Burton, who generally had a good match,
awarded Robins their second spot kick that
Anthony Hibbert tucked away to offer them a
surprise lifeline. Mr Burton adjudged that
Jahmal King was pulling Miles unfairly but
deemed the penalty to be sufficient
punishment.The Robins’ joy was then complete
just two minutes later when a good move left
Miles through with just Shayne Goldmsith to
beat and he did that with consummate easy by
lifting the ball over the keeper.
On
the overall balance of play, the hosts were a
shade fortunate to emerge with a draw and
manager Dave John, back in control after being
laid low since Christmas, admitted it has to
be good to take a point from 3-1 down.
Despite
four goals after the break, the quality did
not reach the same heights as the first half,
when some neat play, a lively tempo and plenty
of competitive edge made the game highly
watchable. It could have been 2-2 inside the
first 10 minutes, with the home side first to
threaten when Phil Gault pulled an excellent
save from Goldsmith. From the resulting
corner, both Sol Bowra and Gault had chances
before Spencer Slaughter hit a shot just
wide.But it was not long before Down proved
they could also pose a threat when skipper
Tony Reid had his header from Nick
Sullivan’s cross turned aside by Harding,
who then did superbly three minutes later to
deny Aaron Watson.
Robins
skipper Ashley Marsh misjudged a long ball and
although Dan Jacques did well to hold up
Watson, the visiting midfielder looked as if
he had rounded Harding before the keeper
miraculously grabbed the ball from off his
toe. After that, Hassocks went a little flat
and it was no real surprise when the visitors
went in front on 25 minutes. Harding came for
Dan Sullivan’s cross but was beaten to it by
Reid, who headed firmly into the unguarded
net.
At
least that served to rouse Robins and four
minutes later the returning Stuart Faith got
there first to a Hibbert corner, needlessly
conceded by keeper Goldsmith, only to put a
near post header over the bar. But it hardly
mattered as a further four minutes on Hassocks
were level when Mr Burton spotted a handling
offence by the hapless King. Goldsmith did
well to get his finger tips to Hibbert’s
spot kick but it had too much power to make
much difference,
From
then until half time it was the hosts who
could easily have taken the lead. Slaughter
did superbly to set up James Laing, whose shot
cannoned off the underside of the bar and then
Slaughter put a good chance well wide after
Matt Beeston made a mess of a clearance. Down
were out of the blocks quickest in the second
half and generally it was a disappointing home
performance until the last 10 minutes. The
Hassocks defence was carved open as Reid
grabbed a well taken second on 65 minutes and
he could have completed his hat-trick before
Nick Sullivan’s goal looked certain to seal
all three points. But there was a sting in the
tail and it was sub Miles who did much to
leave the visitors smarting.
Hassocks:
Harding; Jacques, Marsh, Bowra, Faith,
Kublickas; Clark, Slaughter, Hibbert; Laing,
Gault.
Subs:
Miles (Laing, 77), Thompson, Bates, Kane, J
Simpson (not used).
Starman:
Phil Gault was lively and Slaughter, as
always, worked his socks off but it goes to
Stuart Faith, such a key figure for Hassocks.
