Hassocks
were well beaten 2-0 by a confident
Peacehaven side at a wet Piddinghoe Avenue
on Saturday. Peacehaven knocked the ball
around like a side who have reached two cup
finals and are challenging for runners up
spot in the league, whilst Hassocks's
confidence had certainly taken a huge knock
after their dismal 3-0 reverse against Mile
Oak a week earlier.
However,
things may have been different if Sam
Jeremiah's effort from Richard Thompson's
centre had gone in instead of rebounding off
the inside of the post on 8 minutes. Sadly,
that was the Robins's only worthwhile effort
all afternoon, with Peacehaven keeper Joe
Adams leaving the field almost spotless at
the end and Hassocks having failed to win a
corner in 90 minutes.
Peacehaven
kept the ball well, although it also has to
be said that Hassocks were guilty yet again
of giving possession away far too cheaply
and were unable to keep the ball when they
had it. The defence cut out numerous crosses
and had Peacehaven had their shooting boots
on it could have been a lot worse for
Hassocks. Joel Harding made some excellent
stops, denying Rob O'Toole with a fingertip
onto the bar, saving at the feet of Tom
Burton and saving at full stretch from Scott
Marshall, who also curled a free kick wide
and blasted well over when well placed. At
the other end in a rare attack Jeremiah's
shot went wide just before the hosts opened
the scoring on 40 minutes, defender Ashley
Jones heading in at the near post for his
first goal of the campaign.
The
second half was mainly one way traffic, Tom
Levitt headed over from 6 yards, Burton hit
the bar from Matt Hill's cross,
Marshall again failed to hit the target with
Harding to beat and the Robins keeper made a
superb tip round from sub Callum Saunders.
Dan Jacques, who was perhaps fortunate to
escape at least a booking for 2 blatant
fouls and Anthony Hibbert were replaced but
subs James Laing and Arni Kublickas failed
to make any real impact. Harding denied
Saunders again down to his left but after
parrying away another fierce effort from the
same player the ball fell nicely to Marshall
who at last found his range with a superb
volley on 88 minutes to seal the points.
Hassocks: Harding, Jacques, Thompson,
Marsh, O'Callaghan, Lear, Clark, Bates, Hibbert, Miles, Jeremiah
Subs: Laing
(Hibbert 71), Kublickas (Jacques 71), Dawson
(unused)
Starman: Joel Harding as without his
interventions, could have been worse
