Sussex County League Division 1
Saturday 28th November 2009
LAST GASP LAING NETS POINT FOR ROBINS 
Hassocks 1-1 Lingfield

James Laing’s sweet right foot strike in the 92^nd minute earned Hassocks a point against a slick and compact Lingfield side, who had lost their manager earlier in the week.

Lingfield controlled much of the match as Hassocks struggled to find any rhythm after a two week break but credit the hosts for keeping going and they actually equalised when they were down to 10 men following a bad injury to Stuart Faith. Faith was left with a boot full of blood and a huge gash in the top of his foot after a clash of boots and a trip to the hospital resulted in several stitches for the inspirational centre half.

Hassocks thought they had taken the lead as early as the 4^th minute but Neil Kane’s effort from a Phil Gault free kick was ruled offside by the assistant referee but it appeared that Kane had been onside when the ball was kicked. Both centre halves for the visitors, Gareth Broom and James Holland were booked early on for pull backs on Kane and Gault and it was Gault who forced a superb tip over from Adam Woodward from a curling free kick which was heading to the top corner.

At the other end the dangerous Joel Hughes scuffed a shot wide and the superb Ian Simpson twice denied Andrew Dalehouse with excellently timed tackles, whilst Simon Wallace was denied by Joel Harding low down to his left. Lingfield took the lead on the half hour, Hughes outpacing and out muscling Dan Jacques and his centre was finished off by Terry Gibson from 12 yards. Harding saved from Ricky Spain and Spencer Slaughter curled a shot wide after a marauding run from midfield.

Early in the second half Faith was booked for upending Hughes and Kane hooked over the bar from Simpson’s header across goal. Gault tried his luck with another free kick but was just over the bar, Spain headed wide and Simpson was again in the right place to deny Wallace with a fine block. Dave John shuffled the pack replacing Terry Gacias and Daley Clark with Sol Bowra and James Laing, with Faith pushing into midfield and Logan Newington coming on for Slaughter. The Robins pushed forward, Laing shot wide but in injury time he fired home from 15 yards after Bowra had knocked down Gault’s free kick to give Hassocks a share of the spoils.

Hassocks: Harding, Jacques, Kublickas, Marsh, Simpson, Faith; Gacias, Slaughter, Clarke; Gault, Kane

Subs: Bowra (Gacias 69), Laing (Clarke 69), Newington (Slaughter 78)

Starman: Ian Simpson – didn’t miss a tackle or header all game