Sussex County League Reserve Premier Division
Wednesday 28th March 2007
A TALE OF TWO HALVES
East Preston 4-5 Hassocks

The two teams started the game pretty evenly until EP's first attack after a long ball down the hill from the EP No.1 caused havoc when it was allowed to bounce and the nippy little forward pounced to strike home with Scott McCarthy not having a chance. Hassocks were playing ok in mid-field and creating chances up-front but neither of the forwards seemed to have the finishing touch. The second EP goal came from a corner after McCarthy parried well, around the post, the corner came in and instead of clearing Hassocks decided to play some pinball until the ball fell to the EP striker and he finished from 3 yards... on to the third EP goal Woods got in a tangle on the right-hand side and the left winger sprinted away and finished past McCarthy who didn’t have a prayer.

Just when we thought it couldn’t get any worse, another long clearance from the EP No.1 and again the ball was allowed to bounce and AGAIN the EP forward nipped in to streak away from Huzzy and Strippy who were too busy calling each other names and swinging handbags to chase the forward who shanked his shot just wide. Hassocks had created chances and kept the set pieces coming in but to no avail...until Dicky Fernley picked out Mark Darbs (who had cleverly lost his marker) out the back just inside the box, to spectacularly volley past the despairing keeper into the roof of the net. Chris Deare Quoted "Even 10 goal keepers wouldn't have saved it". Just before the interval Jacques broke through the defence only to blaze his shot well over..... Peep, peep, peeeeeeep.

Half Time. Substitutions: Harvey for Woods (injured) Simpson for Husbands ("injured"/sympathy)

The half time team talk was surprisingly muted which was even scarier in the anticipation of a massive blow out from Wackers... but it never came. Hassocks started the second half with a bit of tempo, and then EP struck again making it 4-1 to the home side. The travelling supporters must have feared the worst and Micky Jewel turning up in what can only be described as a hearse seemed quite apt… but the game was far from dead and buried in fact the EP goal only seemed to rile and spur the Hassocks team on and Wackers' half time team talk and inspired substitutions began to work their magic and the performance from the defence up to the strikers improved 100%. The biggest change was in defence and the usually dependable Stripp after an awful start began to show the performance we have come to expect from... Dare I say it our future CAPTAIN?!?

It was not long before Simpson rose like a salmon and headed in from another impeccable Dicky Fernley delivery and that was the start of the Hassocks comeback. Nathan Harvey then put Richard Thomas in on goal with a textbook through ball and Thomas 1 on 1 finished with ease. After a bit of a dry spell in the of action EP broke through the mid field, but a fantastic 30yd track and tackle from Darbyshire thwarted another EP attack and when he won the ball, played an exquisite out-side the boot pass to Thomas who rounded a defender and smashed home. Chris Deare replaced the tiring Dicky Fernley, to partner Thomas up-front with "Banjo" Jacques moving back into mid-field. Hassocks seemed to step up gear again and piled the pressure on the EP defence and Chris Deare made it look like he’d never been away to turn the EP left back inside-out then squared the ball to Jacques who closed his eyes and toe poked the ball through the legs of the despairing EP No.1…Nuuuuuts!

EP came on strong in the last 5 – 10 mins and if it was not for some glorious defending from Harvey, Franks, Simpson Stripp, Darbs and fantastic shot stopping from the inspired McCarthy the result would not have been such happy one… Peep, peep, peep, peeeeeep. 5 – 4 a fantastic battling result where Hassocks clearly showed their bouncebackability, well done lads.

I thank you,

Mark Darbs