LAING DOUBLE HELPS ROBINS RUFFLE TOWN FEATHERS
If anyone needed confirmation about just how good Hassocks had been in the first half of their Tuesday night encounter against Eastbourne Town, then the dressing down visiting boss Dave Winterton gave his players during the break should have been enough.
Winterton’s verbal lashing permeated the walls of the Beacon Clubhouse, could be heard on the far side of the ground and probably a quarter of a mile away in the centre of the village.
Time and time again, Hassocks had carved open one of the County League title favourites and Winterton knew that his side were very lucky that the Robins were only 1-0 ahead rather than having put the game to bed.
Hassocks began the game at a ferocious tempo, hitting the post inside the first five minutes via Joe Fernley with the loose ball scrambled behind at the expense of a corner by the Town defence.
From the subsequent delivery, the evergreen Andy Fisk rattled the same upright as Fernley and Graham Beveridge saw his follow up effort hacked off the line.
Having seen some the Robins’ older warhorses leading the charge, next it was the lively Pat Harding’s turn to torment the Town defence.
Harding took centre stage, looking sharp in everything he did other than his finishing as the visitors struggled to find any answer to the Robins’ talisman.
He could have easily had a first half hat-trick, a combination of some uncharacteristically poor finishing and one outstanding save from Russell Tanner preventing Harding getting on the scoresheet.
Questions were asked of Tanner for his role in the Robins’ opener which arrived with 22 minutes on the clock.
The Town goalkeeper looked set to deal comfortably with a cross into the box, only to be beaten in a straight jump by James Laing, opening his account for the season.
As well as a lot of shouting, Winterton also made a slight tactical tweak at half time to hand his captain Scott Price more freedom to roam in the space between the Hassocks defence and midfield.
By the time the Robins had got to grips with Price’s new commission, he had beaten Joel Harding with two fine right footed strikes to turn the game on its head and put Town into the lead.
An already entertaining encounter became even more so, Town going on the attack to try and secure a third which would kill the game off whilst Hassocks returned to the same gear they were in during the first half in attempt to find an equaliser.
Tanner made several good saves to thwart the Robins, including a superb stop from Laing every bit as good as his first half save from Harding.
Hassocks did eventually find a way through, an awkward bounce taking the ball away from the Town defence and leaving Laing in the clear.
The Hassocks striker took advantage of this slice of luck in glorious style, beating Tanner with a perfectly controlled lob to level the game at 2-2.
Tanner blotted his copybook a little with a late booking for dissent as Town let their frustrations get the better of them, although nobody with visiting connections could deny that Hassocks were worthy of a point.
Particularly pleasing to Dave John would have been that this performance and result followed the disappointment of a 1-0 reversal at Pagham on the opening day of the campaign.
If Hassocks can regularly repeat this showing against Town rather than their effort at Nyetimber Lane on Saturday over the course of the next eight months, then the Robins could be in for a very good season indeed. Just ask Winterton.
Hassocks: Joel Harding; Mickey Turner, Nick Newman, Chris Hewitt, Ashley Low, Richard Thompson; Joe Fernley, Andy Fisk, Graham Beveridge; James Laing, Pat Harding.
Subs: Ian Dawson, Richard Thomas, Tom Stripp, Sam Fisk, Phil Wickwar (unused).
Starman: James Laing scored both goals and did plenty besides in a good team showing.
