THOMAS AT THE DOUBLE IN WELCOME WIN FOR 10 MAN ROBINS
Many people – themselves included – think that Three Bridges are in a totally false position sitting only one place off the bottom of the Division One table.
Their cause though is hardly going to be helped by performances and results like that at the Beacon, where Hassocks sauntered to a 3-1 victory despite playing for virtually the whole second half with only 10 men.
This was just the tonic Dave John and his players needed after a bruising few weeks in which they had suffered four straight defeats and seen their injury list reach alarming proportions.
It was one of those players summoned to cover for the wounded absentees who was dismissed, Luke Flomo marking his first start of the season with a straight red card after getting tangled up with Joe Clark within 60 seconds of the start of the second half.
As Flomo attempted to get away from Clarke, referee John Pike deemed that the striker had kicked out intentionally and so off Flomo went for violent conduct.
Home boss John said of the incident afterwards: “I could see why the referee saw it that way but I thought it was a case of the two getting tangled up and Luke’s boot even came off. Still, I don’t suppose we’ve got any grounds for an appeal.”
Hassocks were leading only 1-0 when Flomo headed for his early bath, making the full time score look even more creditable.
Bridges started strongly and Hassocks needed Joel Harding to be at his best to ensure they did not fall a couple of goals behind inside the opening five minutes.
Harding denied Simon Funnell and then pulled off a stop of the highest quality to keep out a Pat Massaro effort which looked to the world to be destined for the back of the Hassocks goal.
It was against the run of play a little when Hassocks took the lead with 20 minutes played via a superbly worked goal.
The Robins worked the ball through Richard Thompson, Matt Robbins and Flomo before Anthony Hibbert provided a crisp strike which went in via Alan Mansfield’s post.
Next it was the turn of Mansfield to show his quality with some important saves from Hibbert again and Richard Thomas as Hassocks looked to extend their lead before half time.
Young reserve team striker Thomas and Flomo had formed a promising new-look strike partnership in the absence of injured duo Pat Harding and James Laing before Flomo’s red card left Thomas to plough a lonely furore alone.
Thomas’ time as a up front by himself got off to the best possible start as he doubled Hassocks’ advantage within two minutes of the Robins being reduced to 10.
A poor clearance from Clark fell straight to Thomas and he made no mistake, drilling an effort past Mansfield for what was to prove a decisive goal.
Bridges poured forward as they had to and it was the Alamo at times. Harding and his back five of Ashley Low, Nick Newman, Chris Hewitt, Ashley Marsh and Thompson stood firm, despite Danny Smith and the lively Massaro going close.
When Bridges’ star performer Lee Butcher hit the underside of Harding’s bar with 10 minutes left, the visitors must have sensed this was not going to be their day.
Five minutes after that and Hassocks added insult to injury, Thomas getting another reward for his tireless work rate when heading home Hibbert’s cross.
Funnell did manage to pull one back for Bridges in the final minute but it was nothing more than a consolation as Hassocks halted their slide down the table.
Needless to say, John was delighted with the result. “We worked so hard and there were some superb individual performances,” he said.
“As for Bridges, yes they did bombard us and have some good players but they seemed to lack ideas on how to break us down.”
Hassocks: Joel Harding; Ashley Low, Nick Newman, Chris Hewitt, Ashley Marsh, Richard Thompson; Graham Beveridge, Matt Robbins, Anthony Hibbert; Luke Flomo, Richard Thomas.
Subs: Ian Dawson, Ian Church, Steve Hudson, Alex Simpson (unused).
