THOMPSON INJURY MARRS HARD EARNED POINT FOR ROBINS AT RINGMER
Hassocks picked up a fine away point from a 1-1 draw with in-form Ringmer but the result was soured by the news afterwards that Richard Thompson had suffered a hairline fracture of the jaw just before the end.
Thompson was the victim of an innocuous looking challenge from an opponent as a corner came over in a clash that was entirely accidental.
The reliable full back – an ever present up to this point in the season – is due to see a specialist in the week.
The likelihood is that he will be out of action for at least a month, adding to Dave John’s growing injury and absentee list.
Long term injury victims Joe Fernley and Luke Flomo have now been joined by Anthony Hibbert and Stuart Faith with groin and ankle problems respectively.
With Matt Robbins jetting off on a skiing holiday and missing the next two games, John looks very limited in terms of midfield options.
A glance at the midweek results from the Sussex Senior Cup told Hassocks what a tough afternoon they were in for at the Caburn.
Ringmer had pulled off one of the biggest shocks in the competition so far this season when eliminating Worthing, leaving the Blues in confident mood of continuing their recent climb up the table.
Hassocks though put in a real shift, took the game to Ringmer and were it not for a defensive lapse inside the last quarter of an hour, then they would have come away with a second consecutive victory on the road and all three points rather than one.
It was all Hassocks in the opening 15 minutes, much to the surprise of the home crowd. Nick Newman headed wide when well placed from a fine Graham Beveridge centre and Pat Harding saw an effort smothered by Ringer goalkeeper Ross Standen.
Beveridge, Robbins and Ian Dawson were working well as an unfamiliar midfield and that eventually lead to the Robins taking the lead with 18 on the clock.
Some neat passing earned Hassocks a free kick out on the left. Robbins delivered to the far post where Richard Thomas was on hand to head back across goal, finding Harding who turned and finished left footed from six yards out.
Going behind sparked Ringmer into life and the dangerous Dominic Shepherd put a header off target in similar style to Newman earlier.
The Robins then needed a magnificent last gasp tackle from Mickey Turner to bail out his fellow veteran Chris Hewitt after a mistake from the Hassocks captain gave Grant Bean a sight of goal.
Hewitt was having an unusually poor game and he was lucky to escape a yellow when wiping out Warren Tidey. A few minutes later and Thompson was not so fortunate, finding his way into John Pike’s notebook for a trip on Danny Bird.
There seemed a little uncertainty in the Hassocks defence at this point. Tidey loobed over after being presented with a good chance following hesitancy in the Robins back line and Joel Harding had to be alert to save at the feet of Matt Beeston in the final play of the first half.
Chances were few and far between in the second half. Hassocks used the interval to regroup defensively, whilst the evergreen Paul Thompsett was outstanding at sweeper for Ringer in shackling Harding for the most part.
Chris Johnson drew a good low save from Harding and Thomas was denied what would have been a magnificent individual goal on 65.
The young forward picked the ball up on halfway and beat three players but his finish just lacked the direction and power to find a way past Standen.
Ringmer equalised with 77 played. Standen’s huge kick forward skimmed off the head of Ashley Marsh and Newman found himself the wrong side of Shepherd as the ball fell to the Blues marksman, who made no mistake from 12 yards.
It was a disappointing goal for Hassocks to concede and the game petered out into a stalemate after that, which was ultimately the right result.
The challenge now for John is to rouse his beleaguered side for fixtures against leaders Horsham YMCA and second place Rye & Iden United.
Hassocks: Joel Harding; Mickey Turner, Nick Newman, Chris Hewitt, Ashley Low, Richard Thompson; Graham Beveridge, Matt Robbins, Ian Dawson; Richard Thomas, Pat Harding.
Subs: Ashley Marsh (Dawson 72), Belal Shaban (Thomas 76), James Laing, Sam Fisk (unused).
