FIVE STAR ROBINS SET UP PLUM BOGNOR TIE
Bognor Regis Town will be visiting the Beacon in the third round of the Sussex Senior Cup after Hassocks set up a plum tie with Conference South opposition thanks to a 5-0 win away at Bexhill United.
On paper, this looked a potential banana skin of a tie, especially given that Hassocks had already exited the John O’Hara Cup to Division One opponents Rustington.
In the end though the Robins made it look easy at the Polegrove as they gave a professional performance that was easily the best so far since John Suter and Mickey Jewell took the reins in the summer.
There were five different scorers, a first clean sheet for 17-year-old Jack Simpson and for the first time this season, Hassocks never looked in danger at any point.
The first 40 minutes were pretty even with both sides giving the ball away with alarming regularity. Simon Bristow was handed the opportunity to partner James Laing in attack and it was his angled shot that flew just wide after five minutes that provided the first opportunity of the tie.
At the other end, Jack Aston lashed a shot just wide before Ashley Marsh found himself in unfamiliar territory in front of the opposing goal after Laing played him in.
How Marsh ended up there remains a complete mystery and the realisation that he was through one-on-one certainly seemed to panic him.
As a result, Marsh attempted to square the ball when a shot on target would surely have beaten United goalkeeper Akyut Kusha, although the Hassocks defender could be forgiven his lack of striking instinct after a record of one goal in 170 appearances.
Bristow, who had been one of the main culprits when it came to handing possession to hosts, was the man who opened the scoring with 38 minutes on the clock.
There was a huge helping hand from Kusha as Bristow’s effort from 25 yards looked to be an extremely tame one, yet somehow it eluded the grasp of Kusha and just about trickled over the line to give Hassocks the lead.
The Robins made one enforced change at the break as Matt Russell replaced the injured Laing and it was the former Burgess Hill Town striker’s arrival into proceedings that saw Hassocks grab the tie by the scruff of the neck.
Within 14 minutes of his introduction, Russell doubled the Robins advantage although the goal owed much to the industry of Dan Jacques at right wing back.
This was another promising performance from Jacques and he found himself in an advanced position after a lung busting run forward.
It looked like he’d blown the opportunity though when producing an almighty scuff yet somehow the ball went through the home defence and straight onto the path of the onrushing Russell who slotted home at the second attempt.
Hassocks were in control now and Matt Percival was just over with a dipping volley and Bristow failed to clear Kusha with an attempted lob when one on one with the keeper.
Suter turned to Matt Amos and Anthony Hibbert to replace Bristow and Percival in a double substitution on 67 minutes and the introduction of two of the Robins’ most dangerous attacking threats helped them wrap the tie up comfortable.
Russell should have made it three within a couple of minutes of the changes and then Bexhill sub Ricky Mote missed their clearest chance when firing over Simpson’s bar from 12 yards.
Jamie Hillwood added the Robins third with 10 minutes remaining with a stunning individual effort for his first
goal for the first team since stepping up from last seasons League Cup winning youth team.
Hillwood started with the ball inside his own half before riding three or four Bexhill challenges and tucking under the body of Kusha.
In an action packed last 10 minutes, Russell somehow hit the post from a yard out before Spencer Slaughter netted the fourth by rounding off a fine move that involved Hibbert, Russell and Amos with a neat finish.
The scoring was rounded off in injury time by Hibbert who placed the ball out of the reach of Kusha having collected an excellent lay off from Amos.
Hassocks: Jack Simpson; Dan Jacques, Nick Pitcher, Ashley Marsh, Stuart Faith, Jamie Hillwood; Matt Percival, Spencer Slaughter, Tom White; Simon Bristow, James Laing.
Subs: Matt Russell (Laing 45), Matt Amos (Bristow 67), Anthony Hibbert (Percival 67), Richard Thompson (unused).
Starman: Good all-round team performance but just goes to Dan Jacques for another solid display.
