ROBINS STUN BRIDGES IN CRAZY COMEBACK FA VASE THRILLER
Where do you even begin to start with this FA Vase encounter between Hassocks and Three Bridges at the Beacon?
Extra time. Seven goals. Six bookings. Two red cards. Visiting manager Paul Faili sent to the stands. A missed penalty. And a 117th minute winner from debutant Matt Russell to give the Robins a 4-3 success.
This was a game that had it all. Even Dave John was left speechless. With John Suter and Mickey Jewell both holidaying, the Robins director of football took charge for the afternoon.
“I have seen better football,” John said afterwards. “But in terms of value for money and entertainment, that was something else.”
Frequent heavy showers and blustery conditions made the surface slick. That suited Bridges, who were able to pass around with aplomb during a first half which offered very little indication of the drama to come.
Sam McVicar stung the palms of Hassocks youth team goalkeeper Jack Simpson, making his senior debut. The 17-year-old is highly rated at the Beacon and has long been viewed as the obvious successor to Joel Harding, who is currently backpacking around the world.
Simpson stepped in with Paul Williams unavailable and endured a mixed afternoon. He was probably not helped after receiving a nasty forearm smash from Nathan Davis on 20 minutes, who was lucky to escape with only a yellow from referee David Spain when it could easily have been red.
There was an excellent save from Simpson on 30 minutes from Joel O’Hara but the Hassocks goalkeeper was caught out on 34 when failing to claim a corner. McVicar climbed highest to head home.
Davis scuffed an effort wide and James Grant fired over as Bridges finished a dominant first half showing off strongly.
The visitors continued that into the second half, doubling their lead within two minutes of the restart. Sam Thornback’s excellent through ball caught Hassocks flatfooted and Davis rounded Simpson before neatly tucking home.
That stung Hassocks into action and they halved the deficit on 54, Matt Amos volleying home an Anthony Hibbert corner from close range with the Bridges defence standing still.
It was end-to-end stuff after that. Warren Whitely shot wide and Carl Dunk headed over for Bridges. Ashley Dugdale did well to clear an Amos cross before it could reach James McKenzie and Amos then went close with a header.
Dunk entered the book for a foul just before the Robins equalised on 74 minutes. Former Bognor Regis and Burgess Hill Town man Russell fired home from a Tom White centre to mark his first appearance for Hassocks with a goal.
Home celebrations were short lived as Bridges immediately retook the lead. Simpson and Glen Woodburn collided, enabling Davis to put the visitors 3-2 ahead.
John introduced Laurence Robinson with 12 minutes remaining. It was Robinson’s cross on 88 which caused confusion in the Bridges box, resulting in a clearance hitting Hibbert and deflecting in for 3-3.
Bridges were incensed, thinking Hibbert had handled the ball into the net. Dunk led the protests and earned his second yellow to leave his side facing extra time with only 10 men.
Faili also vehemently disagreed with the goal, striding onto the pitch to remonstrate with Mr Spain. The Bridges manager was given his marching orders from the dugout as a result.
Further heavy rain greeted the start of extra time, when Bridges did not look overly troubled by their numerical disadvantage.
It needed a fine Woodburn block from Kevin Joyce followed by a brilliant full stretch Simpson save pushing out Whitely’s pile driver to keep the score at 3-3.
Russell hooked over a Robinson cross up the other end before Hassocks were awarded a 103rd minute penalty. Bridges goalkeeper Stuart Devlin punched away a ball into the box but behind him, Mr Spain spotted Amos being bundled to the ground by Dugdale.
Dugdale was shown a harsh straight red. Devlin though improved the mood of the visitors slightly by keeping out Hibbert’s spot kick.
Even against nine men Hassocks struggled to take control. Michael Eynon entered the book as home frustrations began to boil over and Bridges almost scored on the counter. Woodburn was the man again to save the Robins with another immense block.
Most were readying themselves for a replay at Jubilee Field when Hassocks found an unlikely winner. Devlin came to collect Robinson’s cross but James Laing got there first, flicking the ball towards the back post with his head. Russell had the simplest of finishes to round off a scarcely believable afternoon.
Hassocks: Jack Simpson; Tom White, Glen Woodburn, Nick Pitcher, Richard Thompson; Spencer Slaughter, Anthony Hibbert, James McKenzie, Simon Bristow; Matt Russell, Matt Amos
Subs: Michael Eynon (Bristow 65), Laurence Robinson (McKenzie 78), James Laing (Slaughter 93), Phil Fitzgerald (unused).
Starman: Glenn Woodburn who was immense at the back with some outstanding tackles.
