THE HEAD OF FAITH FIRES HASSOCKS TO FIRST THREE POINTS
Hassocks are up and running. Stuart Faith’s powerful header just before the half hour mark gave the Robins their first three points of the season as they won 1-0 away at Division One newcomers Mile Oak.
It was a trademark goal from Faith and a well-worked one at that. Terry Gacias delivered a pinpoint corner to the near post where Faith had timed his run to perfection to meet the ball in with a crashing effort that left Matt Evans in the home goal with no chance.
Having been completely dominant before Faith’s opener, the Robins had to dig once they had taken then lead, particularly after the break. Oak threw everything they had at Hassocks and it required the reactions and agility of Joel Harding and some desperate defending to ensure that the visitors made the short journey back over the Downs with all three points.
Dave John made three changes to the side who had gone down 2-1 against Wick in the season opener four days previously. Faith was one of those. His cricketing commitments may prevent him playing on Saturdays for several weekends yet, but John had no hesitation in throwing Faith straight into the midfield at the expense of Glen Charker.
Matt Amos replaced Neil Kane in attack and skipper Ashley Marsh returned from holiday to take over from James Laing at sweeper. Marsh was made to look a little rusty by Oak’s lively front pairing of Paul Eaton and Kieron Howard who, based on this showing, will cause plenty of headaches for top flight defences this season, especially if they sort their finishing out.
That lack of composure in front of the goal helped Hassocks to record a rare clean sheet, but Harding, Marsh, Ian Simpson and Sol Bowra deserve their fair share of credit too for throwing at times defending as if their lives depended on it.
Twice in the first quarter of an hour Hassocks almost opened the scoring. Amos fired wide after escaping the attentions of Oak defender Chris Paine before Paine again came off second best, this time as Amos’ strike partner Daley Clark broke clear. Clark could only hit his effort straight at Evans.
Spencer Slaughter was next to test Evans, the Oak goalkeeper pulling off a spectacular save when tipping over a free kick from a full 30 yards. At the other end, Eaton completely miskicked an effort when well placed and Graham Martin shot wide after embarking on a mazy run from midfield.
Evans again had to stretch to push away a distance effort, this time from Gacias. It was the from the resulting corner that Hassocks took the lead, Faith justifying his selection with an excellent header with 28 minutes on the clock.
Going 1-0 down seemed to spark Oak into life. Harding was called into action for the first time when getting something on a fierce drive from the increasing influential Martin and Oak really should have equalised when Howard headed wide from eight yards out, front-and-centre of goal when completely unmarked.
The first half ended in breathless finish. Gacias escaped down the flank to centre for Slaughter whose header was off target and Marsh had to scramble a Howard effort off the line when Harding was heavily challenged for an aerial ball but no foul was forthcoming.
Oak came out all guns blazing after the break, really taking the game to Hassocks. By full time, they had every right to feel aggrieved that they finished empty handed as their efforts were deserving of a point.
Clay Lamont hit the outside of Harding’s post, Bowra and Simpson both blocked efforts from Eaton and Lamont blazed a volley over from 10 yards out following an almighty goalmouth scramble.
Hassocks were by now restricted to trying to play on the counter. Amos’ pace took him clear and although his attempt at a lob beat Evans, it drifted agonisingly over the bar too. Faith shot wide but other than that, forays into the Oak box were rare from the Robins.
The second half’s two pivotal moments arrived in the space of 30 seconds around the 82 minute mark and both involved Howard. His superb 30 yard effort seemed destined for the top corner but Harding flung himself full length across the goal to somehow fingertip the ball around the post, earning prolonged applause from all corners of the Recreation Ground.
Those claps soon turned to anguish as from the corner, the ball found Howard who again tried his luck from distance. Howard’s 25 yard drive beat Harding this time but not the cross bar, the ball cannoning off the woodwork and out for a goal kick.
That seemed to deflate Oak and the final eight minutes were arguably the easiest Hassocks faced throughout the entire second half for three hard earned points to kick start their season.
Hassocks: Joel Harding; Arni Kublickas, Sol Bowra, Ashley Marsh, Ian Simpson, Richard Thompson; Stuart Faith, Terry Gacias, Spencer Slaughter; Matt Amos, Daley Clark.
Subs: Neil Kane (Clark 75), James Laing (Amos 89), Glenn Charker, Nathan Miles, Jason Gander (unused).
Starman: Stuart Faith was combative in midfield, did a good job marshalling Clay Lamont and scored the winning goal.
