LAING’S HEADER TOPPLES LEADERS SHOREHAM
In their most impressive victory of the season to date, Hassocks produced a magnificent rear guard action to end the 13 game unbeaten run of Sussex County League leaders Shoreham with a hard fought 1-0 win at Middle Road.
James Laing scored the only goal on 34 minutes with a trademark header from a Terry Gacias free kick. It proved enough to give the Robins all three points and complete a league double over the Musselmen, who they lost four times to last season across league and cup without scoring a single goal.
Laing might have taken the headlines with the goal, but this was a victory earned by the Hassocks defence. Ashley Marsh, Ian Simpson and Stuart Faith in particular delivered immense performances to keep out a Shoreham side who could prove to be the biggest threat to favourites Whitehawk’s hopes of winning the title.
The hosts were physically imposing and Hassocks did ride their luck at times, owing a debt of gratitude to the post. Having said that, for sheer guts and battle the Robins deserved their three points, which were particularly welcome coming off the back of disappointing exits from the John O’Hara League Cup against Division Two Seaford Town and the Sussex RUR Charity Cup against Selsey on the previous two weekends.
Chances in the first half were pretty limited. Neil Kane was a little too eager to make a mark against his former club and picked up an early booking for a late challenge on Nick Fogden and Laing was denied by the fingertips of Lee Allfrey following a fine lay back from Daley Clark. From the resulting corner, Simpson blasted over from six yards when the ball fell to him in the box.
Joel Harding was called into action twice in quick succession at the other end. The Hassocks stopper rushed out to deny Lee Eastman with his body with Dean Smith firing the rebound wide. Harding then had to tip a long range Richard Hudson effort around the post with an excellent stop that drew applause from all around the ground.
The goal arrived just past the half hour mark when Gacias delivered a pinpoint free kick which Laing rose to met with a brilliant header. Shoreham didn’t take going behind well and the half ended with an almighty melee after Lee Denyer caught Kane in the face with a trailing arm.
Kane was down for some time as problems exploded all around him. Both Marsh and Ryan Bradley could consider themselves fortunate to escape being booked by referee Darren Eaton as he tried to restore order.
Bradley appeared to deliberately tread on Marsh with the Hassocks captain reacting by kicking out at the Shoreham striker. Denyer picked up a yellow for the initial elbow to the face of Kane, who was eventually cleared to carry on.
Kane was again at the centre of the action early in the second half when he went down in the Shoreham box but Mr Eaton waved away the penalty appeals. That was the Robins’ last real chance as they were under the cosh for pretty much the entire final 35 minutes.
Bradley robbed Dan Jacques but his square ball was cleared by Faith, Eastman’s shot from the edge of the box was parried away by Harding and Simpson and Faith both produced crucial blocks in the scramble that followed.
Gacias half volley went wide in a rare foray forward from the Hassocks and Anthony Hibbert was also off target. In a sign of the backs to the wall effort that was required by the Robins, Hibbert spent most of the second half playing as a holding midfield player for what must surely be the first time in his career.
Marsh picked up a booking which had seemed inevitable for a crude tackle on Liam O’Brien. O’Brien then returned the favour with an even worse challenge on Marsh, leaving the Robins’ skipper nursing a sore shoulder after a nasty fall.
Shoreham forced an almighty goalmouth scramble with 10 left to play when Jame Groves’ brilliant free kick came back off the post. Laing had to clear twice off the line as the hosts desperately tried to turn the loose ball home and Faith then produced a magnificent goal line block of his own from O’Brien.
The Musselmen’s attempts became increasingly desperate in the final five minutes but Hassocks threw themselves at everything, earning a result which clearly meant a lot judging by the reaction of both players and fans at the final whistle.
Hassocks: Joel Harding; Dan Jacques, Ian Simpson, Ashley Marsh, Stuart Faith, Arni Kublickas; Terry Gacias, Daley Clark, Anthony Hibbert; James Laing, Neil Kane.
Subs: Logan Newington, Sol Bowra, Elliot Dawes (unused).
Starman: The whole team were magnificent, but Stuart Faith produced an immense performance at the heart of the Robins defence.
