SELSEY GIVE HASSOCKS THE BEACON BLUES FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS SEASON
Selsey have proven to be hospitable opponents for Hassocks in recent years but not so in this campaign as the seasiders left the Beacon victorious for the second time this season.
A 4-2 exit from the Sussex Principal RUR Charity Cup back in October was followed by this 2-1 reversal under the Hassocks lights. Selsey were just about the better side on this occasion, even though they finished the game with only 10 men.
Alun Morey’s dismissal on 80 minutes represented the biggest flashpoint of a game that had plenty of needle. The visitors could consider themselves lucky not to have been reduced in numbers as early as the 15th minute when Joe Miles brought Spencer Slaughter’s evening to a premature ending.
Slaughter had made a flying start to proceedings, looking head and shoulders above anyone else on the pitch. Miles’ response was to produce a crude late challenge on Slaughter, inflicting an injury which forced the midfielder off five minutes later. Referee Colin Mallows deemed a yellow card sufficient punishment, much to the astonishment of the home crowd.
James Laing replaced Slaughter having been dropped to the bench following the weekend’s crushing defeat at the hands of Whitehawk. Young Nathan Miles had been handed a start in Laing’s place with the only other change seeing Arni Kublickas take over from Richard Thompson at left wingback.
Teenage goalkeeper Jack Simpson, so impressive as number one last season while Joel Harding was travelling the world, was back on the bench as a precaution after a jarred elbow forced Harding off early in the second half at the Enclosed Ground. Centre back Sol Bowra took over in goal, but neither Simpson nor a defender was required against Selsey as Harding completed the 90.
Bowra instead found himself scoring goals rather than attempting to keep them out. The game was 23 minutes old when Anthony Hibbert swung over a free kick from wide on the right which Bowra met with a diving header to give Hassocks the lead.
It was the least the Robins deserved for an enterprising start, inspired largely by Slaughter. After only a couple of minutes, Slaughter had gone close with a volley after combining with Miles. The same pair created another opportunity on eight minutes which Slaughter put just over.
Selsey had two big penalties appeals inside of 60 seconds turned down shortly after Bowra’s opener. Fingers were pointed at Ashley Marsh who appeared to block a shot with his arm and then the Blues claimed that Pete Lear had done likewise, although the second was far less clear.
Daley Clark squandered a good chance to open his Hassocks account when he put his shot straight at Selsey goalkeeper Rob McLelland. The Blues responded by going up the other end, where Harding had to use his legs to good effect to foil Rob Wimble’s one-on-one effort.
The Blues were on top as the first half ended and Hassocks desperately needed the break to come to give them a chance to regroup. Had they made it to the interval, then the final outcome might well have been very different but with less than 60 seconds remaining, Selsey equalised.
There was more than hit of luck about it, Lewis Hamilton’s shot from the edge of the box smashing into the knee of Marsh, looping up into the air and catching the stranded Harding out before dropping into the back of the net.
Selsey picked up where they had left off at the start of the second half and it took them less than 120 seconds to net what proved to be the winner. Scott Dormer’s cross found Richie Brown and although Lear did brilliantly to keep Brown’s effort out on the goal line, Wimble was following up to despatch the rebound from eight yards.
Five minutes later and Laing curled a shot just over the Selsey bar. Selsey really should have wrapped things up just past the hour mark, only for Wimble to be denied by a stunning treble save from Harding. McLelland was called into action at the other end to deny Miles after he was played in by Laing and then he foiled Gault’s follow up too.
Morey’s red card arrived with 10 minutes left to play, a straight dismissal for a horror lunge at Marsh. John introduced a striker in response, Neil Kane replacing right wing back Dan Jacques but it was too little, too late to salvage anything from the game as the 10 men held on another success from the long trip to Mid Sussex.
Hassocks: Joel Harding; Dan Jacques, Sol Bowra, Ashley Marsh, Pete Lear, Arni Kublickas; Daley Clark, Spencer Slaughter, Anthony Hibbert; Phil Gault, Nathan Miles.
Subs: James Laing (Slaughter 20), Neil Kane (Jacques 84), Richard Thompson, Jack Simpson (unused).
Starman:It goes to Nathan Miles for his honest endeavour and ability to ask questions of the Selsey defence.
