ROBINS REARGUARD END BRIDGES 100% START
Something had to give at Jubilee Field as unbeaten Hassocks took on the 100% Division One record of Three Bridges.
Either the Robins would be tasting defeat in the league for the first time under Mickey Jewell or Bridges would be dropping their first points in a campaign in which they have made all the running thus far.
In the end, it was Bridges who faltered, their perfect start ending after nine successive wins as an excellent rear guard action helped Hassocks to earn a deserved 1-1 draw.
Neither side could have too many complaints afterwards. Jewell was in fact delighted, a reaction that shouldn’t have come as a surprise given that he stood in as manager for the ill Dave John on Hassocks’ last visit to Bridges back in January and promptly oversaw a chastising 6-0 defeat.
Paul Faili in the opposite dugout meanwhile was extremely complimentary about the visitors, stating they’d given his side their toughest test so far thanks to a mixture of some quality football going forward and a stubborn defence.
Faili’s words would be music to the ears of the Hassocks faithful after two disappointing performances. The Robins had only drawn at home to Lingfield in their previous outing at the weekend.
A week previously, there’d been an abysmal 1-0 exit from the Sussex RUR Charity Cup at the hands of a Sidley United side who Hassocks had hammered 5-0 in the league 17 days earlier.
Hassocks took the lead on 42 minutes and for all the praise that their controlled football received, it was route one that did the trick for the opener.
Jack Simpson’s huge punt up field caught out Dean Carden with the ball bouncing over the flummoxed Bridges defender.
Simon Lockwood in the home goal didn’t seem to know what to do either and as he tried to backpedal towards his line, Sam Jeremiah stole in to cheekily fire the ball through Lockwood’s legs and into the back of the net.
That was third time lucky for the lively Jeremiah. He’d earlier sent a header wide from around two yards and was then denied by Lockwood from a one-on-one.
Bridges had chances too, Ashley Dugdale rattling the bar after only five minutes in their best opportunity of the first half.
Hassocks actually led for over half an hour after breaking the deadlock, Simpson and his back four of Rob South, Ashley Marsh, Kieran O’Callaghan and Andy Whittingham thwarting most of what Bridges could throw at them.
That was until the hour mark when Faili turned to his bench for a double substitution, throwing on George Hillier and Elliott Romain.
With the quality of those two joining the Bridges attack, the Robins didn’t look quite so comfortable and that allowed Bridges to really turn the screw.
James Grant hit the bar from 25 yards on 62 minutes and Hillier fired over a good opportunity just before the equaliser arrived on 75.
It came from Chris Head’s whipped free kick out on the right which was met by the giant Ellis Hooper whose flicked header left Simpson with no chance.
The Robins retreated to the trenches after that with Anthony Hibbert in particular getting through an astonishing amount of work in front of the defence.
That helped Hassocks see out the remaining 15 minutes although they did have one scare right at the death when Romain somehow managed to completely miss a header from point blank range.
Hassocks: Jack Simpson; Rob South, Ashley Marsh, Kieran O’Callaghan, Andy Whittingham; Lee Waterhouse, Anthony Hibbert, Phil Gault, Spencer Slaughter, Elliott Butler; Sam Jeremiah.
Subs: Dan Smith (Jeremiah 63), Nathan Miles (Waterhouse 76), Neil Kane (Slaughter 89).
Starman: A great team performance but Anthony Hibbert edges out skipper Ashley Marsh after
