Slack second half proves costly for Hassocks against champions elect Down
On the face of it, this 2-0 defeat for Hassocks against Sussex County League champions-elect Crawley Down was the result everyone would have expected from the Beacon.
But those in attendance will know it was far from straightforward for the Anvils; in fact, Hassocks lost the game thanks to a slack second half performance rather than Down winning it.
With it being a similar story in last week’s 1-1 home draw against Crowborough Athletic, dominating games over 90 minutes rather than just 45 is an obvious area of improvement for the Robins next season.
At the break, it would have been the home dressing room which was the more buoyant. Hassocks enjoyed the better chances through the opening 45, creating three decent opportunities to the single worthwhile one of the visitors.
Former Down winger Lee Waterhouse was the first to threaten on 12 minutes. He received a short free kick from Elliott Butler on the right, cut inside and was only just a little too high with a measured left footed shot.
Five minutes later and the Anvils went even closer. Aaron Watson worked himself a shooting space and curled an effort towards goal which clipped the outside of the left-hand post with Jack Simpson beaten.
That was it from Down as an attacking force until the second half. Back up the other end and Waterhouse was clearly in determined mood to make a mark against his old club.
This time, his distance effort was touched over by Anvils goalkeeper Michael Hunter after good pressure from Anthony Hibbert robbed Tom Burton of possession in midfield.
Burton found himself suffering even more not long after when he picked up the first yellow of the afternoon for a body check on big Dan Smith.
The clearest chance of the first half fell to Hibbert on 35 minutes. Questionable defending presented the midfielder with the ball just outside the box.
Unusually though, Hibbert could not get a clean strike away and he scuffed his shot just wide of the post via deflection.
The resulting corner was delivered low to the near post where Kieran O’Callaghan arrived, only to prod well off target.
From the relative comfort of that first 45 minutes, the Robins had more defending to do after the break – although they never faced the same level of pressure Crowborough applied in the second half at the Beacon seven days earlier.
And in amongst the criticism of a lacklustre second half from Hassocks, the Robins were hard done by when falling behind five minutes after the restart with a goal everyone expected to be ruled out for offside.
Wes Millis did well on the left and his cross was turned in from no more than a yard by Ryan McBride.
Every Hassocks player, every Down player including McBride, even referee Leigh Crowhurst looked at the linesman for a flag.
None though was forthcoming and so the goal stood. Suddenly, the Robins were chasing the game. How different might things have turned up had the flag gone up?
What can be said with certainty is that Hassocks did not make a great job of getting back into things, soon finding themselves with even more to do when the Anvils doubled their advantage.
Matt Carruthers was given a poor pass when last man just inside his own half. Down did not need to be asked twice if they wanted to take advantage of the situation.
They gained possession, Watson played inside for Roy Pook and the former Burgess Hill favourite swept his shot easily beyond Simpson.
Hibbert again had a decent chance on 63 minutes to give Hassocks a way back. He was given acres of space by the Down defence to bring the ball down and turn but could only put his shot wide of Hunter’s right-hand post.
Anvils defender Ben Swetman did a fine job of shackling Smith and that meant Hassocks were limited in what they could do going forward.
Smith did work one good chance from a Spencer Slaughter pass, only to tread on the ball as he went to shoot.
Having been quite clearly fouled in the build up, Smith might have preferred Mr Crowhurst not to have played advantage.
Not long afterwards and Smith made way for the equally robust Greg Hearne, but that brought no change in fortune.
Hibbert did beat Hunter in injury time but not the woodwork, his sweetly struck 35 yarder cannoning back off the bar.
In the end, Hassocks could have no grumbles – although another 45 minutes like the first may well have inflicted only a second defeat of the campaign on a Down side who will surely be playing Ryman League football next season.
Hassocks: Jack Simpson; James Westlake, Ashley Marsh, Matt Carruthers, Andy Whittingham; Lee Waterhouse, Anthony Hibbert, Spencer Slaughter, Kieran O’Callaghan, Elliott Butler; Dan Smith
Subs: Jamie Weston (Butler 64), Greg Hearne (Smith 77), Rob South (Westlake 85).
Starman: Andy Whittingham had a solid game at left back and made a vital goal line clearance in the closing minutes.
