AFTER THE LORD MAYOR’S SHOW FOR HAPLESS HASSOCKS IN SENIOR CUP HAMMERING
It might take some time for what happened at Culver Road between Lancing and Hassocks in the Sussex Senior Cup to sink in.
Three days after the Robins had toppled County League Division One leaders Rye United 3-2 away from home, they were brought back down to Earth with an almighty bang.
Despite going ahead after only one minute and leading up until just before the half hour mark, nothing went right for Hassocks after that as they suffered a staggering 6-1 defeat.
Lancing were promoted from County League Division Two last season are a useful outfit. Hassocks had rightly felt pretty pleased to draw 0-0 with the Lancers when the sides met at the Beacon in league back in August.
This result though has to go down as a big disappointment. The Robins were six games unbeaten including three excellent victories and appeared to have turned the corner after four consecutive losses. It feels like all that progress has been undone in an hour of football.
Phil Gault gave Hassocks their flying start when he fired home from the edge of the box after enterprising work from the industrious Spencer Slaughter.
It was fairly even for the next 27 minutes. Both sides exchanged half chances with the Robins defence of Dan Jacques, Ashley Marsh, Stuart Faith and Andy Whittingham coping well against the Lancing front line.
There was certainly no indication that Hassocks were about to ship six unanswered goals, even when Lee Denyer volleyed home the equaliser from a Richard Hudson free kick.
Hassocks were not impressed as they felt the foul should have gone there way rather than Lancing’s after Matt Carruthers and Darren Boswell went in for a 50-50.
From that controversial decision onwards, things went from bad to worse for Hassocks. Three minutes after the leveller and Lancing took the lead.
Boswell got goal side of a diagonal pass and held off the attentions of Robins skipper Faith before lifting the ball over Jack Simpson.
10 minutes later and what looked a somewhat harsh handball decision went against Andy Whittingham, enabling Hudson to make it 3-1 from the penalty spot. Simpson and Whittingham entered the book for protesting too vehemently.
The dispute over the handball continued as the teams trooped off at half time, where Mickey Jewell faced the three-pronged task of settling his side, stemming the flow of Lancing goals and trying to find a way back into the tie for his own team.
Hassocks were unable to make much progress in the last of those tasks with Gault cutting an increasingly lonely and frustrated figure up front.
Phil Johnson had been introduced at the break for Jamie Weston in an attempt to inject some pace, but the Robins never really managed to get their speedster onto the ball.
As for calming down and keeping Lancing out, Hassocks managed it for 22 minutes of the second half. Whilst the deficit was only two, some hope remained for the Robins that they could rescue the tie.
When Darren Annis made it 4-1 on 67, that hope was gone. Hudson slipped Annis in and the experienced forward finished with the sort of well-taken goal which has long been his calling card.
Chris Maynard entered proceedings for Whittingham on 71 and Nathan Miles joined Gault on 82 when Slaughter made way. The attacking changes made little difference however, other than giving Lancing far too much space to exploit on the counter.
Two more Lancers goals followed as a result in the final five minutes. Dan Turner was left in acres to turn and score with a left footed curler from the edge of the box.
Then an offside flag failed to come, leaving Hassocks appealing in vain as Titus Patterson skipped through to round Simpson.
A miserable evening for the Robins, but they were never going to win the Senior Cup. Better to save this sort of result for this competition rather the league, where the aim remains securing a best ever finish of fifth or above.
Hassocks: Jack Simpson; Dan Jacques, Ashley Marsh, Stuart Faith, Andy Whittingham; James Westlake, Anthony Hibbert, Matt Carruthers, Jamie Weston; Spencer Slaughter, Phil Gault.
Subs: Phil Johnson (Weston 45), Chris Maynard (Whittingham 71), Nathan Miles (Slaughter 82).
Starman: Phil Gault. Got a very well taken early goal and worked hard throughout.
