EIGHT GOAL THRILLER AS ROBINS HELD BY MAVERICKS
Eight goals, almost as many bookings and plenty of inflamed feelings meant that the Beacon was a far from dull place to be as Worthing United came to town.
Actually, whatever happened in this match it shouldn’t have been dull, for the game was scheduled to kick off early because of the new floodlights being installed in the week preceding it.
That was just a precaution in case the work wasn’t completed in time and although it was, the lights couldn’t have been used anyway after being found to be too bright!
That sounds bizarre but it was nothing compared to what happened on the pitch on a peculiar afternoon. It was 2-2 with just over 15 minutes played, Hassocks scoring twice in the space of 120 seconds and then United repeating the trick.
The two sides went into the interval level at 3-3 and by the time the game finished, it was 4-4 – which wasn’t really the form result.
Hassocks had won their past seven games while United were averaging barely a goal a game. The visitors were also suffering something of a defensive crisis with over half of their normal back line out injured, necessitating a rare start for 37-year-old Reece Head.
But even if United had been able to call upon their strongest defence, they’d have had little answer to Hassocks in the opening exchanges.
Nathan Miles in particular was unplayable as he continues his rich vein of form. The forward forced in the opener on 12 minutes after a Chris Maynard corner led to a hectic goalmouth melee and Dan Smith had an effort blocked on the line.
A minute later and Miles did superbly in a tight position out on the right to find Phil Gault who got to the line and forced Kieron Gillard to parry a cross-shot, leaving Smith to volley in from close range.
Plain sailing from there for the Robins? Well no, because three minutes later United replied in kind. Left back Luis Freitas got the break of the ball and beat Jack Simpson from 30 yards.
Simpson then dithered to allow Liam Baitup to round him and although that danger was cleared, United almost immediately equalised when Simpson could only parry an Alex Thompson cross and Sam Schaaf equalised from the rebound.
More goals looked guaranteed and another was not long in coming. On 24 minutes Hassocks went back in front with a beautifully worked effort as Miles and Kieran O’Callaghan did superbly to leave Smith an easy finish from one yard.
Smith could have completed a quick fire hat-trick seven minutes later but failed to make proper contact with Maynard’s dangerous corner and on the stroke of half time United were back level. Simpson’s nightmare afternoon continued when he seemed to be unsighted and was beaten from distance by Thompson.
The goal scoring could not continue at such a pace and it was a much lower key second half in that sense although passions started to run high, especially late on when United accused Simpson of deliberately elbowing Baitup in the face. Both players were booked and Baitup was stretchered off, not with a sore head but an ankle injury.
That incident rumbled on, with United manager Tobi Hutchinson berating referee Daniel Austin and then after the whistle a United supporter doing likewise to Simpson, leading to Hassocks assistant manager Mark Dalgleish and coach Harry Millyard finger pointing at Hutchinson. All a bit handbags and somewhat out of context as most of the players happily shook hands.
As for the match itself, Hassocks went in front yet again on 61 minutes when that man Miles again did brilliantly to cross for Gault to score with one of his trademark looping headers.
But their winning run was destined to come to an end as Simpson once more hesitated and was punished by Lucas Mann’s well-judged lob on 81 minutes.
Quite an afternoon all round, with O’Callaghan, James Westlake and Ashley Marsh joining team-mate Simpson in the book, along with three from the visitors.
Hassocks: Jack Simpson; Ben Palmer, Ashley Marsh, Stuart Faith, Chris Maynard; James Westlake, Phil Gault, Kieran O’Callaghan, Jamie Weston; Nathan Miles, Dan Smith.
Subs: Spencer Slaughter, Lee Waterhouse, George Amos (unused).
Starman: Plenty of candidates, Ashley Marsh near the top of the list, but it just goes to big Dan Smith for two goals and his usual forceful performance.
