ROBINS PUSHED ALL THE WAY BY PLUCKY BEARS
The John O’Hara League Cup third round beckons for Hassocks for the first time since 2007 but they were pushed all the way for their place in the last 16, needing extra time to see off the challenge of Broadbridge Heath 3-2 at the Beacon.
Division Two opponents have accounted for three of the Robins’ last four exits from this competition and Heath arrived unbeaten so far this season having already claimed the scalp of one club from the top tier of the County League, defeating Selsey 1-0 in the previous round.
They caused problems for the home side throughout the tie with centre forward Jake Holmes and interchanging wide men Jamal Sultan and Michael Wood in particular impressing, and could probably feel a little aggrieved that the encounter did not make it all the way to spot kicks having hit the woodwork on two occasions.
Hassocks looked as though they would be in for a relatively straightforward afternoon with 20 minutes on the clock.
They had had the lions share of possession without really testing James Fisher in the visitors goal before Chris Maynard conjured up a magical free-kick delivery with his wand of a left foot that allowed Anthony Hibbert to power a header into the roof of the net.
It necessitated a reshuffle from Heath, with Sultan and Wood switching flanks for the first of many times over the course of the afternoon and it nearly paid dividends instantly, James Plumley having to sprawl at the feet of Holmes three minutes after the opening goal before getting a strong wrist behind an effort from Wood.
Wood smashed a volley against a post on 30 minutes and Hassocks really should have doubled their lead on 44 when Fisher parried an effort from Phil Johnson and Jamie Weston could only send the lose ball wide.
It took Heath just a minute of the second half to net their first equaliser of the afternoon. Sultan’s low cross from the right evaded everyone in the area with Wood collecting it at the back post and finding Holmes who was gifted enough time by the Hassocks defence to control the ball and pick his spot, placing it out of the reach of Plumley.
Hassocks began to reassert their authority on the game after Sultan, now popping up back on the left, saw a cross-cum-shot come back off the crossbar and Louis Pople did everything right accept the finish after he bought down a Nathan Miles cross superbly on the turn before firing someway over the bar.
The second goal arrived on 65 minutes and it was Maynard claiming another assist, this time dropping a ball over the top for Miles to chase and despite the best efforts of a Heath defender in attempting to wrestle him to the ground, the striker shrugged off the challenge and finished emphatically past Fisher.
Thirty minutes of extra time was ensured with just two minutes left on the clock. Holmes saw his shot blocked with the rebound falling kindly to substitute Dean Robinson who found the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the box.
The Robins finally wrapped up the game ten minutes into the extra period when substitute George Amos, on for his senior debut, was sent away down the right hand side and his cross was volleyed emphatically home by Weston for his first goal of the season.
Hassocks: James Plumley; Rob South, Ashley Marsh, Rowan Wallis, Chris Maynard; Phil Johnson, Anthony Hibbert, Josh Hawkes, Jamie Weston; Nathan Miles, Louis Pople.
Subs: Nathan Cooper (Hawkes 48), Luke Pawson (Maynard 67), George Amos (Johnson 84).
Starman: Anthony Hibbert. Pulled the strings in midfield and rewarded with his first goal of the campaign.
