ON SONG LEADERS END HASSOCKS’ FINE RUN
Peacehaven & Telscombe demonstrated their credentials as Sussex County League title favourites whilst at the same time showing that Hassocks have some way to go to be considered contenders with a 2-1 victory at the Sports Park.
The Robins came into the game high in confidence after a five-match unbeaten run, including a stunning 3-0 victory a fortnight ago over previous leaders East Preston.
They were unable to repeat those heroics against the side who have replaced EP at the top of the table and although the Robins were never really out of this tie, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone at Piddinghoe Avenue who could make a case that they deserved something from the game.
Mickey Jewell admitted as much afterwards, although he had some harsh words for referee Leigh Crowhurst, who frustrated both sides in equal measure.
“He missed a blatant penalty for a foul on Dan Smith and then Lee Bryant has been elbowed in the face and not one of the three officials has paid enough attention to see it.”
“Peacehaven will probably feel angry with some of the decisions we got as well, and they’d have every right to – the officiating was terrible for both sides, but what can you do do?”
Jewell did at least have some words of praise for Dan Smith, asked to lead the line as a lone striker against his former club with Phil Gault dropped in to pack midfield in an attempt to stifle the hosts creativity.
“It wasn’t an easy task for Dan up there by himself, but I thought he did well.”
Hassocks actually began the game the better side, enjoying the majority of possession inside the hosts half with Peacehaven forced into some desperate defending in the opening 15 minutes.
That was about as good as it got though for the Robins and once the Tye had weathered that storm, they dominated proceedings as Hassocks were forced deeper and deeper into their own half.
Simon Lehkyj had to make a smart save to push a Wes Tate effort onto the bar and the Robins goalkeeper got lucky a few minutes later when he fumbled a Tate free-kick but nobody in black and white was on hand to take punish the mistake.
Peacehaven missed three golden opportunities in the space of a minute much to the chagrin of the home crowd, as it looked like Hassocks might survive until the interval without conceding.
They were just three minutes away from doing so when Ryan McBride finally made the pressure count, the former Burgess Hill Town man lurking in the right place at the right time to convert the rebound after another Tate free-kick had caused problems, this time hitting the crossbar.
That wasn’t the end of the first half action as completely against the run of play, Hassocks levelled things up in the fourth minute of injury time.
Where Mr Crowhurst found those additional minutes from nobody was sure but the Robins weren’t complaining as Rob South hit a hopeful effort towards goal from out on the right which was caught by the wind and taken straight over the head of the home goalkeeper for South’s first goal for the club after 81 appearances.
Hassocks were limited as an attacking force in the second half and on one of the few occasions they did make it into the Peacehaven box, Smith was felled by the keeper but remarkably Mr Crowhurst deemed it not a foul.
That was on the hour mark and three minutes later Peacehaven scored what proved to be the winner as this time the wind came to the Tye’s assistance, carrying a long ball over the Hassocks defence which Ashley Reed chased down and converted.
Hassocks: Simon Lehkyj; Rob South, Ashley Marsh, Stuart Faith, Lee Bryant; James Westlake, Anthony Hibbert, Kieran O’Callaghan, Phil Gault, Elliott Butler; Dan Smith.
Subs: Nathan Miles, Spencer Slaughter, Nathan Cooper (used).
