HASSOCKS SHOW JUST ENOUGH TO BEAT CHI
A look at the league table would suggest this was not a particularly good win for Hassocks but that would be doing Chichester City a grave disservice.
Chi came fresh from a crucial 5-4 victory over fellow relegation candidates Shoreham on Saturday and retained hopes of getting something out of this match right the way up until the final whistle blew.
They twice led and in truth over the course of the ninety minutes were worth a point which would have been a huge boost in their battle to avoid the drop.
As for the Robins, they will have been delighted to finally see off opposition who were particularly lively in attack and now that we are firmly in term time, can expect the regular availability of many gifted university students.
Their attack looked capable of troubling any defence in the league and certainly Hassocks were rocking early on.
Chi went in front after only seven minutes although the officials missed a clear pull back before Aaron McCarthy finished in devastating fashion.
There were chances at both ends before the hosts levelled on the half hour when top scorer Phil Gault lethally punished an error by Chi skipper Perry Northeast to notch his 24th of the campaign and third in two matches.
Ashley Marsh missed a great heading chance from James Westlake’s delicious free kick and three minutes after the break Anthony Hibbert struck a post.
But in the tradition of a fine and evenly fought game, the pacy and highly potent Tom Smith struck the Hassocks bar four minutes later and then McCarthy beat the offside trap to restore Chi’s lead on 61 minutes.
At the other end Jamie Weston was denied as Dan Roberts pushed a shot onto his left-hand post but the keeper could do nothing to prevent Marsh heading home another equaliser.
Having waited eight years to add to his solitary Robins goal from his debut season, it was Marsh’s second of what is turning out to be a prolific campaign for the defender.
It could have been anyone’s game after that, but the honour fell to the hosts courtesy of the returning Kieran O’Callaghan’s prod from a goalmouth scramble in the 78th minute.
Hassocks certainly rode their luck but in stoppage time but they almost grabbed a fourth when Hibbert hit the post after Gault’s persistence had put the visiting defence under pressure.
Hassocks: Simon Lehkyj; Rob South, Ashley Marsh, Stuart Faith, Elliott Butler; James Westlake, Nathan Cooper, Kieran O’Callaghan, Anthony Hibbert, Jamie Weston; Phil Gault.
Subs: Lee Bryant (Hibbert 88), Chris Maynard, Stuart Brown (unused).
