ROBBINS’ RETURN RUINED BY CLINICAL PAGHAM
Sloppy defending from Hassocks Reserves combined with some clinical finishing from Pagham saw the visitors run out 4-2 winners at the Beacon.
The Lions scored from four of their six efforts on target to inflict a third defeat of the season on the hosts, who slip further behind Saltdean United in their bid to retain their Reserve Section Premier title.
Hassocks dominated possession for the most part but were unable to turn that into goals, making this a disappointing afternoon for a healthy crowd.
The attendance was no doubt swelled by joint-manager Phil Wickwar’s teasing in the build up that his side would feature a popular face making their return to the club.
There was genuine joy around the ground when the teams were announced with Matt Robbins making his first appearance since 2008.
Robbins had played 153 times for the first team in his previous spell with the club, scoring an impressive 21 times from midfield before going travelling for a year, after which he disappeared off the face of the Earth.
Apparently, he has since moved back to Sussex and if Wickwar and Tim Wilkins can get him somewhere near approaching full fitness over the coming weeks, then he will be a quality addition to the squad.
Despite Hassocks starting the better, it was Pagham who soon found themselves 2-0 ahead through two relatively easy goals.
A scuffed lob defied Andy Edwards in the Hassocks goal for the first after a clever one-two had sliced through Rowan Wallis and Arni Kublickas far too easily. Shortly afterwards, a free header from just a few yards out from a Pagham corner doubled the advantage.
Hassocks also looked threatening from set pieces with Pagham struggling to deal with the threat of the rangy Wallis.
Everyone’s favourite marmalade maker had three opportunities in quick succession.The first saw him connect almost too well with a header which flew over the bar, the second saw him welcome Robbins back to Hassocks by wiping him out at the back post to head wide and the third featured a Chuck Norris-style roundhouse kick from 12 yards which wasn’t far away.
Unsurprisingly, it was the threat of Wallis from a set piece that did eventually lead to Hassocks pulling one back. His fourth attempt on goal forced was brilliantly cleared off the line by a Pagham defender but only as far as Richard Thomas, who was lurking to fire the loose ball home. Thomas celebrated by stroking his stunning Movember moustache as if he was Hercule Poirot.
Hassocks began the second half well and within 10 minutes of the restart they were level. A wonderful first touch from Neil Kane saw him latch onto Ellis Common’s clearance, only to be illegally halted out on the right hand side corner flag.
Over came the free kick and Pagham again weren’t convincing in dealing with it, leaving Robbins with the chance to mark his return with a goal which he duly did by firing low and hard into the bottom corner.
Hassocks really should have gone onto win the game from there. Thomas saw a weak effort cleared off the line when the hosts really should have had a penalty, a man on the passing 16.18 from London Victoria to Brighton even being able to see that Alex Spinks had been fouled in the build up.
Henry Dearlove them fired just over after an excellent switch from Stuart Brown, who’d decided to take 10 minutes out from moaning to concentrate on playing football.
Those missed chances were punished when a long ball over the top bounced over the head of Edwards as he attempted to clear, leaving an open goal for Pagham to make it 3-2.
The game was up shortly after, nobody managing to clear a simple ball to the back post which left a tap-in for the Pagham forward.
Hassocks: Andy Edwards; Ellis Common, Rowan Wallis, Arni Kublickas, Jordan Peskett; Henry Dearlove, Alex Spinks, Matt Robbins, Stuart Brown; Neil Kane, Richard Thomas.
Subs: Jake Booth (Robbins), Phil Wickwar (unused).
