ROBINS OVERCOME INJURIES WITH JOHNSON AND CZECH DOWNING DOWN
The Sussex County League Division One season may only be nine games old, but already this meeting between Hassocks and Crawley Down Gatwick had a must-win feel about it.
Hassocks came into the game with just one win to their name, leaving them fourth bottom at the start of play.
Down have endured an even more miserable start. Relegation from the Isthmian League at the end of last season meant a total rebuild of the playing staff over the summer.
Their new-look young squad has taken time to gel and they arrived at the Beacon as one of the three teams below Hassocks in the standings.
And that is where they remain for now. First half goals from Aaron Czech and Phil Johnson helped the Robins to a 2-1 success, giving Dave John hope that his charges have turned a corner.
It has been a case of one step forward, two steps back so far. The ship appeared to be steadying last weekend, when Hassocks eliminated Broadbridge Heath from the FA Vase for their first victory since several key players departed in late August and through September.
The Robins though followed that up with a disappointing Sussex Senior Cup exit at Division Two Bexhill United in midweek.
Hassocks will have happily traded a place in the second round of a competition they are never going to win for three precious league points, however.
The challenge now is to kick on and start climbing the table to ensure that the Robins stay clear of the relegation battle.
If that is to happen, John will know that his charges need to play better than they did here. This was more of a battling point than one earned by any real quality.
For large parts of the second half in particular, the Hassocks defence had to soak up a remarkable amount of pressure.
The Robins rode their luck at times, although they were not helped by a succession of injuries which left them with little choice but to play on the counter.
First, mercurial midfielder Mark Price lasted only 20 minutes of his first league start of the campaign. Youth team defender Bradley Tighe came on for his debut in place of Price with Alex Gathern reverting to centre back and Nick Pitcher pushing forward.
More problems were to follow when Nathan Miles limped off just before half time with the Robins having no forward option on the bench.
In fact, they were only able to name three subs – Tighe, Ellis Common and Phil Wickwar as backup goalkeeper – as the reserves were in Sussex Intermediate Cup action at Peche Hill Select.
The lack of striking options meant right back Common taking over from Miles up front and being told to utilise his attributes as one of the fastest players at Hassocks.
Pairing him with the equally speedy Johnson is what led to the Robins sitting increasingly deep and trying to utilise the pace of their makeshift front two on the break.
Both Price and Miles had been on the pitch when Czech opened the scoring with 10 minutes on the clock. A really nice passing move swept the ball from front to back and out towards Johnson drifting wide.
He fed Miles to switch left to Czech, who cut inside and let loose a superb effort that left Down goalkeeper Seb Boss clutching at thin air as it flew into the top corner.
Tighe underlined why he is so highly thought of by setting up the second Hassocks goal for Johnson just 15 minutes after coming on.
The teenager grabbed the ball and launched a quickly taken long throw over the top of a Down defence caught napping. Johnson accelerated clear and finished past Boss at his near post to double the advantage.
Understandably, there was a fair amount of injury time to be played at the end of the first half and it was in the second additional minute when Down pulled one back.
Hassocks conceded a cheap penalty and although Sam Brock kept out the initial spot kick, Sam Cane was not to be denied and reacted quickest to fire home the rebound.
Scoring so close to the interval gave Down a very obvious boost in the second half. The Robins meanwhile knew they could afford no further injuries and so their gameplan became all about defending the lead whilst trying to nick a third.
Johnson and Common did not see much of the ball as it became pretty much one-way traffic but for all their possession, Down were unable to find a way past a resilient Hassocks defence consisting of Tighe, Gathern, George Brown and Ashley Marsh.
Take away the elder statesman Marsh and the average age of the backline which finished the game was just 20. A good three points, all things considered.
Hassocks: Sam Brock; Alex Gathern, Ashley Marsh, Nick Pitcher, George Brown; Dan Stokes, Bradley Bant, Mark Price, Aaron Czech; Phil Johnson, Nathan Miles.
Subs: Bradley Tighe (Price 20), Ellis Common (Miles 40), Phil Wickwar (unused).
