ROBINS OFF AND RUNNING ON A SOMBRE OCCASION AT THE LASHMAR
Hassocks picked up their first win of the season to maintain an uncharacteristic unbeaten start with a 2-1 success over East Preston on a sombre afternoon at the Lashmar.
With news filtering through that two Worthing United players – Jacob Schilt and Matthew Grimstone – had been tragically killed in the Shoreham airshow crash on the A27, football was the last thing on anybody’s mind in the wake of the devastating accident.
If anything ever highlighted that the game isn’t a matter of life and death it was this, two young players with their lives ahead of them who were simply on their way to play the sport that they loved being cruelly cut down in their prime.
The Robins got the job done thanks to goals from Nathan Miles and Dan Jacques before thoughts turned to the tragedy with everyone at Hassocks sending their thoughts and prayers to the families of those affected and to all at Worthing United.
It hit home especially hard to several of the Hassocks squad who themselves had travelled along the A27 on their way to East Preston just a matter of minutes before the disaster happened.
There were two changes from the side that took a point against a giant Shoreham team 11 days previously. Miles and Jamie Hillwood returned to strengthen the Robins attacking options at the expense of the unavailable Kieran O’Callaghan and Mark Price who dropped down to the bench.
On a difficult playing surface, Hassocks were slow to start and they could easily have gone 2-0 down in the opening 20 minutes.
A long ball over the top was not dealt with effectively but thankfully the resulting lob ended up on top of the net rather than in it. Tom Barnes then had to produce a first rate block to keep the score at 0-0.
The visitors took the lead with 35 minutes on the clock, a defensive error presenting the ball to Dan Stokes whose pull back found Miles and after initially shaping to shoot with his right, the talismanic forward cut back onto his left and bent the ball neatly into the far corner.
Jacques doubled the advantage on the stroke of half time and once again it was Stokes who made the goal, chasing onto a long ball over the top which bounced kindly to him as goalkeeper and defender got in a right state.
From there, the teenage midfield delivered the perfect cross to the far post where the enigmatic left back was waiting to head home.
Hassocks tried to play on the break in the second half but that didn’t seem to suit them and EP duly pulled one back on 58 minutes from the totally predictable scenario of a set piece.
This time it was a corner that did the damage as the ball was half cleared pretty unconvincingly to the edge of the box where Ryan Hallett collected a knock down to drive home through a crowd of players.
The Robins showed a good fighting spirit after that to keep EP at arms length. They could have increased their lead, Miles having two very good penalty shouts turned down when he was twice fouled in the box.
Mark Dalgleish and Phil Wickwar have been keen to get their side knocking the ball around since taking the job last season and that was in evidence when mercurial substitute Price saw his effort blocked after an excellent passing move up the left flank involving Jacques, Stokes and Hillwood.
“After starting the season with two draws, we knew three points here would be vital and it is a great result for us to pick up,” Wickwar said after the game.
“We are still looking to improve the squad and we’ve show than by bringing Spencer Slaughter back ‘home’ to the Beacon as he calls it from Haywards Heath.”
“Spenny’s return has given everyone at the club a real boost and we’re expecting him to be involved against Eastbourne United Association on Tuesday night.”
Hassocks: Reece Wickwar; Bradley Tighe, Ashley Marsh, Tom Barnes, Dan Jacques; Dan Stokes, Josh Hawkes, Nick Pitcher, Bradley Bant, Jamie Hillwood; Nathan Miles.
Subs: Luke Akehurst (Tighe), Mark Price (Hawkes), Ryan Collins, Rowan Wallis, George Willett (unused).
