HASSOCKS TAKE POINT FROM LAND OF THE GIANTS
A second 1-1 draw in the space of four days ensured Hassocks maintained their unbeaten start to the Southern Combination League season as they shared the spoils away at Shoreham.
While Saturday’s fine point at home to Horsham was based on a remarkable resilience in defence, this time the Robins could consider themselves a tad unlucky not to take a victory at what is traditionally one of their happier hunting grounds, despite playing for the majority of the game without a recognised striker.
Weekend scorer Nathan Miles missed out along with the equally dangerous Jamie Hillwood. Young Jake Booth was also unavailable which left youth team striker Jack Wilkins as the Robins only available forward.
With Mark Dalgleish and Phil Wickwar reluctant to throw the 17-year-old in for his full debut, they instead used mercurial midfielder Mark Price as a false 10.
His five-foot-six frame couldn’t have been more in contrast with the Shoreham front line, led by the man mountain Melford Simpson, who was a real handful all evening.
On the plus side, Hassocks were able to call upon Kieran O’Callaghan for the first time since mid-February. He did an important dominating job in the centre of midfield, adding some much needed height to challenge opponents who seemed to consist of a team of giants.
The Robins just about shaded the first half, particularly when their midfield runners Dan Stokes and Bradley Bant were allowed to break from deep. Shoreham meanwhile looked dangerous from set pieces thanks to their height advantage.
Despite the size differential, it was actually from a free kick of their own that Hassocks took the lead with 10 minutes of the first half remaining.
Stokes sent in a delightful delivery which enigmatic left back Dan Jacques met with a cultured glancing header after gliding in unnoticed at the back post.
Shoreham were quickest out of the blocks in the early exchanges of the second 45 but the Hassocks defence stood firm, ensuring that Reece Wickwar only had to deal with routine long range efforts.
Hassocks were dealt a blow on 55 minutes when Price felt his groin go in familiar fashion. That necessitated a tactical reshuffle as summer signing from St Francis Rangers Luke Akehurst took to the field at left back, Jacques moved into midfield and O’Callghan was pushed into a lone forward role.
Hitting the home side on the break was seemingly Hassocks’ game plan after the enforced changes and it looked like it would be enough to earn them the victory until Shoreham equalised in a manner that would have been all too recognisable to the travelling support.
You needed an abacus to keep track of how many goals the Robins conceded from set pieces last season and they were at it again here in the 88th minute, failing to deal with a high free kick into the box which was chested down allowing Simpson to hold off a challenge and poke home.
Despite that blow Hassocks refused to throw in the towel and they had three golden chances to reclaim the lead and take the points back to the Beacon in the last throes of injury time.
Firstly Josh Hawkes was marginally offside after he’d been played in by Wilkins who had been introduced for the final 10 minutes.
That was followed by Stokes being denied by a fine save by Nic Taylor from a one-on-one before Nick Pitcher headed just wide from the resulting corner.
The action wasn’t done there either as there was nearly a late sting in the tale at the other end, Simpson finding his way through on goal but superb pressure from captain Ashley Marsh on his 450th Robins appearance ensured that Wickwar’s goal wasn’t troubled.
Hassocks: Reece Wickwar; Bradley Tighe, Ashley Marsh, Tom Barnes, Dan Jacques; Dan Stokes, Josh Hawkes, Kieran O’Callaghan, Nick Pitcher, Bradley Bant; Mark Price.
Subs: Luke Akehurst (Price 55), Jack Wilkins (Tighe 80), Oscar Wolfstrome, Ryan Collins, Jordan Millis (unused).
