ROBINS SILENCED AS LIONS ROAR
For the third game in succession, Hassocks were comprehensively beaten by one of the sides that has a realistic chance of lifting the Southern Combination League title come the end of the season.
This time it was Pagham who inflicted a heavy defeat on the Robins, winning 5-1 at the Beacon to stretch the home side’s winless run to seven games in all competitions.
An unforgiving fixture list saw them paired with Lancing and Horsham YMCA in the two games prior to this, two sides who are in the dark horse category themselves.
It doesn’t get any easier either. Next up for Hassocks is a daunting meeting with reigning champions Littlehampton Town in a week’s time, opponents who have already come to Mid Sussex and won 5-0 this season in the Sussex Principal RUR Charity Cup – and that was when the Robins were in good form themselves.
The Beacon pitch lived up to its reputation as one of the finest in the county as despite the relentless rain that wiped out over half of the league’s fixtures, the surface was more than playable which allowed both teams to attempt decent football.
There was little in the way of goalmouth action in the opening 20 minutes for the 117 in attendance who had braved the weather to watch bar Pagham having a headed goal correctly chalked off for offside.
With Pagham having found the net 45 times in 14 games coming into the encounter and the Hassocks defence appearing particularly porous in the last couple of weeks, legitimate goals were always likely although the opener was a soft one.
Referee Darren Eaton has infuriated Hassocks many times down the years with some of his decision making against the Robins and he was at it again here, awarding a very generous free kick 20 yards out which was bent into the top corner in some style by the Premier Division’s top scorer Danny Simmonds.
Hassocks have developed an alarmingly tendency this season to concede goals right at the death of each half and it happened again here for Pagham to double their advantage in the 44th minute when Julian Boniface netted.
The Robins had the strong gale howling across the Beacon in their favour in the second half, but any hopes they had of rescuing something from the game appeared to be over on 55 minutes when Simmonds scored his second of the afternoon.
At that point, you wondered if Pagham might go onto rack up a cricket score but credit to Hassocks who managed to pull one back five minutes later, Nick Pitcher rising like the proverbial salmon to slam home a header in trademark style.
But the resistance was unfortunately short lived as the sort of comical defending that has hampered the home side this season reared its ugly head again.
This time, the back four got in a right mess which allowed the Lions captain Daniel Swain to finish neatly in the corner past a bewildered George Willett.
Simmonds rounded off his hat-trick and the scoring in the 87th minute, placing a penalty past Willett which the big goalkeeper did well to get a hand to but was unable to keep out.
Phil Wickwar couldn’t hide his disappointment after another frustrating day at the office for his side. The Robins joint boss said afterwards that his side could be in for a long and hard winter unless they improve their work rate and rediscover the fight that epitomised last seasons escape from relegation.
Hassocks: George Willett; Bradley Tighe, Ashley Marsh, Rowan Wallis, Dan Jacques; Jonno Melia, Bradley Bant, Nick Pitcher, Spencer Slaughter, Jamie Hillwood; Michael Death.
Subs: Jack Wilkins (Pitcher), Mark Price, Tom Pinnock, Reece Wickwar (unused).
