ROBINS CAN’T CUT OUT THE MISTAKES AS THEY SUFFER ANOTHER SHOCK
Hassocks are proving to be their own worst enemies at the moment and it was another couple of harrowing mishaps for the season’s ever growing catalogue that saw them eliminated from the Sussex Senior Cup at the hands of Steyning Town.
Losing 3-1 to a side sitting six places from the bottom of a division below doesn’t look particularly good on paper, but Steyning are clearly in a false position.
That’s shown by the fact that they came into this game full of confidence having knocked big spending Southern Combination League title favourites Horsham out of the FA Vase in their last outing 10 days ago.
That was in stark contrast to a Hassocks side who arrived at the Shooting Field with no win in eight. The Robins also sport an abysmal record against lower league sides in knockout competitions with seven teams – Rustington, East Preston, Seaford Town, Southwick, Little Common, Littlehampton Town and Bexhill United – all having dispatched of the Robins in the previous seven seasons.
As has been the case in recent weeks, Hassocks had only themselves to blame for defeat. This was a great opportunity to reach the third round of the competition for the first time since 2012-13 and after a slow start, they grew into the tie to dominate proceedings and create a hatful of chances.
But if you hand your opposition two goals on a plate and fail to defend set pieces with any conviction, you will always struggle to get results. That ultimately proved to be Hassocks’ downfall.
Steyning took the lead after a frantic, end-to-end seven minutes which opened proceedings. Danny Gainsford was the scorer, tapping in from close range after the visitors were unable to suitably deal with a corner that had come about from a smart George Willett save.
Ben Rose at the other end was certainly the busier of the goalkeepers after that with Jamie Hillwood looking the most dangerous of Hassocks’ attacking players. He twice saw efforts well saved while Phil Gault was also denied with a header from a Michael Death cross.
Rose’s best stop came just before the half time whistle. A Hassocks corner was headed back across goal and looked to all the world to be destined for the back of the net until a brilliant tip over the bar somehow kept the ball out.
A plethora of corners early in the second half presented a number of half chances for the Robins. Hillwood hit a thumping half volley, there was a fine effort from the enigmatic Dan Jacques and Rose needed a strong to push away a well driven Gault free-kick as Hassocks looked to turn the screw.
And then disaster struck. Having seen former players Anthony Hibbert, Alex Spinks and Alex Bygraves all net against the Robins in recent weeks, it will have come as little surprise to the travelling supporters to see yet another ex-Hassocks player grab Steyning’s second.
Craig Knowles netted four times in 13 games for Hassocks during the 2013-14 season thanks largely to his penchant for opportunistic goals and he took full advantage of a situation all of the Robins’ own making, intercepting Willett’s extremely weak attempt at a pass to Ashley Marsh to gleefully roll into an empty net.
The Hassocks response was a good one as they belatedly got the goal they had been threatening for the previous hour in the 85th minute, Gault rising to head home a free kick.
But any hopes they had of forcing the tie into extra time were dashed as straight from kick off, a slip from Jacques presented the opportunity for a pull back which was swept home past Willett by Rob Clark.
Hassocks: George Willett; Bradley Tighe, Ashley Marsh, Nick Pitcher, Dan Jacques; Bradley Bant, Josh Hawkes, Spencer Slaughter, Jamie Hillwood; Michael Death, Phil Gault.
Subs: Jonno Melia (Bant), Tom Barnes, Luke Akehurst, Rowan Wallis, Mark Price (unused).
