ROBINS AND MULLETS PLAY OUT A BORE DRAW
Hassocks have averaged one 0-0 a season so far this decade and those who witnessed this stalemate with Arundel will be hoping that the trend continues so there won’t be another bore draw to sit through until 2016-17.
The first half was a desperate affair with referee Darren Eaton unwavering in his attempt to set some sort of record for the most number of fouls awarded in 45 minutes of football.
And although the game improved markedly in the second period when Mr Eaton belatedly allowed things to ebb and flow, neither side could find a way to break the deadlock.
In the end, a draw was probably the correct result. Arundel had the better claim to the three points but they found an inspired Alex Harris – with some help from the frame of his goal – standing between them and the back of the net as they sought what would have been a much welcome victory after four consecutive defeats.
As for Harris’ opposite number, Sam Marsden could hardly have wished for an easier afternoon on which to deputise for the Mullets’ regular number one James Fernandes as Hassocks mustered just one shot on target.
That is not to say they didn’t look lively going forward – young Jack Wilkins on his first senior start out on the left in particular gave an impressive account of himself – but they were just unable to turn any of their nice link up play into an effort which troubled the Arundel goalkeeper.
It was a slow start to proceedings, only punctuated by the frequent shrill of Mr Eaton’s whistle. Harris set the tone for his excellent afternoon in the 13th minute, reacting brilliantly to get the faintest of touches to push Josh Biggs’ effort onto the post. Luke Akehurst was then able to scramble away the loose ball as it rolled dangerously across the goal line.
The Mullets’ Ryan Peake then flashed a header wide while at the other end only some desperate last ditch defending from Ash Hunter kept Hassocks out.
What was going through the Arundel player’s mind goodness knows, but he produced a piece of brilliant improvisation to fall over and his use his face to deflect a James Westlake effort which around the post which was little more than a yard off the ground.
That chance came about through some neat link up play between Wilkins and Michael Death and those two were at it again with seconds remaining of the first half, the former showing great feet to create the room for a delightful curling ball which the latter headed wide with the goal at his mercy.
Thankfully, things were nowhere near as turgid in the second half. Dan Jarvis fired just wide, Harris reacted smartly after a textbook chest and volley from Dave Herbert and the Hassocks goalkeeper then did well to smother a Jarvis strike after Herbert’s miss kick had put the Arundel midfielder in on goal.
Bradley Tighe was excellent defensively all afternoon, but you had to wonder if he’d caught a glimpse of the television in the clubhouse showing England v Wales from Twickenham when he blasted Phil Gault’s pull back into the field behind the west end of the ground as if it were a conversion.
Just past the hour mark and Harris repeated his trick from the first half of a faint touch onto woodwork, this time flinging a hand up in desperation more than anything to instinctively divert a Rory Biggs header onto the crossbar.
Then came Marsden’s only save of the game, Gault working some magic to get away down the left. His cross was met with an acrobatic effort from the edge of the box by Death which was easy enough for the Arundel goalkeeper to gather.
Harris pushed a difficult bouncing effort from Herbert around the post and then it was the turn of the outstanding Ashley Marsh to deny the visitors with a crucial last gasp challenge on Biggs after a dangerous ball in from Asa Nicholson.
To say the Arundel bench and support were pretty aggrieved to have been denied four penalty shouts by the time the clock rolled around to 90 would be an understatement.
That frustration went through the roof in the final minute when Herbert meandered towards goal and on reaching the area, went down as the latest victim of the mysterious Jack and Jill sniper. No penalty was rightly the verdict of Mr Eaton, leaving the game goalless and the spoils shared.
Hassocks: Alex Harris; Bradley Tighe, Ashley Marsh, Rowan Wallis, Luke Akehurst; Bradley Bant, Tom Barnes, James Westlake, Jack Wilkins; Phil Gault, Michael Death.
Subs: James Oliver (Wilkins 82), Josh Hawkes (Barnes 84), Liam Benson, Phil Wickwar (unused).
