LIONS ROAR IN SECOND HALF TO DENY ROBINS
Nyetimber Lane saw the embodiment of that well worn footballing cliché a game of two halves as Hassocks fell to defeat against high flying Pagham.
The Robins were easily the better side in the first half as they looked to add another top six scalp to their collection having knocked off Shoreham, Eastbourne Town and Horsham YMCA in the space of three weeks.
But despite that positive showing in the opening 45 minutes, they retreated the changing rooms at the break with nothing to show for their attacking endeavours. That was duly punished in the second half as goals from Johan Vandriel and Josh Irish gave the hosts a 2-0 win.
Pagham had looked to be in genuine title contention up until a month ago. That’s when a number of key players departed the club, including Joe Shelley and Kieron Pamment who have both joined leaders Shoreham.
Shelley and Pamment were on target in the Lions’ 3-0 win at the Beacon back in November which remains the best opposition performance that Hassocks have come across so far this season.
Pagham were totally dominant on that occasion and the contrast with the first half here couldn’t have been starker as the Robins created chance after chance.
James Binfield in the Pagham goal was forced into three saves in the opening 15 minutes from Phil Gault, Liam Benson and Harry Mills.
The last of those was easily the best, a quite brilliant tip over at full stretch from Mills’ header. Binfield then foiled James Westlake who had two opportunities in quick succession, the second of which he blasted wastefully over when well placed.
There were further chances for Gault and Benson who continued to impress as a partnership. James Broadbent’s only real piece of work came when denying Scott Murfin, so many times the proverbial thorn in Hassocks’ side down the years.
Whatever was said to Pagham at half time clearly had the desired effect as within 10 minutes of the restart they were ahead, Vandriel hitting a rocket of a free kick into the bottom corner of Broadbent’s goal.
Hassocks continued to graft after that setback. They earned a couple of free kicks in dangerous positions that ultimately came to nothing while at the other end, Pagham’s Callum Overton was prevented from doubling the lead by a friendly post.
Mark Dalgleish and Phil Wickwar turned to their bench after an hour or so, no doubt hoping for the same sort of impact that their substitutions had provided in the previous week’s win over YM.
Jack Wilkins in particular had been electric on that day and he entered the fray here along with Michael Death and Bradley Bant but they unable to make much headway.
In fact, it was a Pagham substitute who ensued the three points went to the Lions when Terrell Lewis managed to lure Broadbent out of his goal before crossing to Irish who gleefully headed home into the empty net in the final minute of the contest.
Hassocks: James Broadbent; Bradley Tighe, Tom Barnes, Ashley Marsh, Luke Akehurst; James Westlake, Harry Mills, Lewis Westlake, Jack Rowe-Hurst; Phil Gault, Liam Benson.
Subs: Jack Wilkins, Michael Death, Bradley Bant (used), Jordan Badger, Ben John (unused).
Starman: James Westlake.
