MISSED CHANCES COST WASTEFUL ROBINS DEAR
There was a set piece party at the Beacon on Non League Day 2016 as Hassocks and Loxwood scored three first half goals between them from dead balls, with the visitors running out 2-1 winners.
A bumper crowd, including plenty of members from the Robins’ Junior Section, had been on hand to see Phil Gault pick up his Carnabys Player of the Month award for August before the game and his good form continued as he gave Hassocks the lead inside 15 minutes.
It came from the penalty spot after Ben Bacon had been felled by Clyde Jacques, allowing Gault to score for the ninth time in five games as he continues to hunt down 200 goals for the club.
That’s a mark that, if he continues at his current strike rate for the campaign so far, could feasibly be reached before the season is out.
So that covers the good news. The bad news was that Hassocks were woeful in front of goal compared to the standards they have set themselves so far in the campaign.
And that profligacy allowed Loxwood to roar back as Sam Beard’s brace for the visitors before the half hour mark proved to be enough to send all three points back to Plaistow Road.
The warning signs were there before Beard struck as he draw a superb stop from James Broadbent from point blank range after some “To me, to you” defending from the Hassocks back four.
There was nothing the Robins goalkeeper could do to prevent the equaliser on his home debut, Beard curling a sublime free kick up and over the wall after Hawkes had kindly bundled through the back of Toby House.
Beard’s second came from the penalty spot, a controversial decision with referee Ciaran Fidler judging that House had been clipped as he went to shoot.
If there was contact, it certainly wasn’t enough for House to go the ground as if he were the victim of a sniper attack from the Jack and Jill windmills and those theatrics left a sour taste in Hassocks mouths.
As a result, Jordan Badger was booked for his vehement protests at the decision and when things had calmed down to a suitable level to allow the kick to be taken, Beard made no mistake in slamming the ball into the top left hand corner.
The goal rocked Hassocks and they could have been further behind before the break, a header rattling the crossbar from a corner given away in comedic style by Luke Akehurst.
At the other end, Loxwood goalkeeper Sam Smith was very alert to race from his line and prevent Bacon getting a shot away after he was played in by Hillwood.
Mark Price replaced Lewis Westlake at the interval and an improvement in the Hassocks performance followed with Smith denying Bacon twice and Gault hitting an effort straight at the visiting goalkeeper.
The woodwork had a chance to prove it’s worth to Hassocks again late on when Broadbent and Tom Barnes got in a bit of a muddle as they allowed the ball to roll through and onto the post.
Substitute Nathan Miles then had a great chance to secure a point at the death but his effort was in keeping with Hassocks’ finishing all afternoon and went harmlessly wide.
Hassocks: James Broadbent; Harry Mills, Tom Barnes, Jordan Badger, Luke Akehurst; Lewis Westlake; James Westlake, Josh Hawkes; Phil Gault; Jamie Hillwood, Ben Bacon.
Subs: Mark Price (L Westlake), Nathan Miles (Bacon), Michael Death, Bradley Tighe, Ashley Marsh (unused).
Starman: Phil Gault.
