ROBINS IN REAL TROUBLE AS GOLDS RUN RIOT
Another disappointing day in an increasingly disappointing season for Hassocks led Phil Wickwar to conclude his side look set for a fraught battle to extend their 23 year stay in the top flight of the Southern Combination League.
Put simply, the visit of Littlehampton Town to the Beacon was the definition of a six pointer. The Marigolds arrived four places and two points below Hassocks, a position which has now been totally reversed in the ever congested bottom third of the table by their 3-0 victory.
“We weren’t very good,” was Wickwar’s assessment which, if the situation wasn’t so grave, could pass for a comical understatement.
“Having a month off through no fixtures being scheduled for two weeks and then losing last weekend’s game with Shoreham to a frozen pitch hasn’t helped and we looked rusty.”
“But we’ve got to start helping ourselves. Two poor bits of defending gave Littlehampton two goals on a plate. We’ve got to fix that.”
They’ve been trying to fix the cause of Littlehampton’s opener for the best part of two and a half seasons now – yes, it was that old favourite of woeful set piece marking. This time a Dan Kempson corner was headed home by Lee Garnham who had been left completely free in the six yard box.
Bar that you could tell that both these sides were in competitive action for the first time since the second day of 2017 as there wasn’t too much quality on show, Town just about edging things in an opening 45 in which they could have extended their lead.
They eventually did that eight minutes into the second half and again it was exasperating from a defending point of view. Luke Akehurst was the culprit this time as he passed the ball straight to Ben Gray who made no mistake in beating James Broadbent.
Littlehampton rounded off the scoring with 15 minutes remaining and it was again Gray who got his name on the score sheet, this time finishing off a decent team move via a post.
Hassocks were belatedly fired into life at that point as the young attacking trio of Liam Benson, Jack Wilkins and debutant Jack Rowe-Hurst were unleashed from the bench but that was too little too late as the Robins were unable to make any impression on the scoreline.
Indeed, it nearly got worse rather than any better when Gray skewed wide when presented with a golden opportunity to bank a hat-trick.
Wickwar did name the contribution of Rowe-Hurst as one of the few positives from the day. The former Brighton and Hove Albion and Lewes youth team player has arrived from Three Bridges and displayed some nice touches in his brief cameo.
And Hassocks know they will need all the quality they can muster if they are to get out of their current predicament – they now sit just two points clear of the relegation zone ahead of another fortnight break without a scheduled fixture.
It doesn’t get any easier when they return to action either, with the trip to third place Chichester City next on the agenda.
Hassocks: James Broadbent; Luke Akehurst, Tom Barnes, Jordan Badger; Bradley Tighe, James Westlake, Lewis Westlake, Bradley Bant, Harry Mills; Michael Death, Phil Gault.
Subs: Jack Wilkins, Liam Benson, Jack Rowe-Hurst (used), Matt Berridge, Ben John (unused).
Starman: Bradley Bant
