ROBINS STRIKE LATE TO SIGN OFF WITH A WIN
Given the form they’ve been in in the second half of the season, it’s hardly a surprise that Hassocks didn’t want the 2016-17 campaign to end quite yet.
They bought the curtain down on it by bagging another three points, this time via a 3-2 win over Crawley Down Gatwick to make it nine wins from 16 games since New Years Day.
This was billed as Former Robins Day as a clutch of players from years gone by gathered to celebrate the finale of the club’s 25th season at the Beacon.
And in an ironic twist it wasn’t just off the pitch that familiar faces from seasons past could be found. Hassocks took advantage of Burgess Hill Town’s season being completed a week previously to call upon the services of the dual signed Pat Harding who made only his second appearance for the Robins since leaving the club in 2006 for Eastbourne Borough.
Harding is the third top scorer in Hassocks history but he was unable to add goal number 132 to his tally. He did have the ball in the net in the first half only for it to be ruled out for offside. Instead, the scoring duties went to Michael Death, Liam Benson and Jack Rowe-Hurst.
At the contrasting end of the age and experience spectrum to Harding, Hassocks gave a debut to yet another Under 18s player in the shape of 17-year-old left back Ben O’Leary.
He was named man-of-the-match afterwards, suggesting that the Robins may have yet another exciting prospect on their hands.
This was ultimately an agricultural yet entertaining game. Both teams seemed content to go long with the boot of Jordan Badger proving to be a particularly potent weapon for Hassocks in getting it forward as things ebbed and flowed from one end to the other.
It was a huge punt over the top that gave Down their opener inside of 12 minutes, the Hassocks defence getting into a right state which Gianfranco Mici took full advantage of to beat James Broadbent for 1-0.
Just before the half hour mark and Hassocks were level. The Robins most improved player this season has easily been Lewis Westlake and that was recognised by the fact that, in the absence of both Ashley Marsh and Phil Gault, he was handed the captains armband here.
Westlake seemed to thrive with the added responsibility and it was he who delivered an excellent free kick from which Death produced an even better deft flick for the equaliser.
If Down’s first goal was one of simplicity then their second justified the entrance fee, a quite superb passing move eventually being rounded off by Mici for his second of the afternoon.
That came five minutes before the break but anyone heading to the bar early did so at their peril as the first half action was far from over.
Straight from the restart Down goalkeeper Martin Hopkins was forced into a block from Death. From the resulting corner Hassocks went short and Harding finished a well worked routine with a header that beat Hopkins but not the linesman’s flag.
There was still time for the equaliser to arrive before the teams retreated for their team talks. Rowe-Hurst was the architect, skipping past Bradley White and sliding the ball across goal where Benson and Harding were forming an orderly queue. It was the former who slotted home.
The eventual winner didn’t arrive until five minutes before the end but there were a plethora of chances for both sides before that.
Rowe-Hurst, Badger and James Westlake all forced Hopkins into good saves. At the other end, Broadbent had to be alert to deny Mici his hat-trick.
James Westlake became the second Robin to be denied by the offside flag and Harding headed just over from a cross from substitute Charlie Pitcher.
Pitcher’s afternoon came to an end just five minutes after he came on through injury. It seemed only a matter of time before Tom Barnes’ afternoon joined him in the treatment room with some sort of lung injury as he continually rampaged up the field from right back, throwing in step overs left, right and centre. It was all too much for Death who, to great amusement all round, told him to stop trying to play like Bebeto.
Barnes may not be Bebeto, but the goal that decided the tie was one that a Brazilian would’ve been proud to claim as Rowe-Hurst rushed through late on to produce the most delicate of chips over the advancing Hopkins, finishing the game and Hassocks’ season with style.
Hassocks: James Broadbent; Tom Barnes, Josh Hawkes, Jordan Badger, Ben O’Leary; James Westlake, Lewis Westlake, Jack Rowe-Hurst; Liam Benson, Michael Death, Pat Harding.
Subs: Charlie Pitcher (Benson), Jack Wilkins (C Pitcher), Joe Russell (L Westlake), Mark Price, Ben John (unused).
Starman: Ben O’Leary
