CLEMENTS HEADER CONDEMNS HASSOCKS TO DEFEAT
Hassocks made their first trip to Lingfield for five-and-a-half years but it wasn’t a happy visit to the Sports Pavilion as they suffered a 1-0 defeat against their upwardly mobile hosts.
The last time the Robins made the trek to Surrey was in September 2013 when Mickey Jewell’s side picked up a 1-0 win of their own courtesy of a Phil Gault penalty which was won by Phil Johnson.
Much has changed since that day when Hassocks went joint-top of the Southern Combination League Premier Division; only Johnson and Dan Jacques remain at the Beacon while the Lingers suffered the ordeal of being shunted by the FA to the Southern Counties East League for a season before returning to the Southern Combination in 2014, albeit in Division One.
They won promotion back to the top flight at the third time of asking last season and are enjoying a fantastic campaign again this time around with their sights firmly set on eclipsing their best ever finish of sixth.
That made this a difficult game for Hassocks, even before you take into account their recent inconsistent form which has seen them only draw at home with relegation threatened Loxwood and Little Common but win away at title chasing Newhaven.
Mark Dalgleish largely kept faith with the side who’d rescued a late point against the Commoners, making only two changes as Harry Mills came in for Will Broomfield and Andy Whittingham replaced the injured Harvey Blake.
Blake’s absence in particular was a blow to the Robins. The young full back, who has made such an impression in his first season of senior football since signing from Mid Sussex Premier Division side Sporting Lindfield, is set to be out for several weeks with a problem picked up in the first three minutes of last week’s Beacon draw.
Lingfield made a bright start to proceedings and nearly went ahead inside of the opening five minutes. Conor Wilford was a constant menace down the left flank for the hosts and his teasing cross looked like it was heading straight in at the far post until Josh Green did superbly to get the faintest of fingers to tip it onto the post.
Hassocks didn’t deal with the resulting corner very effectively which allowed Rick Campbell the chance to produce a volley with his back to goal but despite being just a handful of yards out, he only succeeded in lifting the ball over the bar.
The Robins caused problems with a set piece of their own, Bradley Tighe’s teasing corner from out on the left being punched clear by Olly Moore at the second attempt with Mills lurking dangerously.
A quick one-two between Campbell and Sammy Clements gave the latter a sight of goal with Green again doing well to get down low to his right and keep the shot out.
Hassocks had a glorious chance to take the lead within two minutes of the second half after an excellent move. Jamie Bakhit had surrendered possession cheaply for Lingfield to Harvey Enticknap and a quick exchange of one-touch passes with Liam Benson released Joe Bull down the left, his low cross being fired wide by the unmarked James Littlejohn.
Benson was then also left unmarked in the box when Littlejohn this time crossed but a nasty bobble saw the ball bounce up just before it reached the Robins striker and although he did well to react and still manage to get a shot away, it looped harmlessly into the arms of the grateful Moore.
Enticknap showed good strength to hold off Jay Mayhew and hit an effort goal wards after collecting an Andy Whittingham throw and top scorer Johnson also went close after his introduction from the substitutes bench.
Hassocks were made to rue not taking those opportunities with 20 minutes remaining as all their bright football of the second half was undone as they gave away a cheap goal which proved to be the winner.
Entickap wasn’t convincing enough in the tackle when challenging Clements which gave the Lingfield striker the chance to switch the ball to Wilford out on the right. Wilford meanwhile was afforded far too much space with Whittingham being the nearest player to him, some 15 yards away.
That gave Wilford the time he needed to set himself and pick out a cross, delivering the perfect ball into the box which landed straight on the head of Clements who had arrived in the area under the noses of Tighe and Mills to nod past Green.
Chances were few and far between after that with Hassocks’ only real opportunity failing to Benson, Whittingham having pushed forward to play him in but his effort from a tight angle was turned around the post by Moore.
Hassocks: Josh Green; Bradley Tighe, Harry Mills, Dan Jacques, Andy Whittingham; Joe Bull, Harvey Enticknap, Jack Rowe-Hurst, Dan Stokes; Liam Benson, James Littlejohn.
Subs: Phil Johnson, George Brown, Lewis Westlake (used), Jake Lindsey, Will Broomfield (unused).
Starman: Dan Jacques
