HASSOCKS FEEL THE MAGIC AFTER SIX LONG YEARS
After six barren years, Hassocks finally experienced some of the magic of the FA Cup again as they saw off Langney Wanderers 2-0 in the extra preliminary round.
You had to go back to 2013 to find the last time the Robins won in the world’s greatest cup competition, a 1-0 preliminary round replay win over Dorking Wanderers.
Much has changed since. Dorking have gone up three divisions and are now only two promotions away from the Football League while Jamie Hillwood was the only Hassocks player on show in this win to have been at the club as a first team player back then.
It was Hillwood in fact who scored the Robins’ goal when they exited the competition that season, losing 2-1 at home to Chipstead after their success over Dorking.
Chipstead ironically will again be the opponents in the next round, a trip to the Isthmian League South Central outfit the Robins reward for their hard-fought victory over a good Langney outfit.
The visitors arrived at the Beacon in high spirits. Kenny McCreadie’s side had embarked on a dazzling run towards the end of last season that hauled them out of the relegation picture and up to 15th spot in their first ever season of Premier Division football.
They’ve carried that form into the early weeks of the new campaign, remaining unbeaten until their trip to the Beacon and having produced an extraordinary comeback in midweek, recovering from 3-0 down with 23 minutes remaining to draw 3-3 away at much fancied Newhaven.
Hassocks too were coming off the back of an excellent Tuesday night performance after they saw off East Preston 2-1. Phil Johnson scored the winner in that one shortly before hobbling off after a crude challenge in the final five minutes.
Johnson hadn’t recovered sufficiently from that to face Wanderers and although he was named as a substitute, there didn’t appear to be any intention to play him – indeed, he could be seen stood on the clubhouse side among the Hassocks supporters with a beer in hand, from where he wildly celebrated Jack Rowe-Hurst’s 65th minute opener.
To win against such decent opposition without their talismanic captain and top scorer bodes well for Hassocks going forward with Hillwood looking a real livewire after taking Johnson’s berth in Mark Dalgleish’s starting line up.
Will Broomfield assumed the captaincy and he was the best player on the park at the heart of the home defence, an easy choice for sponsors Sterling Financial Services to pick as their man-of-the-match.
A strong wind blowing across to the railway end of the ground made things challenging for both sides and it was Hassocks who kicked with it in the first half.
Their game plan seemed to involve taking as many distance efforts as possible in the hope that one might be helped by the gale into bothering Dan Hutchins in the Langney goal.
The visitors custodian was rarely troubled though as chances were at a premium in the opening 45 minutes, with just one meaningful opportunity falling to each side.
For Hassocks, that came to Hillwood with 35 minutes played but he snatched at a volley, slicing it wide after an excellent cross from Harvey Blake.
Langney had an even better chance 15 minutes before that. Some neat build up play down the right eventually led to a cross being delivered by Max Holloborne, but somehow Simon Piper contrived to miss from a matter of yards at the back post.
Playing into the wind in the second half, Mark Dalgleish pushed James Littlejohn up front and moved Hillwood out wide as Hassocks looked to utilise the latter’s frightening pace on the break.
That proved to be a shrewd decision. Blake, Hillwood and Littlejohn were all involved on the right for Rowe-Hurst’s goal, helping to work the ball to the forward who was lurking on the edge of the box.
Rowe-Hurst quite clearly had only one thing on his mind at that point and despite the shouts of “No” from the Hassocks bench, the forward hit an unstoppable effort into the top corner.
Langney pushed forward after that. Hassocks responded by introducing Alex Spinks as a holding midfielder to try and break up the visitors’ frequent attacks.
With so many men pouring upfield, Langney were vulnerable to the counter and that was how Hassocks sewed things up with 10 minutes remaining.
Matt Berridge was the scorer with a cool finish from 12 yards after a passing move went through Littlejohn, Rowe-Hurst and Jack Troak – who had turned up to the game in a suit having fallen for the old joke about having to wear a shirt and tie for the FA Cup.
The young midfielder will know for next time, which is only two weeks away rather than the year’s break that Hassocks have become accustomed to. Magic, indeed.
Hassocks: Josh Green; Harvey Blake, Will Broomfield, Arni Kublickas, Andy Whittingham; Lewis Westlake, Matt Berridge; Jack Troak, Jack Rowe-Hurst, James Littlejohn; Jamie Hillwood.
Subs: Alex Spinks, Dan Stokes, Harry Mills (used), Dan Jacques, Joe Bull, Harvey Enticknap, Phil Johnson (unused).
Starman: Will Broomfield.
