HASSOCKS HIT LANCERS FOR SIX AS THEIR GOOD RUN GOES ON
After a difficult start to the season, Hassocks Under 23s are heading into December on a roll after making it three consecutive victories in all competitions.
The latest of those was easily their most impressive. Lancing arrived at the Beacon sitting fourth in the Southern Combination League West Division but the Robins completely blew them away, running out 6-1 winners.
It could and should have been more – but instead of a seventh goal hitting the back of the Lancers’ net, those in attendance were treated to a penalty that will go down in Hassocks history.
The Beacon has seen many great moments over the years. Dave John smashing a gate open with his stomach after disagreeing with a referee’s decision, that three week period when the sprinkler system would burst into life in the middle of games and Dan Jacques scoring from 40 yards against Burgess Hill Town before running away and screaming like a school girl all spring to mind.
And now Dan Turner’s penalty is now up there with the best of them. The Robins were already 6-1 ahead entering the final minute when they were award a penalty at the West End of the ground, from which Turner decided to take the “hit it as hard as possible” approach.
This didn’t go entirely to plan. There was no way that the Lancing goalkeeper would have saved the penalty given that tit packed more force than a bullet, but luckily for the visiting custodian he didn’t need to.
That’s because the ball flew over the cross bar. From there, it continued rising and rising and rising until it disappeared over the bank behind the goal and into the night sky.
It was eventually found after a 40 minute search of the field, with one report suggesting that it had made it as far as Hurstpierpoint proving to be wide of the mark.
Turner’s penalty provided the final piece of entertainment in a game which was certainly not lacking in that department.
The Robins’ six goals made it 15 scored in their past three outings, following on from the 5-1 victory at Oakwood a week previously and a 4-3 Sussex Under 23 Challenge Cup success at West Division leaders’ Horsham YMCA at the start of November.
John made just one change from the side who’d won so convincingly at Tinsley Lane and that came in goal. Josh Green was unavailable and so Under 18s keeper Toby Fisher came in for his first Under 23s start of the campaign.
It was a relatively straightforward evening for the 17-year-old as the Lancers scored only once through Owen Scerri in the 23rd minute.
For Hassocks, Phil Johnson continued his return from a broken leg with another two goals, taken his tally to six in three games.
Johnson netted for the first team in their 3-2 defeat against Peacehaven & Telscombe at the weekend, following up on his excellent hat-trick against Oakwood.
The signs are that he’s getting back to his goal scoring best, which can only be good news for the Robins given the relegation trouble which Mark Dalgleish’s side are currently embroiled in.
Johnson’s fellow first teamer Joe Bull was also on target as he continues his own return from injury while George Galbraith-Gibbons notched his fifth of the season to ensure that he remains level at the top of the Hassocks scoring charts with Johnson.
Hassocks’ two other goals came from two players who were scoring at Under 23 level for the first time for the club. Max Donaldson got one while the other was scored by Harvey Ransome who continues to make a real impression following his step up from the youth team.
Turner’s last gasp spot kick provided a comical moment for the game to finish in with the laughter greeting it more akin to something you’d find at a Michael McIntyre show than a Southern Combination League Under 23 West Division game.
Hassocks will know that much more serious tests lie in wait before Christmas, starting with a County Cup Quarter Final next Wednesday away at Combined Counties League side Loxwood.
The Robins have never before reached this stage of that fledgling competition, so the chance to write some very different history to that which Turner managed against Lancing is there for the taking.
Hassocks: Toby Fisher, Thomas Jupp, Dan Turner, Max Donaldson, Ben O’Leary, Sam Cash, James Westlake, Joe Bull, Harvey Ransome, George Galbraith-Gibbons, Phil Johnson.
Subs: Joe Tatford, Charlie Alderton, Luke Marshall, Alfie Loversidge, Brad Sweetman (used).
