HOPE FOR HASSOCKS DESPITE BEING GROUNDED AT BEDFONT
In the shadow of Heathrow Airport, Hassocks had their FA Cup run grounded for another year following a 3-1 defeat against Bedfont Sports.
There was much in the visitors’ performance though that suggested that this could be a season which takes flight for the Robins as they gave their higher division hosts plenty to think about.
They hit a post, worked goalkeeper Dimitrios Kyriatzis on several occasions and left west London wondering what might have been had the hotly disputed penalty which provided the Eagles’ crucial second goal not been awarded.
Bedfont’s smart little 3G stadium is popular with both ground hoppers and plane spotters thanks to its location at the end of Heathrow’s southern runway. When the football on show is lacking, visitors can instead turn their attention to the jumbo jets taking off and landing every couple of minutes.
On this occasion, there was no need for a sizeable crowd to divert their gaze away from the action as both sides seemed determined to put on a show with a spot in the first qualifying round up for grabs.
Dave John tried to keep faith with the same starting line up which had shocked Lancing with a dramatic 3-2 victory in midweek, making just one enforced change. Louis Pittock missed out through injury which meant a first start of the campaign for highly rated teenager Jack Gardner at right back.
Charlie Pitcher had been an injury doubt after limping out of the Tuesday night win over the Lancers at the same time as Pittock, but he declared himself fit. It was a good thing too as Pitcher was again the man who was involved in everything good that Hassocks did over the 90 minutes.
Actually, that should be 87 minutes. For Hassocks endured a nightmare start in which they fell behind with less than 180 seconds on the clock from a bundle in the box.
Daniel Opoku-Boateng escaped down the right and his cross in sparked a game of pinball. Jordan Espirit saw his initial effort blocked but the lively Bedfont striker managed to turn the ball home at the second attempt amongst the melee.
For the first 20 minutes, it was a case of all hands on deck in a defensive sense as Dan Turner and George Brown repelled a number of attacks and Dave Carruthers pulled off several smart stops to ensure the game did not run away from the Robins.
It took until the 23rd minute for Hassocks to muster their first shot on goal but once they did, they seemed to grow in confidence and caused plenty of problems.
That opening opportunity came through some neatwork from James Littlejohn, who did well to create just about enough space to get a shot off which was straight at Kyriatzis.
Six minutes later and Hassocks really should have been level. Pitcher has hit the woodwork in all four of the Robins’ games so far with the latest denial coming after he had robbed Ethan Kaiser and bored into the area only to smash the upright.
Bedfont knew that was a let off and they subsequently upped their game. Carruthers made two excellent low saves in quick succession and Max Webb shot wastefully wide.
1-0 at the break did not tell the whole story as both sides could have had two or three; the one thing that neither team needed was a helping hand in creating opportunities.
And yet that is exactly what Bedfont got 10 minutes after the restart when they were awarded that controversial spot kick. Espirit stepped up and although Carruthers went the right way, it was a penalty well placed just out of the reach of the Hassocks goalkeeper.
The reaction of the home crowd – rolling back the years to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa with a vuvuzela – suggested they thought that was game over.
Hassocks – or to be precise, Pitcher – had other ideas. Eight minutes later and the Robins striker silenced the Bedfont squad with a brilliant goal, picking the ball up on halfway, beating two men and finishing into the bottom corner.
The hosts looked rattled and Hassocks began to throw everything they had at them; Pitcher leading the way ably supported by Jack Troak who was continuing his excellent start to the campaign.
Hassocks pouring everything forward began to leave gaps at the other end and it was a blistering counter attack from the hosts which brought about their third, finished off by substitute Darryl Sanders.
Hassocks: Dave Carruthers; Jack Gardner, George Brown, Dan Turner, Andy Whittingham; James Littlejohn, Harvey Enticknap, Bradley Bant, Jack Troak; Charlie Pitcher, Chris Neatherway.
Subs: Joe Bull (Neatherway 59), Alfie Loversidge (Enticknap 67), George Galbraith-Gibbons (Littlejohn 82), Ken Pearce, Will Broomfield (unused).
