TROAK’S NERVES OF STEEL GIVE HASSOCKS AN EYE CATCHING SUCCESS
Competitive football returned to the Beacon for the first time in 209 days and it proved to be well worth the wait as Jack Troak’s 95th minute penalty secured an eye catching 3-2 win for Hassocks over last season’s table toppers Lancing.
This is likely to be a really good result for Dave John’s side. The Lancers were sitting pretty in first place in the Premier Division when the 2019-20 season was curtailed and although manager Naim Rouane subsequently resigned, his replacements James Rhodes and Kane Louis have kept most of that quality squad together.
It would be a surprise if Lancing were not there or there abouts again this season. Hassocks matching them stride for stride in front a bumper crowd augurs well for the campaign ahead.
Having an individual with the quality of Charlie Pitcher helps too. Pitcher was the best player on the park in the first half, a central figure at the heart of everything good Hassocks did.
Pitcher fashioned the first real opportunity after a lively opening 17 minutes. A David Beckham-esque switch of play from left flank to right released James Littlejohn whose low cutback cross was touched by Harvey Enticknap to Bradley Bant to curl just wide.
Eight minutes later and only the quick reactions of Lancing defender Liam Hendy nipping in to win a loose ball prevented Pitcher heading home the rebound after Mitch Bromage did well to parry a powerful strike from Hassocks debutant Chris Neatherway.
Bromage’s next stop required excellent reactions as he used a toe to deflect a Pitcher effort wide after quick footwork had sent Harrison Parker on a merry dance.
There was nothing that Bromage could do to prevent Pitcher and Hassocks getting the goal that their opening half hour warranted. Bant this time was the one spraying the ball around like Beckham, his 40 yard raking pass finding Pitcher on the edge of the box. Pitcher still had plenty to do, bringing the ball down with his chest, this time turning Hendy inside out and burying an effort into the bottom corner.
That was Lancing’s cue to start playing. Within 60 seconds, the visitors were level as Ebou Jallow was played in and he coolly rounded Dave Carruthers to restore parity.
Eight minutes later and the slick passing football that became the Lancers’ trademark last season saw them slice through the Hassocks defence to make it 2-1, Jallow again the man to finish off a flowing move.
The second half was just six minutes old when Pitcher caused more carnage, skipping past a couple of Lancing challenges before flicking the ball expertly into a gaping gap between Bromage and Hendy.
All that was needed from the onrushing Troak was a touch but the winger could not quite get there and the ball trickled behind for a goal kick, much to the relief of Lancing.
The unwell Harvey Enticknap departed the action next, his place taken by teenager Alfie Loversidge, making a real impression whenever he was on the ball in his 40 minutes in the middle of the park.
Carruthers produced a flying save to turn away a liquid volley from James Water who looked thirsty for goals whilst at the other end, Dan Turner’s towering header had to be tipped over at full stretch by Bromage.
When Pitcher limped off on 74 minutes, Lancing could have been forgiven for thinking that their evening was about to get easier as Hassocks were forced into a double change, Louis Pittock also exiting through injury with Joe Bull and Jack Gardner the replacements.
Bull though was to make quite the impact. Within six minutes of his introduction, he latched onto a low Andy Whittingham cross, guiding a deft flick past Bromage without breaking stride.
It was a beautiful equaliser and it set up a grandstand finish. Ben Connolly drew a massive save from Carruthers as the game entered injury time with a rising shot that the Hassocks goalkeeper did superbly to turn away given he cannot have seen it until late.
Three minutes later and Connolly was lucky to stay on the pitch as his cynical lunge when nowhere near the ball brought Loversidge crashing to ground as the young forward looked to advance into the Lancing box.
A spot of handbags followed with the Hassocks bench in disbelieve that Connolly had avoided being sent off. Those complaints soon gave way to joy; from the free kick that Connolly’s trip had conceded, Hassocks pumped the ball into the area to win a very soft penalty with the clock now showing 95.
If referee Robert King was awarding the spot kick to make up for the fact that he realised Connolly should have seen red, then the trade worked out well for Hassocks as Troak showed nerves of steel to confidently despatch past Bromage with the final kick of the game.
Hassocks: Dave Carruthers; Louis Pittock, George Brown, Dan Turner, Andy Whittingham; James Littlejohn, Harvey Enticknap, Bradley Bant, Jack Troak; Charlie Pitcher, Chris Neatherway.
Subs: Alfie Loversidge (Enticknap 54), Jack Gardner (Pittock 74), Joe Bull (Pitcher 74), Ben O’Leary, George Galbraith-Gibbons (unused).
