Spelthorne strike twice at the death to dump Hassocks out of FA Cup
More problems with the Beacon’s new drainage meant that Hassocks remained in the FA Cup for 76 hours after Saturday’s scheduled extra preliminary qualifying tie against Spelthorne Sports should have finished.
That was as far as the Robins’ extended stay went though. This hastily rearranged second attempt to get the tie played after the first was called off due to a waterlogged pitch saw the Combined Counties visitors run out 2-1 winners to book a trip to Farnham Town in the next round.
For 93 of the 96 minutes played, it looked like Hassocks would remain in the competition beyond the extra time given to them by the weekend postponement. Alfie Loversidge’s early opener remained the only goal of the night right up until the 91st minute when Spelthorne equalised.
Two minutes later and the Spelly completed a dramatic turnaround to win the game from the penalty spot amid wild celebrations from the travelling contingent. The magic of the FA Cup in all its glory, unless you happen to be a Hassocks fan.
There could be little denying that the final outcome was the right one. Spelthorne dominated the game and on the balance of play, deserved to go through.
That did not make the heartbreak any easier for Brad Sweetman and his young players to take however, having given a committed and defiant display that kept Spelly frustrated for the most part.
Hassocks took the lead with their first foray into the Spelthorne half after only eight minutes, the goal involving three 18-year-olds.
George Mitchell-Phillips fired a low pass forward which Lewis Beebee dummied, fooling Conor Gales and causing the ball to run under the foot of the big Spelthorne centre back. That left Loversidge in and he was cool, calm and collected to bury the one-on-one opportunity past Henry Poole.
Hassocks should have had a penalty three minutes later when a long Josh Short free kick bounced awkwardly in the box to strike the hand of Semari McCalmon. Remarkably, referee Joel Lamping waved play on despite McCalmon producing what would have been a double dribble in a game of basketball.
Spelthorne took control after that. Liam O’Callaghan should have done better when putting a volley from a McCalmon cross off target at the back post and Luke Marshall stretched out a leg to deflect a Jamie Fuller effort wide.
Next it was Arthur Rawlingson doing the blocking, the former Lancing and St Francis Rangers defender getting behind an O’Callaghan effort. Fuller dragged the follow up the wrong side of the post.
Beebee was then involved in two big moments in the final five minutes of the first half. Short played the teenage striker in but he took one touch too many and Gales managed to block.
Gales then got in a bit of a mess facing his own goal, allowing Beebee to nick the ball. When a clumsy looking attempt at retrieval sent Beebee to the ground, Hassocks had their second penalty appeal of the evening waved away by Mr Lamping.
Spelthorne countered straight up the other end, forcing Christian Kiddell into an excellent stop from McCalmon. O’Callaghan returned the loose ball into the box with Kiddell still on the ground but nobody in Spelthorne colours was available at the back post to turn it home.
Hassocks came close to catching Spelthorne cold at the start of the second half, just as they had in the first. The outstanding Short sped out to the left in possession before whipping in a cross. Mitchell-Phillips did well to meet it with a diving header but Poole was equal to the effort from the summer signing from Lewes and kept it out.
Conor Lee was next to draw an excellent stop from Kiddell, turning a 30 yard piledriver around the post at full stretch. Poole produced an equally good stop at the other end after more good work from Short fed Mitchell-Phillips, who worked a shot after receiving the ball with his back to goal which was scrambled around the post.
That was the last chance Hassocks could muster to double their advantage as Spelthorne took total control. Kiddell pushed a Matthew Newbrook shot over the bar but then dropped the resulting corner to cause a melee in the box with Marshall somehow hacking clear.
With four minutes of normal time remaining, a nasty incident saw Bradley Tighe sent flying into the home dugout, sparking handbags at dawn amongst 20 of the 22 players on the pitch and both benches. Mr Lamping did well to restore order, but the kerfuffle meant eight additional minutes to be added.
In the first of those, Ollie Davison rose tallest to head home a Lee free-kick. 120 seconds later and Kiddell came haring off his line to wipe out McCalmon in the box when the danger seemed minimal.
The only outcome could be a penalty which Lee duly despatched into the bottom corner to end Hassocks interest in the world’s greatest cup competition for another year.
Hassocks: Christian Kiddell; Arthur Rawlingson, Luke Marshall, Max Blencowe; Bradley Tighe, Josh Short, Lexx Lucas, Alfie Loversidge, Jack Gardner; George Mitchell-Phillips, Lewis Beebee.
Subs: Connor Bradley (Short 71), Tristan Hayes (Mitchell-Phillips 77), Tom Jupp (Gardner 89) Kobe Dersley, Jayden Dunkley (unused).
