Below par Robins fail to fire in toothless showing at Varndeanians
During the 12 seasons it hosted Football League action as the home of Brighton & Hove Albion, Withdean Stadium saw its fair share of memorable moments.
In contrast, nobody who was in attendance for AFC Varndeanians v Hassocks is likely to recall the hosts’ 1-0 win beyond the end of the week – even those home supporters who were witnessing their side win a third Premier Division match of the season to further strengthen their hopes of a great escape from relegation.
Having failed to secure a victory from any of their opening 25 games in all competitions, Varndeanians have belatedly sparked into life under their third manager of the season Dave Bridges.
Their win over Hassocks made it 11 points from a possible 21 since mid-December, a run which has hauled Varndeanians above East Preston at the foot of the table and closed the gap to third-bottom Loxwood to seven points.
The Robins sit 10 clear of Varndeanians, a reminder for Brad Sweetman and his players that they are still very much in the relegation battle despite their own recent upturn in form.
Victories at Crawley Down Gatwick and AFC Uckfield Town meant that Hassocks arrived at Withdean with the prospect of putting three consecutive wins on the board for the first time this season.
Disappointingly, the Robins failed to register any chance of note over the course of 90 minutes in which the ball spent more time in the air than on the ground.
It would not be a surprise to hear that chiropractors in the Westdene and Hassocks areas were fully booked for the next fortnight given the workout that spectators’ necks got in watching the ball fly from one end to the other, as if a game of tennis was taking place rather than football.
The closest Hassocks came to troubling Varndeanians goalkeeper Leo Anderson was with seven minutes on the clock. New signing Alfie Edmeads escaped down the left to deliver a dangerous looking cross which home captain Oliver Stevenson did well to clear.
Debutant Edmeads was one of the few bright spots for the Robins. A young player good enough to have broken into a talented Saltdean United squad challenging for the Southern Combination League title before his switch to the Beacon, Hassocks will be hoping he can have a positive impact in their fight at the opposite end of table.
Varndeanians mustered their first opportunity on nine minutes. Tom Boyle looked perfectly placed to strike the ball past Alex Harris, but the home forward somehow managed to rattle the outside of the post rather than finding the back of the net.
Boyle’s next sight of goal was a gift from Hassocks on the half hour mark. Jack Baden’s attempted back pass was far too weak to make it to Harris, leaving the Robins goalkeeper in a footrace with the Varndeanians number nine.
Everyone expected Boyle to get there first but Harris showed a surprisingly quick turn of pace, making a good tackle to snuff out the danger.
Varndeanians grew in confidence as the half wore on, offering a real test for Dan Turner and Sam Smith who were playing together as a central defensive partnership for the first time with Turner’s regular partner Bradley Tighe absent.
Along with Edmeads, both Turner and Smith were rare Hassocks players who could be reasonably pleased with their afternoons.
Smith in particular looked good given he last started a game six weeks ago and had not played in defence for Hassocks since his autumn move from Loxwood.
The arrival of half time brought a sense that if this was not to finish 0-0, then one goal would be enough to decide it.
Hassocks huffed and puffed in an attempt to find it in the first 15 minutes of the second half without ever making any inroads, only to be caught on the break on the hour mark by a clever Varndeanians counter.
Kyle Woolven played a lovely slide rule pass to put in Finley Bigg, who made no mistake with a clinical finish into the far corner.
Sweetman turned to his bench to try and instigate a response. Charlie Broad had scored the winner at Uckfield seven days earlier and he entered proceedings with Jack Troak.
The hope was that Broad and Troak would turn Hassocks into a more attacking threat. Anderson however remained untroubled as Varndeanians saw out the game, with Hassocks knowing they will need to do better when they face Seaford Town on Tuesday night with a place in the semi finals of the Sussex Principal RUR Charity Cup up for grabs.
Hassocks: Alex Harris; Arthur Rawlingson, Dan Turner, Sam Smith, Jack Baden; Alfie Edmeads, James Westlake, Lewis Westlake, Bradley Bant; Josh Short, Alfie Loversidge.
Subs: Jack Troak, Charlie Broad (used), Charlie Tuck, Luke Marshall, Phil Wickwar (unused).
