Jeal just cannot be beaten as Robins suffer familiar fate at YMCA
Rarely do trips to Horsham YMCA end in positive results for Hassocks. Only three times since the year 2000 have the Robins come away from Gorings Mead with all three points.
And whilst the outcome from their latest visit was a familiar defeat, the performance after a slow start was worthy of point.
That it finished 1-0 to YM was thanks to an outstanding display from home goalkeeper Aaron Jeal, who proved equal to everything that the Robins could throw at him.
The undoubted highlights of Jeal’s afternoon were two outrageous saves either side of half time from James Westlake and then brother Lewis.
Mixed in with those were several other solid stops spread across the 90 minutes whilst Jeal’s handling was impeccable on a pitch and in conditions neither of which were easy for goalkeepers.
Any late arrivals would have missed the only goal of the game, which arrived with just two minutes on the clock.
Hassocks minds appeared to still be in the changing rooms as they allowed the dangerous Tom Tolfrey to collect a throw unchallenged out on the right, turn and cross low into the box. Dan Lombardo was on hand to crisply finish past Alex Harris at the far post.
Conceding so early unsurprisingly put the Robins on the back foot. Eight minutes after going behind and Bradley Tighe conceded a needless free kick in a really dangerous position 25 yards out. Hassocks were grateful when Jay Popham crashed the ball straight into the wall in typical non league style.
YM earned a succession of corners after that, largely through the efforts of Popham and Lombardo giving Tighe and young Luke Marshall – in for the absent Dan Turner – a real test.
It was from one of those corners that Lombardo came close to doubling the lead on 23 minutes when his free header rattled the bar with Harris well beaten.
Hassocks belatedly woke up after that and were the better side for much of the next hour or so, starting with a nice move down the left.
Josh Short and Jack Troak combined to send Troak scampering clear. He pulled a dangerous ball back into the box but Alfie Loversidge was unusually slow to react and YM were able to clear the danger.
The hosts were grateful for a bobble preventing a Hassocks goal three minutes later. A typical driving run from Short took him past a couple of defenders and into the YM area.
Just as he was about to unleash a shot, the ball hit a divot and changed direction to result in a wonderful air kick.
Next came Jeal’s first unreal save. James Westlake cut inside and hit an effort which looked destined for the back of the net until Jeal somehow kept it out.
Hassocks started the second half fast. Five minutes in and Jeal produced his second moment of magic to stop a Lewis Westlake distance drive from giving the Robins an equaliser.
Despite this not being a particularly angry game, yellow cards began to flow with regularity in the final half hour. For Hassocks, Tighe talked himself into the sin bin and James Westlake was booked for a tackle.
YM suffered rougher punishment at the hands of referee Ryan Calver. In the space of 15 minutes, all of Lombardo, Jonathan Kusaka, Dan Evans and Dean Lovegrove saw yellow with Ashley Dugdale following Tighe in sitting out 10 minutes.
Needless to say, proceedings failed to ebb and flow with all this disruption going on, much to the frustration of both sets of players.
YM were restricted to attempting to double their advantage came from set piece scenarios. Kusaka failed to trouble Harris from a free kick, followed by Lovegrove being wasteful after another cheap Hassocks foul gave YM a sight of goal from just outside the area.
The Robins had a free kick of their own that came close to providing a leveller, Lewis Westlake sending Jeal launching to his right to claw the ball out of the corner.
When Mr Calver did allow the match to progress, Hassocks were able to fashion three more opportunities in open play through some decent football.
James Westlake had the first two. His left footed half volley from a Troak knockdown was just the wrong side of the post followed by a tame header that proved too easy for a man playing as well as Jeal.
The last opportunity for the Robins came in time added on, Arthur Rawlingson bursting a lung to get to a far post cross. Unfortunately, the right back blazed over the goal, the car park and the netting designed to protect the adjacent houses.
YM then thought they had put the result beyond doubt minutes later, only for substitute Mark Pritchard-Cave to be flagged offside.
Hassocks: Alex Harris; Arthur Rawlingson, Luke Marshall, Bradley Tighe, Alfie Edmeads; Bradley Bant, James Westlake, Lewis Westlake, Jack Troak; Josh Short, Alfie Loversidge.
Subs: Sam Smith (Bant 75), Lucas Tyrrell, Joe Bull, Wes Tighe, Phil Wickwar (unused).
