Johnson and Harding help Hassocks swoop to rare win at the Nest
Following Hassocks on the road is rather fun at the moment. The Robins won for the fourth time on their travels from seven Southern Combination Premier Division away games with an excellent 2-0 win at Loxwood.
To put that into perspective, Hassocks tasted victory in five away games out of 19 last season. In 2020-21, they managed only two before lockdown curtailed the Premier Division at the turn of the year.
2019-20 was even more barren, a single success prior to the campaign being ended in March by the first wave of Covid outbreak.
More impressive than the improved away form are the places Hassocks are winning at. Horsham YMCA had been a graveyard for the Robins prior to their 4-2 success there 11 days earlier, with just three league victories at the Herbert Direct Stadium since the turn of the century.
Loxwood has never been the happiest of hunting grounds either. Hassocks had won only once at the Nest before this latest success, in which precious little happened in the first 15 minutes.
As good as it got was Jack Troak launching a medium-length throw which found its way to Mike Williamson. The midfielder unleashed an effort from distance which hit an unsuspecting Loxwood player on its way out for a corner. Said corner came to nothing.
Openings belatedly began to arrive around the midway point of the half, once Hassocks were able to get their wide players into the game.
A Harvey Blake charge from right back saw him clip a diagonal to Phil Johnson. Johnson produced an unbelievable first touch, taking out both Loxwood centre backs only for his thumping volley to fly just wide.
Next it was the turn of a player home supporters at the Nest are familiar with the fleeting footwork of. Leon Turner spent a large portion of last season with Loxwood.
He worked wonders against his old club, beating two players down the right and cutting back to Jamie Wilkes. The tall striker was unfortunate to see his thunderbolt from 24 yards crash into the post and away to safety.
Hassocks chances kept coming. A Joe Bull corner was met by an Alex Bygraves volley blocked on the line. Alex Harris picked out Troak on the left, Turner collected the dangerous cross in but could only fire over from close range after nifty footwork to create some space.
The Robins had strong penalty appeals waved away when Johnson was brought down by Loxwood goalkeeper Fraser Trigwell, followed shortly after by the Magpies rattling the bar with a great free kick from 30 yards.
Despite the blistering end to the half, it looked like the sides would head in goalless. That was until more good distribution from Harris was flicked on by Liam Benson, sending Troak clear.
Troak gathered and composed himself, cutting the ball to Johnson who converted with the half time whistle coming seconds after the restart.
It was the perfect time for Hassocks to score and the least they deserved. Loxwood to their credit did used falling behind so late as motivation and they began the second half in strong fashion.
The Magpies should have equalised when a nice cross from out on the right found the head of the unmarked Devon Fender. He somehow headed wide.
Harris achieved the frankly ridiculously feat of entering the book for kicking the ball away when Hassocks won a free kick. He was joined in the yellow card club minutes later by Loxwood captain Adrian Todd.
Hassocks were handed a glorious chance to double their lead on 63 minutes. A quickly taken free kick from the rangy Wilkes put Blake in on goal, who was subsequently wiped out by Trigwell.
Troak stepped up for the resulting penalty but missed a second successive spot kick having seen his effort from 12 yards saved against Broadbridge Heath on Tuesday night.
The Robins tried to set about ensuring that miss did not prove costly. Pat Harding entered the fray in place of Johnson and Turner danced around a series of white shirts before being denied as he was about to pull the trigger by a brilliant last ditch tackle from Igor Sokirke.
Loxwood began to enjoy their best spell after that. Harris made a strong save when a left sided corner caused issues. Williamson then had to make a clever modern-day foul and accept the booking that came with it to break up a dangerous looking counter.
Having weathered the storm, Hassocks wrapped up the points in the final minute. Harding raced onto a bouncing ball, opened up his body and then bent a stunning effort into the top corner for his 138th Robins goal – and first since returning from Burgess Hill Town.
There was still time for one more incident, Todd picking up a second yellow for scything down Williamson as home frustrations boiled over.
Hassocks: Alex Harris; Harvey Blake, Alex Bygraves, Bradley Tighe, Joe Bull; Leon Turner, Mike Williamson, Jamie Wilkes, Jack Troak; Phil Johnson, Liam Benson.
Subs: Pat Harding (Johnson 70), Sam Smith (Benson 85), Sam Cash (L Turner 90), Arthur Rawlingson, James Westlake (unused).
Bedlam Brewery Starman: Bradley Tighe.
