Feisty affair goes way of Crows as battle for the top six takes another turn
At the end of a feisty, full blooded 90 minutes of football it was visitors Crowborough Athletic who walked away from Hassocks with three precious points in the fight for a Southern Combination League top six finish.
The Crows ran out 2-1 winners to move up to fourth in the Premier Division whilst Hassocks dropped to ninth as the season prepares to enter its final month.
And it looks as though the Robins will have to navigate their last five league matches and the remainder of their Sussex Principal RUR Charity Cup campaign without the services of top scorer Phil Johnson.
The tackle which forced Johnson off at half time against Newhaven on Saturday was bad enough to necessitate a trip to A&E.
X-rays did not detect any serious damage, even though Johnson described the pain he is still in to the same leg he fractured in 2019 as being worse than when that break occurred.
Rest is for the time being the only remedy, leaving a frustrated Johnson to spectate from the sidelines whilst marooned on 199 career games for Hassocks. He deserves better.
Not that Johnson’s teammates missed him too much in the opening five minutes. That was how long it took Hassocks to take the lead via a well worked goal from Josh Bradley.
A ball dropped invitingly for Mike Williamson 30 yards out. The temptation must have been there to have a crack on the volley, yet Williamson resisted it and instead played a perfect first-time pass right to Bradley.
There suddenly appeared a gap between Jack Mayhew and visiting captain Tom Boddy which Bradley was able to expertly drill a shot through from the edge of the box, picking out the bottom corner.
Two more good opportunities came the Robins’ way in the next five minutes, both again involving Bradley. Pat Harding did really well to turn on a sixpence and cross from the by-line. Bradley collected on his chest and managed to get around Will Puffette.
Crows goalkeeper Martin Grant was off his line quick enough to force Bradley into lifting his effort just a little too high over the bar.
Bradley then found Liam Benson, whose mazy run took him around four Crowborough defenders before a superb last ditch tackle from Puffette prevented a shot on goal.
Challenges began flying in after that, including an early booking for Bradley who slid away the legs of Rory Salter after an offside flag had halted a Crows attack.
It was from a marvellous 50-50 win by tall striker Jamie Wilkes that the next chance arrived for Hassocks on the 27 minute mark.
The rangy Wilkes and Ollie Hyland were both fully committed to reaching a loose ball. Wilkes came out on top but his intervention would not quite full right for Harding, giving Puffette the chance to make another vital block.
Crowborough levelled the game six minutes later. Harvey Blake attempted to cut out a cross-field Crows pass by getting it under control, only to have possession pinched from him by Jacob Lambert who advanced to fire low and hard past James Shaw.
The visitors had barely threatened up until that point but the goal gave them renewed confidence and they ended the first half the better team.
An early offside flag left the Crowborough supporters gathered in the Maurice Boxall Stand incensed when Harry Forster went through and beat Shaw on the stroke of half time.
Having done his best to let the game flow despite its physicality in the opening 45 minutes, Mr Head reverted to a completely opposite approach after the break with fouls and free kicks galore awarded.
In a way, this suited Hassocks as Jack Troak was having one of those days where every delivery he produced was dangerous.
The Robins though were unable to take advantage. The tone for that was set nine minutes after the restart, when three red shirts somehow contrived to defy all the known laws of geometry by diverting a Troak corner miles wide despite being stood a yard from goal.
Next, a Troak free kick was met with a good Alex Bygraves header striking the post. Benson could not quite force the rebound in from a tight angle.
Ironically, it was with a set piece of their own that Crowborough scored what proved to be the winner with 17 minutes left to play.
Lambert sent a straight free kick into the box from 35 yards out and the head of Harvey Killick beat the attempted punch of the advancing Shaw to head home.
There were plenty of set piece based opportunities for Hassocks to equalise after that. Benson headed a Troak free kick against the bar followed by a Troak corner leading to an almighty scramble in which Blake and Bygraves had efforts blocked.
With the final free kick of the game, Troak went for goal himself. Just for a second, it looked like Grant might be caught out but the Crows goalkeeper did well to adjust his position and palm away from under the bar.
Hassocks: James Shaw; Harvey Blake, Bradley Tighe, Alex Bygraves, Jack Troak; Josh Bradley, Mike Williamson, Jamie Wilkes, Leon Turner; Pat Harding, Liam Benson.
Subs: Alfie Loversidge (Harding 77), James Westlake (Wilkes 77), Sam Smith, Joe Bull, Alex Brewer (unused).
Bedlam Brewery Starman: Mike Williamson.
