Robins goal laden run comes to an end as they can find no way past YM
Those fans who have followed Hassocks on the road through a run of five consecutive away games have been feasting on goals.
The Robins racked up 15 during their four week nomadic existence away from the Beacon, leaving much anticipation at what they might deliver back on home soil against Horsham YMCA.
Of course, the answer to that was a first 0-0 draw of the campaign. If that sounds like a complaint, then it isn’t; a second clean sheet in a row was a big positive for Hassocks.
The point meanwhile lifted the Robins into second spot in the table, three behind leaders Crowborough Athletic with a game in hand. These are good times indeed for Hassocks.
In terms of clear cut chances, the first half was a non-event. Neither Fraser Trigwell nor his opposite number Aaron Jeal had a serious save to make.
Partly, that was down to lack of invention. But on the rare occasions somebody did get a sight of goal, woeful finishing played its part in the paucity of entertainment.
Some decent football up the left from YM created the first chance of the night. Callum Jardim was released on a charge forward, whipping a lovely first time cross into a dangerous gap between Bradley Tighe and Trigwell.
Arriving in the middle was the normally reliable Tom Tolfrey. On this occasion, the former Dorking Wanderers goal machine could only volley wide.
That was a let off for Hassocks. Not long after and YM were breathing a sigh of relief of their own when Harvey Blake hooked a ball over the top for Liam Benson to latch onto.
Benson timed his run off the shoulder of the last man to perfection, only to stumble at the crucial moment as he prepared to shoot.
The result was an off balance effort lifted just over the cross bar. Had Benson kept his footing, he surely would have scored.
Next came a YM free kick launched long into the Hassocks box. Tighe reacted quickly to head away Hayden Neathey’s flick on, only for the loose ball to fall towards Ashley Dugdale.
As the YM skipper was about to pull the trigger, Alfie Loversidge arrived on the scene just in the nick of time to put in a brave sliding challenge which put Dugdale off enough into shooting wide.
There were half-hearted appeals from the Robins for a penalty just before half time. Fair swept the ball out to Blake, whose cross into the box was close to Benson.
The Robins’ leading scorer went to ground under what might have been a push from Isiaq Araba. Referee Luke Chapman was nonplussed.
What had so far been quite a serene game sparked into life following an atrocious tackle on Mike Williamson two minutes into the second half.
Loversidge nicked possession off Mitch Clark and as Williamson was about to collect the loose ball, Dean Lovegrove came sliding in.
Lovegrove had two feet off the ground, both of which ended up wrapped around the standing leg of Williamson.
Having been wiped out, the normally placid Williamson was quickly to his feet and letting Lovegrove know exactly what he thought of the challenge. Somehow, Lovegrove escaped with just a booking.
Headed chances came and went for YM top scorer Sekou Toure at one end and Benson at the other, followed by a nice free kick routine causing havoc in the visitors’ penalty area.
Substitute Stephenson laid off to Blake, who skipped past Lovergrove to make the by-line and cross low and hard into the box. Benson was almost on the end of it.
YM half-cleared as far as Loversidge and his return pass deflected back to Blake, whose low effort nearly caught Jeal out coming through a crowd of bodies.
The YM goalkeeper eventually managed to grab it at the second attempt with another Hassocks replacement in Jamie Wilkes lurking.
Wilkes was next to go close. Two trademark Cruyff Turns from Fair flummoxed a couple of YM defenders and put the tall striker in but he lifted over the bar after Jeal did well to narrow the angle.
Hassocks were ending strongly with just the finishing touch lacking. Stephenson flashed wide after cutting in from the right and Woolven let one go from distance held by Jeal.
But not even the introduction of two players with over 200 Hassocks career goals between them could help find a breakthrough.
Pat Harding scooped a Blake cross over from close range. The other prolific Robin in question entering the fray alongside Super Pat was Nathan Miles, making his first Hassocks appearance for six years after re-joining from Shoreham.
Hassocks: Fraser Trigwell; Harvey Blake, Bradley Tighe, Alex Bygraves, Joe Bull; Alfie Loversidge, Josh Mundy, Mike Williamson, Kyle Woolven; Alex Fair, Liam Benson.
Subs: Pat Harding, Jamie Wilkes, Sean Stephenson, Nathan Miles (used).
