On song Robins pick up first win with victory over Villa
Hassocks Ladies deservedly got their first London & South East Regional Women’s League Division One South victory of the season on the board with an excellent performance to overcome Montpelier Villa 4-3 at the Beacon.
The Robins knew this was not going to be a straightforward afternoon having lost 4-1 to Villa in the Sussex Women’s Challenge Cup earlier in the season.
Montpelier started brightly. Hassocks goalkeeper Sarah Chappell had to block an early effort followed by two telling Jo Brown interventions to keep the game scoreless.
But it only remained that way until the 11th minute. A goal bound shot was superbly saved by Chappell, only for Katherine Davyson to follow up and put Villa into the lead.
Almost immediately and the visitors could have doubled their advantage. A quick counter attack saw Montpellier break three-on-two from a Hassocks corner but luckily for the Robins, the chance was wasted.
Hassocks went close to an equaliser on the quarter hour mark. A long Chappell kick found Mia Pordage, whose cross just evaded Emily Spooner arriving into the box.
Spooner was involved again five minutes later with a direct free kick pushed around the post by the Villa goalkeeper.
It was from the resulting corner that the Robins equalised. The initial delivery was cleared back to taker Kirstin Mair.
Mair returned the ball into the box with a cross which skipper Claire Stevens met with an unstoppable header into the top corner to level the score.
Hassocks almost took the lead shortly after when Katherine Chappell came close to converting a Spooner cross.
Villa responded by going on the attack and Chappell had to push an effort over the bar. The corner was well defended by Brown. Another corner followed and Stevens this time headed clear.
Hassocks moved 2-1 ahead with 29 minutes played. A Pordage pass found Mair who made no mistake to put the Robins into the lead, although it proved to be short lived. Just four minutes later and Villa equalised when Davyson converted from a goal mouth scramble.
For the final 15 minutes of the first half, the game ebbed and flowed from end to end. Chappell shot just wide, Villa fizzed a cross into the box which only needed a touch to convert and Pordage drew a good save from the Montpelier goalkeeper.
Read cut out a dangerous looking through ball and followed that up with a good block at the expense of corner, headed away by Stevens in an all-action finish as the teams went into the break locked at 2-2.
Hassocks started the second half on the offensive. Pordage and Spooner saw shots saved and Mair hit a distance drive just wide.
Eventually, the Robins pressure told and they moved 3-2 ahead in the 55th minute. Mair and Pordage linked up brilliantly to give Chappell the opportunity to notch.
The Robins were now starting to fly. Jodie Johanson came to the fore with a fast break and dangerous cross which needed the Villa goalkeeper to gather.
Hassocks added a fourth on the hour mark via a penalty coolly slotted home by Jess Craig. It was a deserved goal from Craig, who controlled the midfield throughout with her calmness on the ball and passing ability.
Any hopes the Robins had that it would be a routine victory from that point were dashed within two minutes as Villa pulled one back, Lou Tindall making it 4-3.
That left the game in the balance for the final half hour. Montpelier pushed on looking for a leveller whilst Hassocks to their credit continued to be positive in trying to restore a goal advantage.
The Villa goalkeeper denied Pordage and was then quickly off her line to prevent Mair from reaching a through ball.
At the other end, Chappell made a strong stop and Stevens was again faultless in the air in winning another header from a corner.
Montpelier earned a further flurry of corners with the pressure only ended when Stevens cleared once more.
Spooner had two efforts in the final 10 minutes to wrap up the win and Johanson did well to again trick and tease her way into a crossing position with the ball flashing across the face of goal.
Hassocks brought on Lola Moon with injury time looming and her speed immediately took her through, forcing the Villa keeping into a last ditch save as it finished 4-3 to the Robins.
All of the Hassocks players can be proud of their efforts for a win which should give them confidence going forward.
Particular mention goes to Tallie Bright, who filled in for the Robins at right back and won many tussles with Villa’s speedy winger.
Hassocks: Sarah Chappell, Tallie Bright, Katie Read, Jo Brown, Claire Stevens, Jodie Johanson, Jess Craig, Emily Spooner, Kirstin Mair, Mia Pordage, Katherine Chappell.
Subs: Lola Moon (used).
