Late Pirates flurry sends Hassocks crashing out of County Cup
The Sussex Under 23s Challenge Cup has never been the happiest of hunting ground for Hassocks and so it proved once again with an early exit from the competition.
The Robins went out to a disappointing 4-0 defeat at home to Bexhill United in a fixture finally getting played at the fourth time of asking.
Hassocks had made it all the way to the Polegrove six weeks ago, only for Bexhill to call the game off just 90 minutes before kick off when a postponement had seemed inevitable all afternoon due to relentless rain.
The rearranged fixture then went the same way, although United did at least make an early decision second time around to save a lot of unnecessary travelling for the Robins.
Two postponements meant home advantage switching to Hassocks. The Beacon though was similarly waterlogged for attempt number three before finally being able to host the tie.
Hassocks would have fancied their chances up against a Pirates side who sit sixth of nine in the Southern Combination League Under 23 East Division with three wins and three defeats from six matches.
The Robins though never really turned up, seeing their seven game winning streak stretching back to the second week of September ended as a result.
Hassocks made one change from the side who had won 4-1 at Steyning Town a week earlier. Wes Tighe missed out with his place taken by Under 18s defender Charlie Fogden.
Bexhill made a decent start, testing Jack Thomas with two shots inside the first six minutes. The Robins mustered their first opportunity on the quarter hour mark.
Micael Fatela connected well with an effort from 20 yards but it was straight down the throat of Pirates goalkeeper Eason Lam.
Bexhill took the lead with 33 minutes on the clock when debutant Kimsley Gatakata picked up the ball on the edge of the area before driving low and hard into the bottom corner beyond Thomas.
Five minutes before half time and Will Saunders had to clear away a dangerous Fogden free kick. Hassocks were then dealt a blow seconds before the interval when Jack Duckett saw red for a late tackle on Tom O’Shaughnessy.
Despite their man disadvantage, the Robins continued to compete and Bexhill remained only one goal ahead until the final eight minutes.
Kian Nandhra entered the sin bin to leave Hassocks playing with nine, after which the Pirates ran away with things.
Seb Stovell showed fantastic composure in the box to pick out the bottom corner on 83 and fellow substitute Ryley McAndrew leapt like the proverbial salmon to power home a header from a corner on 87.
The rout was completed with 60 seconds of the 90 remaining, Gatakata adding his second of the evening after gliding past two Hassocks defenders and beating the helpless Thomas.
Hassocks: Jack Thomas, Ben Hicks, Dan Turner, Billy Dove, Noah McHale, Charlie Fogden, Alex Wintle, Sam Fernley, Oliver Parker-Williams, Micael Fatela, Jack Duckett.
Subs: Cavan Chedzey, Kian Nandhra, George Gladding, Ben Cheverton.
