Simpson settles low quality affair in favour of Lingfield
Victory over Lingfield could have given Hassocks fans an early Christmas present of making the Robins outright leaders of the Southern Combination League Premier Division.
Instead, they suffered a disappointing 1-0 defeat having never got going all afternoon at the New Defence.
The Lingers have decamped to the home of Horley Town for the season to try and remedy once and for all the problems with their Godstone Road ground which have caused them to move numerous home matches to other venues over the past four seasons.
Indeed, Hassocks’ three most recent away matches against Lingfield have taken place at Steyning Town, Whyteleaf and the Beacon, the Lingers surrendering home advantage to Hassocks last April.
The New Defence pitch is clearly paying a price for hosting double the amount of football. It was heavy, bumpy and puddling in places.
Just maintaining a footing in the mud was at times challenging, let alone getting the ball down and playing football.
That made for a pretty dull spectacle which ultimately became a war of attrition. Lingfield dealt with conditions better, grinding out victory by converting one of the very few opportunities either side created.
69 minutes had elapsed when substitute Jamal Robinson-Davids took possession on half way. Robinson-Davids had only been on the pitch six minutes and his fresh legs showed as he drove down the right channel to the edge of the Hassocks box.
A square pass found Haydn Dickinson, whose layoff was tucked into the bottom corner by Jay Simpson.
Lingfield had been marginally the better side prior to taking the lead, although that really isn’t saying much.
The hosts enjoyed a decent opening spell in which George Branton headed a first minute Dickinson free kick wide, Tyrone Magala-Bryan shot off target and Joe Bull snuffed out a run from Simpson.
Hassocks had their first sight of goal on 28 minutes. Fresh from scoring four times in the Under 23s 8-1 win over Hailsham Town on Thursday night, Nathan Miles fired over the bar after being teed up by Pat Harding.
The first on-target effort finally arrived after 34 minutes. Tall striker Jamie Wilkes went for goal from distance, drawing a flying save from Jack Webb-Olley in which he pushed the ball around the post.
Sean Stephenson shot wide a minute into the second half, followed six minutes later by Lingfield making a rare foray forward.
Dickinson was again involved, sliding a pass to his left perfectly into the path of the onrushing Stephen Hodge.
Fortunately for Hassocks, the pitch did for Hodge at the crucial moment he was about to strike, meaning he produced a finish more suited to the adjacent rugby pitch as the ball sailed miles over the bar.
Webb-Olley made his second save of the afternoon on the hour mark, comfortably dealing with a Sean Stephenson effort placed straight down the goalkeeper’s throat.
Lingfield boss Dan Burnett turned to his bench after that, making two substitutions in quick succession.
Robinson-Davis took over from Toby Hill and Louis Reid Newth made his debut after signing on loan from Glebe, replacing Branton. Within a minute of the second of those changes, Simpson struck to give the Lingers the lead.
Hassocks did at least have a little more life about them after falling behind. Josh Mundy sent in a dangerous looking free kick which Hodge did well to clear.
Lingfield could have wrapped things up on 75 minutes when another powerful run from Robinson-Davis took him clear of the Robins defence.
Fraser Trigwell did enough to put off the lively Lingers winger though with the final shot slicing harmlessly wide.
An inswinging Joe Bull corner caused a goalmouth scramble as the game entered the final 10 minutes but no Hassocks player managed a decisive touch to take it beyond Webb-Olley.
Dickinson made a perfectly timed crunching tackle on the edge of the box to win back possession from the rangy Wilkes, followed by another game of pinball in the box ended with a shinned effort straight at Webb-Olley.
For the first time since his departure to Haywards Heath Town last month, Hassocks looked like they were missing Liam Benson.
Benson and the Bluebells are next up for Hassocks on Boxing Day morning. The Robins will know better than this is needed.
Hassocks: Fraser Trigwell; Harvey Blake, Alex Bygraves, Matt Gunn, Joe Bull; Sean Stephenson, Josh Mundy, Mike Williamson, Pat Harding; Jamie Wilkes; Nathan Miles.
Subs: Tom Frankland (Stephenson 69), Alfie Loversidge (Harding 69), Julian Durand (Blake 80).
Starman: Matt Gunn.
