Robins cut down Oakmen to make it four wins in a row
February is shaping up to be big for Hassocks in their quest for an unlikely playoff spot with fixtures against three of the current Southern Combination Premier Division top eight.
The Robins will go into the month in flying form after a 4-0 win at AFC Uckfield Town made it four straight victories since the Boxing Day Mid Sussex Derby defeat to Haywards Heath Town.
It is never easy visiting the Oaks and Hassocks arrived to find a typically sticky, heavy, uneven pitch unconducive to good football.
Through the first 70 minutes, the surface acted as something of a leveller. The only thing separating the sides at that point was an audacious 25 yard lob from Pat Harding which gave the Robins a 19th minute lead.
Uckfield were still in the game as they sought a first win under new boss and ex-Hassocks goalkeeper Haig Kinston.
But then the Robins stepped it up a gear in the final 20, scoring three more times to run away with it relatively comfortably by the end.
The Uckfield cause was not helped by playing for virtually the whole second half with 10 men. Jay Pullen picked up a straight red for a horror tackle five minutes after the break. The lack of complaints amongst home fans was telling.
Yet one suspects that even if the Oakmen had managed to keep a full compliment of players on the pitch, Hassocks’ superior quality would have eventually told regardless.
When these sides drew 1-1 at the Beacon earlier in the season, the Robins found themselves 1-0 down inside of 60 seconds after getting caught out by a long free kick launched down the pitch.
Hassocks managed to avoid a repeat of that fate this time around, although they still gave away a succession of early fouls.
The lively Ellis Wright was the victim of most of that rough treatment as he attempted to make ground with the ball at his feet.
Big, burly home defender Jay Pullen drew oohs and aahs from around the crowd for some silky skills to get out of trouble when last man on 18 minutes.
Pullen’s time in the limelight was short-lived, however, as one minute later the in-form Harding struck to give Hassocks the lead.
With Oakmen goalkeeper James Gurney advanced from his line, Super Pat produced a brilliant lob with aplomb for his third goal in as many matches and 11th of the season.
The Indian summer being enjoyed by the veteran forward is fast becoming one of the most enjoyable aspects of the Robins’ top five push.
Uckfield came close to an equaliser just before the half hour mark when George Montgomery lifted a shot marginally over the bar after a free kick fell at his feet inside the box.
That proved to be the start of the most entertaining period of the afternoon as the game ebbed and flowed from one end to the other.
Gurney saved a one-one-one with his feet from Jack Troak, followed by the Oakmen licking the outside of both posts in quick succession.
Wright was first to kiss the right upright and George Fyffe then drilled in an effort which whistled just past the left-hand post.
Gurney kept out another one-on-one before an almighty spot of handbags broke out after Wright was again fouled to the ground.
Referee Harvey Ransome faced a difficult task deducing who exactly did what in a 20-man Royal Rumble just a few hours before the real WWE event took place in Florida on Saturday night. In the end, Mr Ransome settled for showing only Troak a yellow card for the tackle causing the melee.
Seemingly, the 15 minute interval did little to calm tensions with the result being Pullen getting himself sent off.
Uckfield battled well with 10 initially and even came close to levelling on 70 minutes when Josh Well’s seemed certain to convert a Wright free kick, only for Alex Bygraves to nick the ball away at the last moment.
Up the other end two minutes later and tall striker Jamie Wilkes notched against his former club to put Hassocks 2-0 ahead.
The rangy Wilkes had now opened the floodgates and further strikes arrived from Troak and substitute Sean Stephenson.
Troak struck two minutes after Wilkes for a goal particularly welcome as his first of the campaign after four months out with a fractured collarbone.
Stephenson completed the rout with 60 seconds of normal time remaining, whilst Hassocks gave a debut from the bench late on midfielder Faris Khalloqui who has signed from Broadbridge Heath.
Hassocks: Fraser Trigwell; Harvey Blake, Alex Bygraves, Matt Gunn, Joe Bull; Leon Turner, Jamie Wilkes, Mike Williamson, Pat Harding; Alex Fair; Jack Troak.
Subs: Sean Stephenson (Fair 66), Faris Khalloqui (Harding 82), Bradley Tighe (Blake 83), Josh Mundy (Troak 88).
