Goalless run over but Robins still find themselves sunk by Pirates
Hassocks Ladies made the trip to the Polegrove with only 11 players as their injuries and unavailability problems continued against Bexhill United.
In extremely windy and testing conditions, the lack of substitutes taking on a squad of 16 eventually told in the second half as the Pirates ended up 4-1 victors.
The Robins actually started well with Katherine Chappell shooting wide from an early chance. Chappell then intercepted a Bexhill goal kick and found Jess Gray, who was also just wide of the target.
Sarah Chappell was back in goal for the first time since December, with the Robins having been forced to play defender Katie Read between the posts in their previous two matches.
In fairness to Read, she has done a fine job in difficult circumstances. She made some excellent saves in a 3-0 London & South East Women’s League Trophy exit at Montpelier Villa a fortnight ago and then helped keep the score down last Sunday in a 4-0 reversal against Division One South leaders Newhaven.
Read quickly warmed to returning to her natural position, making a vital tackle to end Bexhill’s first attack of the afternoon.
The Pirates were now starting to come on strong. Next it was the turn of captain Claire Stevens to make an important interception before Hassocks went back on the attack. An Emma Flin through ball just evaded the onrushing Chappell.
26 minutes were on the clock when the Robins took the lead with their first goal for thee matches, stretching back to when Mia Pordage struck past Bexhill in the November meeting between the clubs at the Beacon edged 3-2 by the visitors.
Kirstin Mair delivered a vicious inswinging corner which curled straight into the back of the net with a little assistance from the wind for her third goal of the season.
There must be something about trips to this part of the world which Mair likes as one of her other efforts came just down the road against Hastings United at the Pilot Field.
The Robins might have doubled their advantage as they continued to look dangerous going forward. Tallie Bright embarked on a driving run after being released by Mair.
Pordage was then fouled in a dangerous position, giving Mair a chance to shoot from the resulting free kick. The Bexhill goalkeeper pulled off a fine save.
It was against the run of play when Bexhill equalised on 36 minutes through Poppy Harrod, who scored a brace in the reverse fixture two months ago in Mid Sussex.
Buoyed by that, the Pirates nearly took an instant lead. Chappell’s attempted clearance was charged down but thankfully, Hassocks managed to scramble clear from a corner.
More excellent defending was needed from Read, followed by the Robins forcing a corner right on the stroke of half time.
Bexhill managed to prevent Mair scoring from this one, somehow surviving an almighty goalmouth scramble in which Hassocks could not quite force the ball over the lead.
The Robins knew they would need to defend resolutely in the second half, battling the strong sea wind blowing from one end of the Polegrove to the other.
Stevens and Flin made a good start to the task, winning headers and preventing any further efforts on goal.
Hassocks played some good football on the ground, with Bright an important outlet with a series of mazy runs helping the visitors make ground up the pitch.
The Robins held out for 17 minutes after the break before Bexhill took the lead for the first time in the game.
Stevens covered a through ball, conceding a corner which was met by a Michelle Compton header at the far post. Chappell had no chance of keeping it out.
A minute later and Pirates star play Harrod added her second and Bexhill’s third to effectively settle the game with 25 minutes still to play.
Whilst the Pirates rotated using their powerful bench, a tiring Hassocks side had to battle on in conditions that could have easily worn them down much quicker than they did.
Pordage managed a shot on target but normal service was otherwise resumed with Bexhill doing most of the attacking.
A crunching tackle from Stevens saved a certain goal and Chappell made an excellent one-on-one save. Unfortunately, the resulting corner was again wind assisted to give Bexhill their fourth.
Flin was forced off in the 87th minute following a clash of heads, leaving Hassocks to complete the game with only 10 minutes.
Although a 4-1 loss was disappointing, with so many players unavailable and only 11 able to travel it was always going to be a difficult afternoon.
Hassocks: Sarah Chappell, Tallie Bright, Emma Flin, Claire Stevens, Katie Read, Mia Pordage, Kirstin Mair, Ellie Moquet, Jodie Johanson, Katherine Chappell, Jess Gray.
