Five in a row after relentless Robins successfully tame the Lions
For the first time since the 2015-16 season, Hassocks have recorded five victories in a row as their unexpected push for a top five finish continues into the final third of the campaign.
Most would have expected the Robins to have fallen out of the playoff picture with 12 games left to go, overtaken by clubs with large budgets whose target at the start was promotion.
Hassocks though continue to defy the odds. Pagham were the latest opponents to fall to James Westlake’s side, the Robins eking out a 3-1 victory over the mid table Lions at the Beacon.
Hassocks created the only opportunities of note through the first half, going into the break with a 2-0 lead thanks to Jack Troak – or so the forward claimed – and Leon Turner.
Pagham though came on strong in the second half. The Robins settled for playing on the counter attack whilst showing significant amounts of defensive resolve to restrict their visitors to scoring just once via a Dan Simmonds penalty.
Hassocks were then awarded a somewhat controversial spot kick of their own in injury time, converted by Super Pat Harding.
That ended any hopes of a Pagham fightback and secured three hard-earned points for the Robins – the sort which can make a big difference come the end of the season, given on another day this could easily have ended in a draw.
Hassocks opened the scoring with the first chance of the game on 13 minutes. Joe Bull swung over a corner and what happened is open to conjecture.
Sean Stephenson, Alex Bygraves and Troak all rose alongside Lions goalkeeper Connor Kelly. The ball ended up in the back of the net, initially it appeared off Kelly for an own goal.
Bygraves, Turner, Mike Williamson and Jamie Wilkes all congratulated Stephenson, in the middle of which Troak jumped around in the air with his arms raised and a big smile on his face seeking recognition.
It worked as Troak ended up credited with the goal. Perhaps every decision taken by the dubious goals panel from this point on should be based on which player celebrates most exuberantly?
There was no doubting the second belonged to Turner, scored with just a minute of first half normal time remaining.
Harvey Blake produced a switch from right back to left wing, picking out the rangy Wilkes to cushion a header down to Stephenson.
The ball was then worked through a lovely little triangle from Stephenson to Josh Mundy and back to Wilkes, who picked out Turner in space some 25 yards out from goal.
Turner danced his way past two challenges, made it to the edge of the box and fired low and hard beyond Kelly at the near post to double the advantage.
Hassocks almost had a third in injury time. Troak crossed and tall striker Wilkes showed his aerial prowess once again with a square header into space on the penalty spot.
Mundy reached the ball first but his shot was too close to the advancing Kelly, the Pagham goalkeeper getting enough of a leg on the effort to divert it wide.
Pagham were awarded their penalty on 58 minutes. A corner at the near post was flicked into the hand of Mike Williamson and referee Simon Faires had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
Simmonds opted for power over precision, smashing the ball as hard as possible slightly to the left as Fraser Trigwell dived right.
Buoyed by that, Pagham came on strong. The dangerous Simmonds forced Trigwell into a flying save with a free kick almost as powerful as his earlier penalty.
Hassocks remained a threat on the break, particularly through Stephenson down the left flank. Before Simmonds’ free kick, Stephenson cut inside and dribbled a shot just wide.
After Simmonds’ free kick, an outrageous pass from substitute Alex Fair cut 40 yards through the Pagham defence to send Stephenson in for a shot straight at Kelly.
Fair was at his mesmerising best next when leading Alfie Davdison on a merry dance through a jinking run ended with a shot held by Kelly.
Home nerves were finally settled on 91 minutes. Faris Khalloqui fed Fair, who was hacked to the ground by Lukes Micevicius. No doubt it was a foul; whether it was in the box though was very much up for debate.
Mr Faires ruled it was and Harding opted for the opposite approach to Simmonds’ earlier penalty, rolling the ball into the bottom calmly into the bottom corner to wrap up the victory.
Hassocks: Fraser Trigwell; Harvey Blake, Alex Bygraves, Matt Gunn, Joe Bull; Leon Turner, Josh Mundy, Mike Williamson, Sean Stephenson; Jamie Wilkes; Jack Troak.
Subs: Alex Fair, Alfie Loversidge, Pat Harding, Faris Khalloqui (used).
Starman: Mike Williamson.
