Robins see off Arundel 1-0 in their final pre-season friendly
Noah Hoffman got the only goal of the game as Hassocks secured a 1-0 victory over Arundel in their final pre-season friendly.
Virtually all the action came in the opening 45 minutes as mass second half changes from both sides impacted the rhythm and flow of the game.
The Robins had stuck 19 goals past Southern Combination Division One opponents in three previous games but beating the Mullets proved a much closer shave than those encounters with Alfold, Forest Row and Montpelier Villa.
Hassocks looked particularly dangerous down the flanks throughout the early exchanges and it was their two wide men who combined to fashion the first opportunity.
Joe Overy on the right switched play to Big Alex Fair on the left. Fair cut inside his marker and curled an effort just wide of the far post
Next it was the turn of left back Joe Bull to threaten. Darren Budd picked out Raging Bull, whose charge 40 yards up the field took him past two Arundel players.
The Mullets goalkeeper was required to make an excellent one-on-one stop to prevent Bull opening the scoring.
There was almost a sensational own goal from the resulting corner. Josh Mundy delivered to the far post, where a blue shirt produced a powerful header under pressure from Alex Bygraves.
Only a flying one-handed save from the Mullets goalkeeper prevented a hair raising experience for his defender.
The Robins’ wingers linked up again when Fair led a break, drifted into the middle and fed Overy. He returned to Fair, whose effort was well stopped by Arundel’s number one from close range.
Two chances in quick succession followed for the Mullets. Fraser Trigwell made an extraordinary flying save to turn a dipping effort hit from outside the box around the post.
Trigwell then showed smart reactions to tip a close-range shot wide after Bradley Tighe and Bygraves were unable to sufficiently clear their lines.
Hassocks took the lead shortly after and it was no surprise that Overy and Fair were involved. Overy picked out Fair with a lofted pass into the box and Fair nodded into the path of Hoffman to side-foot volley home without breaking stride.
The Robins fashioned the only chance of the second half with the game ticking into the final 10 minutes. Harvey Blake went for goal from distance, met by a sprawling stop from the Arundel goalkeeper.
Ruari Farrell was onto the loose ball like a shot but the visitor’s number one showed superb reactions to somehow get back up and close enough to block the follow up.
