Fast start sinks Down and makes for awesome August Bank Holiday
Two wins. 10 goals scored. One conceded. A famous Danish brewing company don’t do August Bank Holiday weekends, but if they did they would probably be like the 48 hours enjoyed by Hassocks.
Hot on the heels of Saturday’s 6-0 FA Vase romp against Storrington and Crawley Down Gatwick were beaten 4-1 at the Hassocks Hotel Beacon Ground on Monday morning.
Games between Robins and Anvils have something of a reputation for entertainment. But even compared with this fixture’s previous, four goals in the opening quarter hour was ridiculous.
Hassocks provided the first three inside of 11 minutes. If that seems mad, wait until you hear about the three chances the Robins missed prior to Morgan Vale opening the scoring.
Yes, Hassocks could quite feasibly have been 6-0 ahead before the clock hit 11.15am. Big Alex Fair drew a full stretch save from Anvils goalkeeper Alex Bellingham.
Fair then headed Joe Bull’s resultant corner in the direction of Bellingham and Jamie Wilkes. Rather than convert from point blank range, the rangy Wilkes only succeeded in kicking Bellingham in the chest.
Darren Budd guided one over next before Hassocks took the lead via their fourth opportunity with still only seven minutes played.
Joe Overy cut inside from the right flank. His effort was deflected towards Vale, who got the ball under control before hitting a shot on the turn beyond Bellingham.
120 seconds after Vale struck his first Robins goal and Wilkes doubled the lead. Fair was in one of those moods which make him unplayable and he started the move, switching from left to right.
Overy again drifted into the middle and returned possession to Fair. A quick exchange of passes with Wilkes included an outrageous backheel from Fair, straight into the path of the tall striker to fire home.
Fair added the third himself four minutes later, volleying home a delightful Bradley Tighe cross delivered deep towards the far post.
Down belatedly stirred into life after that and got themselves onto the scoresheet four minutes later. Charlie Cooke stepped into midfield with the ball and clipped a pass left towards Louis Gould.
There was still a lot for Gould to do, but he managed to get to the by-line and pull back for Callum Kilkenny to slide in from close range.
The Robins instantly went back on the attack. Wilkes lifted over from close range and Fair played a perfect through pass to give Overy a one-on-one opportunity saved by Bellingham.
A well-worked short corner routine resulted in Vale having a shot blocked. Fair’s follow up was deflected behind for another corner with Hassocks adamant it hit an Anvils hand.
No penalty was the verdict of referee Joel Lamping. Not that it mattered as Vale scored his second and the Robins’ fourth shortly after.
Overy took a clever quick throw to Vale, received the ball back and then tangled with Down left back Beau Walters.
Anvils fans felt Overy fouled Walters; Hassocks supporters had the opposite view. Which tells you it was six of one, half a dozen of the other.
Mr Lamping subsequently let play go on. Overy returned a pass to Vale, whose carefully lobbed finish from six yards over Bellingham and into the opposite corner was outstanding.
The goals dried up in the second half although that was not for a lack of trying, particularly on the part of Jack Troak off the bench for the final 20 minutes.
Troak set up Wilkes to be denied by Bellingham, put a header of his own from a Raging Bull corner just wide and then shot a little too close to the Anvils number one.
The only disappointment was a spot of handbags at the end, not really in keeping with the spirit the rest of the game was played in.
Liam Holden kicked Alfie Loversidge long after the whistle had blown for a free kick. Loversidge reacted and Josh Alder arrived on the scene, resulting in all three players being booked.
Alder asked Mr Lamping why he was flashing so many cards, to which the referee responded “because you’re all being idiots.”
The crowd in earshot clapped their approval on a morning when there was plenty to cheer for the Hassocks faithful.
Hassocks: Jordan Brown; Bradley Tighe, Will Berry, Liam Hendy, Joe Bull; Joe Overy, Darren Budd, Josh Mundy, Alex Fair; Jamie Wilkes; Morgan Vale.
Subs: Jack Troak (Fair 72), Alfie Loversidge (Wilkes 76), Tom Frankland (Overy 81) Ruari Farrell (Vale 86), Cavan Chedzey (Mundy 89).
Starman: Alex Fair and Morgan Vale.
