Turner rocket wraps up Robins win at Wick for perfect start to 2025
After two postponements caused by frozen pitches, Hassocks finally got 2025 up and running at the third time of asking.
It proved worth the wait as the Robins got back to winning ways with a 3-1 victory at Wick – including a Goal of the Season contender from centre back Dan Turner.
Hassocks had been due to visit Crabtree Park on Saturday but the game was one of nine in the Southern Combination Premier Division lost to freezing overnight temperatures.
Only Roffey got the weekend go-ahead after switching their home tie against Little Common from Bartholomew Way to the new 3G pitch at Three Bridges’ Jubilee Field. A 1-0 win for the Boars meant they cut the Robins’ lead at the top of the table to eight points.
With Hassocks having no fixture scheduled this weekend, the Wick postponement left the Robins facing the prospect of four weeks out of action – hardly ideal at a time when in-form Roffey and Crowborough Athletic are surging into the promotion picture.
Hassocks were therefore grateful to the Dragons for facilitating a quickfire rearrangement within 72 hours; even if meant heading south with a few players missing.
Fast starts and early goals have been a calling card of the Robins’ superb season so far; something they were denied by Haywards Heath Town and Roffey in their two previous outings over Christmas which returned a single point.
It was a return to business as usual here. Big Alex Fair opened the scoring after seven minutes, even before which Hassocks had two good opportunities to take the lead.
Tall striker Jamie Wilkes found himself lying on the floor in the Dragons box when a ball came to him. His improvised finish spinning around on his back like an upside down turtle was just wide.
Fair then rattled the bar from a tight angle after a trademark Cruyff Turn saw him twist into space on the right-hand side of the area.
Not that Fair would have long to wait to notch. Josh Mundy released Jack Troak down the left. Ruari Farrell cleverly dummied Troak’s pull back and Fair applied the first time finish into the bottom corner from 12 yards.
It was almost all Hassocks for the remainder of the first half. Fair fired over after more nifty work left the Wick defence dazzled.
The rangy Wilkes next played in Havey Blake on a rampage forward from right back. The ball appeared to bobble off a difficult surface just as Blake pulled the trigger, resulting in his shot disappearing over the tall trees behind the goal and into the darkness.
More Fair magic saw him glide past three Wick defenders before being denied by home goalkeeper Keelan Belcher.
The Dragons had the ball in the back of the net via a close range finish off the underside of the bar in a rare attack. Up though went the assistant referee’s flag, disallowing the goal for offside.
This provided a wake up call for Hassocks in terms of taking their chances. Something they duly did when Farrell doubled the lead three minutes before the break.
Fair popped up on the left flank this time to deliver a looping cross which Farrell met with a clever stooping header.
The Robins had plenty of the ball in the second half without ever really creating many clearcut chances. Except for Fair, of course, who drew a fine one-on-one save from Belcher.
It therefore fell to Turner to take matters into his own hands and provide Hassocks with a spectacular third 15 minutes from the end.
Turner won possession inside his own half, dropped a shoulder and showed a surprising turn of pace to go around two Wick players.
A Robins teammate shouted “RELAX” as Turner reached 35 yards from the Dragons goal. Relax presumably meant slow the game down and pick a pass to a blue shirt.
Turner though wasn’t listening to any of that. And with good reason. He instead unleashed a rocket which flew straight into the top corner. The player himself could scarcely believe it as he celebrated by giggling like a schoolgirl.
That was game, set and match – although Wick did pull one back in the final five when James Thurgar latched onto a counter and struck a fine distance effort of his own from 25 yards.
Hassocks: Fraser Trigwell; Harvey Blake, Dan Turner, Liam Hendy, Joe Bull; Alex Fair, Josh Mundy, Shay Leahy, Jack Troak; Jamie Wilkes; Ruari Farrell.
Subs: Morgan Vale, Alfie Loversidge, Harry Furnell, Will Berry, Bradley Tighe (used).
