Direct Robins ease to three points in fun Tuesday night stay at the YMCA
Tuesday night at the YMCA was a test passed with flying colours by Hassocks as they ran out 3-0 winners against opponents who had done them a huge favour in the promotion race three days earlier.
Whilst the Robins were beating Petersfield Town 1-0 in deepest, darkest Hampshire at the weekend, Horsham YMCA inflicted a surprise defeat on second place Roffey.
The rest of the chasing pack would have been hoping YM could repeat the trick against Hassocks at the Herbert Direct Stadium.
No such luck as two goals from Charlie Pitcher and one from Morgan Vale ensured the Robins made it four wins from four consecutive away games.
Home boss Liam Giles raised a few eyebrows amongst the Hassocks contingent before the game when describing James Westlake’s side as a direct team.
But anyone watching the Robins for the first time this season would probably have agreed with that assessment through the opening five minutes at least.
Inside of 60 seconds and Dan Turner was marking his 100th appearance for the club by launching a trademark long throw into the box.
Typical chaos broke out as a result, in amongst which Pitcher saw an acrobatic overhead kick blocked by a YM hand. Referee Konrad Kaminski waved away penalty appears, presumably because it was only the first minute.
The fifth minute mark then saw Turner leather a pass 70 yards down the pitch. Given Giles and YM were apparently aware of how good Hassocks can be when going long, it was an interesting approach to have their back line pushed so high up.
Not that Pitcher was complaining. He went galloping clear down the left wing from halfway, making it into the box and forcing ex-Robin Jordan Brown into a near post save from a tight angle.
Hassocks took the lead from their next foray down that same left flank, although there was no element of directness in this attack.
Harvey Blake and Bradley Tighe played across the backline from one side of the pitch to the other, feeding Jack Troak just inside the YM half.
Troak roasted Sam Henderson before crossing to Pitcher, whose immaculate first touch created enough space for him to pick out the bottom corner with aplomb.
A similar opportunity almost gave Hassocks a second five minutes later. Tall striker Jamie Wilkes got down the right this time and passed into the middle towards Pitcher. Another sublime piece of control was followed by shot which rattled the upright.
YM were struggling to contain Pitcher and on the half hour mark, he found himself bursting through one-on-one.
Alfie Jones had a go at pushing Pitcher in the back and when that didn’t work, swiped the legs of the Robins striker from under him.
Two pieces of foul play in the space of 10 seconds could have earned Jones a pair of bookings. Just one yellow was forthcoming… for now.
With Pitcher feeling the effects of that rough treatment, Troak took the penalty. Brown shouted: “I know where you’ll put it Troaky”. He duly did know where Troaky would put it, superbly saving the spot kick.
YM came on strong after that, although Fraser Trigwell was never rarely threatened. The closest the hosts came was on the hour mark when Athan Smith-Joseph broke down the left and pulled back to Dan Webster. Well placed on the edge of the box, Webster blasted over.
Two minutes later and Hassocks doubled their advantage. Jones blocked a shot from the rangy Wilkes with an outstretched arm.
The outcome was another penalty, another yellow and an early bath for the YM defender to bring his interesting evening to an early end.
Brown did his best to repeat the mind games of earlier but Pitcher was having none of it, smashing the ball into the top corner.
Pitcher celebrated by saying something into Brown’s GoPro hung in the net to film the game. Troak meanwhile went to the away support behind the goal shouting “That’s what I should have done!”
Hassocks rattled through the changes after that and it was two substitutes who combined for the third with two minutes remaining.
Alfie Loversidge let a shot go from 38 yards out and when Brown spilled it, Vale fired home the rebound.
Hassocks: Fraser Trigwell; Harvey Blake, Dan Turner, Bradley Tighe, Joe Bull; Harry Furnell, Josh Mundy, Harvey Enticknap, Jack Troak; Jamie Wilkes; Charlie Pitcher.
Subs: Alfie Loversidge (Furnell), Morgan Vale (Pitcher) Shay Leahy (Mundy), Liam Hendy, Ruari Farrell (unused).
Starman: Jamie Wilkes.
