Not pretty but Robins return from Oval with potentially pivotal victory
If Hassocks go onto win their first Southern Combination League title, this 2-1 win away at Eastbourne United will be looked back upon as a pivotal moment in a history making season.
The Robins were nowhere near their best in a poor spectacle, yet returned to Mid Sussex with three points from a tough place to visit where they had not won since 2018.
It was more an attritional battle than a game of football. Despite the pristine new 3G pitch at the Oval, the ball spent more time in the air than it did on the ground.
Most of the action worth talking about came following the final whistle. An almighty spot of handbags broke out, enough to see United stewards spill onto the pitch in an attempt to separate the teams.
The result of all the drama was referee Owen Lawrence wandering over to the Robins whilst they completed their warm down once order had been restored to show Dan Turner a red card. Siji Akinlusi suffered the same fate for the hosts.
Turner was adamant afterwards he had not done anything in the ruckus. And as the most laid back player in this Hassocks squad, it is hard to imagine him saying something bad enough to warrant being sent off.
If it was indeed a case of mistaken identity, it is a damaging one for the Robins. Turner is now suspended for three matches at a crucial juncture in the campaign. Hassocks have no grounds for appeal due to a lack of video evidence.
Morgan Vale may also be looking at a period of absence after he was carried off injured just nine minutes into the encounter.
Vale was out wide chasing down a misplaced back pass from United, the first time Hassocks made it into a decent attacking position.
As Vale went to cross, his foot got caught in the artificial surface. He required lengthy treatment before being replaced by Charlie Pitcher.
United also had a poor back pass attempt to thank for fashioning their first opportunity minutes later. An attempted volley from the halfway line by Darren Budd to Fraser Trigwell went awry. Ollie Hull latched onto it but his early shot dribbled just wide of the post.
Liam Hendy then made a sensational sliding tackle, appearing from nowhere to nick the ball off James Hull with the United striker 10 yards out and about to pick his spot.
It was against the run of play when Hassocks took the lead on 30 minutes. Tall striker Jamie Wilkes won possession in midfield and clipped a ball over the top.
Pitcher went in one-on-one with ex-Robins goalkeeper James Broadbent, drinking an impressively cool finish over his former teammate.
The advantage was short lived. Six minutes later and Ollie Hull got goal side of Joe Bull. Raging Bull tried to retrieve the situation but succeeded only in pulling Hull back.
There could be no complaints from Hassocks when Mr Lawrence pointed to the spot. James Hull smashed the penalty into the bottom corner to level the tie.
The Robins netted what proved to be the winner in the fifth minute of a significant amount of first half added time caused by Vale’s injury.
Pitcher hit a free kick into the wall. Multiple Hassocks players appealed for a handball. These claims appeared fanciful at best; something the United fans in the stand alongside the pitch were happy to point out.
There were repeated sarcastic shouts of “handball” and ironic cheers when a Turner header went straight up in the air in the phase of play following the free kick.
The merriment of the home support was still going on when Pitcher crossed from the right and the rangy Wilkes got across Akinlusi to head past Broadbent. Hassocks cheers suddenly became the dominant sound around the ground.
Entertainment was in even scarcer supply during the second half than it had been in the first. Ollie Hull cracked a 25 yard volley which hit James Hull in the face. Trigwell might have otherwise been troubled without the unintentional block.
For Hassocks, Pitcher came close when Hendy headed a Budd corner back into the six yard box. Broadbent advancing from his line did enough to convince Pitcher to put too much on his own header, lifting it over.
Wilkes talked himself into the sin bin on 80 minutes, providing a precursor to the full time scenes. The Robins though were untroubled even during those 10 minutes playing shorthanded, making it eight wins from nine consecutive away games.
Hassocks: Fraser Trigwell; Harvey Blake, Liam Hendy, Dan Turner, Joe Bull; Harry Furnell, Darren Budd, Harvey Enticknap, Jack Troak; Jamie Wilkes; Morgan Vale.
Subs: Charlie Pitcher, Shay Leahy, Ruari Farrell (used), Bradley Tighe, Josh Mundy (unused).
