HAWKS SWOOP TO DENY HASSOCKS AN EASTER BANK HOLIDAY DOUBLE
Whitehawk owe Hassocks a pint or two after their County League title hopes received a double boost from the Robins over the Easter weekend.
On Saturday, Hassocks hammered Eastbourne Town 4-0 at the Beacon to put a real dent in the visitors’ hopes of claiming the championship.
Monday was a case of after the Lord Mayor’s Show for the Robins as they were forced to play second fiddle throughout a first half dominated by the Hawks on their way to a 2-0 victory.
The visitors were first to the ball, sharper on it and took the chances that came their way. Hassocks threatened a little more in the second half but they never really troubled a Whitehawk outfit who now have three wins from three against the Robins this season.
Ross Standen was only forced into one meaningful save. The giant Hawks goalkeeper was not entirely convincing when touching over a superb first half volley from Phil Gault.
Apart from that, the Robins managed just one other goal bound effort when Matt Robbins had a header from a 72nd minute corner cleared off the line by Stuart Garrod.
Gault did some good work up front but Mark Sherriff had one of those days when none of his scheming paid off. Hassocks missed Matt Amos – the teenage striker was ruled out by an ankle injury picked up in the win over Town 48 hours later – as John admitted afterwards.
“Against a team like Whitehawk with the players they have and how well organised you are, you need a fit and sharp Amos to get in behind and cause problems.”
Hassocks did still manage to create the first opening on five minutes. Anthony Hibbert saw a shot blocked. It fell to Sam Fisk, but the young midfielder’s follow up was catching practice straight into the arms of Standen.
Whitehawk went ahead when eye-catching forward Lee Newman was allowed to run from inside his own half to the edge of the Hassocks box. He released big Ryan McBride to fire in low and hard via the inside of Joel Harding’s left leg.
If the Robins’ failure to challenge Newman effectively was at fault for that goal, then referee Barrie Small must take responsibility for the second.
He awarded a free kick for a foul that never was on 37 minutes. Newman tried his luck from the edge of the box and when Harding spilled it, Tommy Pattenden was there in a flash to pick up the pieces.
Hassocks had a couple of chances in-between those two goals. That magnificent Gault effort came from nothing when he collected a throw from the left, turned and hit a volley.
Gault then flicked on a long clearance out of defence from Ashley Marsh to leave Sherriff with a half-sight of goal.
Unfortunately, Sherriff was a little disorientated and his attempted lob had nowhere near the required elevation to clear the huge figure of Standen.
Mr Small had been superb in the opening 30 minutes but that gaffe for Whitehawk’s second sparked a marked deterioration in his performance.
Unwarranted bookings were handed out to players of both sides with Gault and Marsh being on the end of some particularly harsh treatment from a Hassocks viewpoint.
The Robins stuck at it in the second half but rarely offered home fans much hope of a comeback. Other than that clearance off the line by Garrord, the closest they came was when Hibbert fired a free kick just over the bar.
Hassocks: Joel Harding; Mickey Turner, Pete Lear, Ashley Marsh, Stuart Faith, Sam Fisk; Matt Robbins, Anthony Hibbert, Spencer Slaughter; Mark Sheriff, Phil Gault.
Subs: Richard Thomas, Chris Hewitt, Kieran O’Callaghan (unused).
Starman: Phil Gault.
