RAMPANT ROBINS STICK FOUR PAST TITLE CHASING EASTBOURNE TOWN
There cannot have been many more impressive results or performances than this in the County League this season.
Hassocks were totally dominant against title chasing Eastbourne Town, hammering quality opposition 4-0 at the Beacon and potentially handing the advantage to Whitehawk in the race for the championship.
Every player in red performed at the top of their game, knowing that one below par showing against such a strong side could prove costly.
Joel Harding made a couple of vital saves at key times whilst Mickey Turner and Sam Fisk in the wing back positions negated the normal high level of threat posed by Town wide men Gary Brockwell and Mark Goodwin.
Ashley Marsh was assured in man marking Liam Baitup. Alongside Marsh, Stuart Faith and Pete Lear were strong on the ground and formidable in the air.
Spencer Slaughter was mature beyond his 19 years in the holding role, allowing Anthony Hibbert and Matt Robbins to run the midfield.
And up front, Matt Amos and Phil Gault worked tirelessly to cause the Town back line umpteen moments of unease.
Hassocks set the tone for the afternoon inside the opening five minutes, Hibbert firing over twice from distance when he seemed almost surprised by how much time and space he had.
That was a theme throughout; the movement and intelligence of Hibbert and Robbins constantly bamboozling a Town midfield two not lacking in ability or experience, seeing as it consisted of Andy Ducile and former Brighton & Hove Albion man John Piercy.
Another Hibbert long ranger from 25 yards on 19 minutes required a fine sprawling save from Greg Nessling, with Amos hitting the rebound wide.
Amos and Faith both had efforts blocked from the same Hibbert corner which sparked carnage in the Town box, followed by Fisk volleying wide after sneaking in at the angle.
Gault had the best chance of the first half, placing over the bar with only Nessling to beat after Hibbert’s excellent through ball sent him clear.
That sparked a brief rise out of Town, leaving home supporters to wonder if so many missed chances might prove costly.
Goodwin’s cross eluded Harding and appeared to leave Baitup with a simple tap in at the far post, only for Marsh to produce an extraordinary last ditch tackle. Baitup then went through one-on-one but Harding stayed tall and strong and the opportunity was lost.
A Matt Robbins screamer from 30 yards needed Nessling to brilliantly tip around the post. Right on the interval, Ducile clearly handled in the box but referee David Spain decided it was right on the edge and so awarded a free kick instead of a penalty.
Hibbert whipped the ball around the wall and Nessling parried away to preserve parity going into the break.
Most in the crowd would have been expecting a Town onslaught in response at the start of the second half but it never materialised.
Hassocks continued to dominate, Lear seeing a header from a Hibbert corner cleared off the line by Adam Davidson before the deadlock was broken on 57 minutes.
Robbins hit a diagonal pass from the left over the head of Brockwell, finding the evergreen Turner ghosting in superbly to hit a technically perfect sidefoot volley over Nessling.
The Robins next missed three goal headed chances in quick succession from Gault, Amos and Hibbert but the lead was eventually doubled on 68.
An overhit Hibbert cross was retrieved by Fisk and returned into the box. Gault helped the ball to Amos with the teenage striker turning and poking through the legs of Nessling.
Harding made the key save of the afternoon next, using his legs to deny Ducile from point blank range. Had Town made it 2-1 at that juncture, their tails would have been up and the final 15 minutes might have turned out very different.
Instead, it was Hassocks who scored twice more. Mark Sherriff had only been on the pitch for six minutes after replacing Amos when he linked up well with Gault down the right, a series of neat passes between the two teeing up Gault to hit an unstoppable left foot drive into the top corner.
Gault then turned provider for the fourth on 84 minutes, laying back for Robbins to finish from 20 yards via the inside of the Town post.
Hassocks fans were delirious with delight. They ended even more giddy thanks to the sight of Dave John taking over as assistant referee for the final six minutes after Mr Spain limped off.
Not many people knew that Johnsy was a qualified official but even more surprising was the turn of foot he showed running the line.
The Robins boss left the field afterwards with a smile on his face, rightly over the moon at what he had just seen – but perhaps wondering deep down what might have been this season if his side played like this every week, whilst reflecting on recent dropped points against Arundel, Crowborough Athletic and East Preston.
Hassocks: Joel Harding; Mickey Turner, Pete Lear, Ashley Marsh, Stuart Faith, Sam Fisk; Matt Robbins, Spencer Slaughter, Anthony Hibbert; Phil Gault, Matt Amos.
Subs: Mark Sherriff (Amos 74), Chris Hewitt (Turner 88), Ian Simpson (unused).
Starman: Unfair to single out one individual, the whole team for a magnificent performance against quality opposition.
