Defences come out on top in stalemate between Hassocks and Peacehaven
Clear cut chances were at a premium as Hassocks played out a 0-0 draw with FA Vase quarter finalists Peacehaven & Telscombe.
The Tye showed the qualities which have taken them to within two wins of Wembley on a run including two penalty shootout victories.
They were supremely organised, difficult to break down and kept possession as well as any side to have visited the Beacon this season.
Pleasingly for James Westlake, his Robins matched Peacehaven in the defensive stakes to continue their improvement at that end of the pitch.
This was Hassocks’ fourth clean sheet from seven matches since the turn of the year. It was well deserved for the way they shackled the Tye’s 28 goal strike force of Callum Edwards and Max Hollobone.
Much of the entertainment on the night came from James Shaw and former Robins number one Nathan Stroomberg-Clarke, although it had little do with their respective shutouts.
The crowd were left most amused by the two goalkeepers as early as the 11th minute. Shaw did well to punch clear under pressure before going down clutching his face, ensuring referee Mark Gidman had to stop play for a head injury with Peacehaven in possession.
Stroomberg-Clarke came striding out of his box to tell Mr Gidman not to let Shaw make it all about him. Somewhere in amongst all the nonsense, Hassocks assistant manager Tom Hughes earned a talking to from Mr Gidman. Good going with less than a quarter of an hour on the clock.
Hassocks had created a decent opportunity six minutes earlier. Jack Troak played a pass inside whilst shouting “Man on Michael” despite the ball going to James Westlake rather than Mike Williamson. Westlake was not perturbed, stepping inside to drive a rising effort just over the bar.
There were half-hearted Peacehaven appeals for a penalty on 18 minutes when Edwards fell over the ball in the box under pressure from Troak.
Mr Gidman was not to be fooled and waved play on, only to have to stop the game 20 seconds later. A bone crunching tackle by Drew Matthews left Phil Johnson in a heap in the centre circle as Hassocks looked to break. Matthews received a yellow card for his troubles.
The half hour mark brought a long ball over the top which looked like it might catch Peacehaven out as Westlake ran through.
Stroomberg-Clarke however was alert to snuff out the danger, collecting right on the edge of the box where he and Westlake had a pretty innocuous collision which sent the Hassocks player-manager to the ground.
The six foot plus Peacehaven goalkeeper tried to convince Mr Gidman that he had been rugby tackled by the diminutive Westlake, which again was very much enjoyed by those watching.
From there, Stroomberg-Clarke sent a long ball down the pitch which Hassocks won. The Robins were lightning quick to counter and Johnson found himself with a sight of goal.
Matthews made an outstanding block when Johnson went to pull the trigger. The ball spun up into the air and fell invitingly for Liam Benson to attempt a first time volley.
It was not the most convincing of strikes but that meant it almost caught Stroomberg-Clarke by surprise as he dived late to his right to claw the ball around the post.
Shaw had to make a smart reaction save on the stroke of half time when Edwards drove from halfway to the edge of the Hassocks box, getting a decent hand behind a powerful effort which he then grabbed at the second attempt.
The second half was slow to get going but once it did, Peacehaven enjoyed the better of it as the Robins began sitting deeper and deeper.
Ross Barclay demonstrated a foot made of silk to pluck the ball out of the air and hit a volley on the turn. Shaw plunged low to his left to save at the expense of a corner.
That was on 68 minutes. On 72, Williamson threw himself in front of a Curtis Ford effort to deflect it onto the outside of the post in a superb piece of defending.
Hassocks belatedly managed their one opportunity of the second half with three minutes remaining. A clever back heel released Harvey Blake into enough space on the edge of the box to get a shot away which rose over the bar.
The Robins seemed content to take a point by now, summed up when Shaw gathered a loose ball and then proceeded to pin roll with it in his arms approximately 15 yards across his area to run down the clock. Nobody was entirely sure whether such a move was illegal or not.
And not to be outdone, Stroomberg-Clarke had a fine and very loud rant when the full time whistle blew about how Peacehaven kept keeping clean sheets but could not score at the other end, cheered ironically by the home support.
In reality, that did a disservice to Hassocks whose performance warranted a point.
Hassocks: James Shaw; Harvey Blake, Bradley Tighe, Alex Bygraves, Jack Troak; Leon Turner, Mike Williamson, James Westlake, Joe Bull; Phil Johnson, Liam Benson.
Subs: Alfie Loversidge (Bull 64), Pat Harding (Benson 70),Jamie Wilkes (Turner 89), Sam Smith, Sam Rogers (unused).
Bedlam Brewery Starman: Alex Bygraves.
