Johnson joins the 100 Club but Hassocks have to settle for point at United
The goals keep coming for Phil Johnson but his 100th in Hassocks colours was not quite enough to secure victory at Eastbourne United.
Johnson struck with 11 minutes played at the Oval, joining an elite club which now extends to six Robins to score a century in senior football.
Hassocks were then four minutes shy of making it six clean sheets in a row and claiming a big three points in the battle for the top six when Gary Ingram became the first opponent to beat James Shaw in more than 450 minutes of football.
This was a game lacking in quality, thanks largely to a strong wind blowing from one end to the other which increased in prominence as the 90 minutes went on.
Hassocks had it behind their backs in the first half and although it played a part in Johnson’s opener, it was not so much a factor that United were unable to get the ball out of their own half.
That was the case as the game progressed beyond the hour mark, leaving Hassocks penned in as United laid siege to the Robins goal.
Ultimately, the draw was the right result. James Westlake was certainly pleased with the outcome, agreeing with the assessment that this was the sort of encounter his side probably would have lost before Christmas.
Westlake said afterwards: “Although we are disappointed to concede for the first time in six games, to come here and get a point really shows how far we have progressed since the turn of the year.”
Both teams started brightly, looking to get on the front foot and make something happen. It was Hassocks who struck first. A long ball was carried by the wind over the top, catching the United defence out.
Johnson showed great tenacity to power his way through home centre backs Sam Cole and George Olulode, getting himself in one-on-one with former Robins number one James Broadbent.
As good a goalkeeper as Broadbent is, there was only going to be one outcome with Johnson in his current hot streak.
The Robins’ leading scorer clinically slid the ball to the right of Broadbent for his 24th of the campaign, joining Phil Gault, James Laing, Pat Harding, Anthony Hibbert and Robbie Kitchen in the 100 Club.
United gradually grew into the game but Hassocks remained relatively untroubled apart from one moment just before half time.
A break down the right resulted in Ingram delivering a dangerous cross. Hassocks partially cleared but United regained possession, returning the ball back into the area.
It dropped invitingly for Aaron Capon to strike a volley which most of the Oval thought was destined for the back of the net.
Shaw though got the most important of fingers onto the effort, doing just enough to tip it onto the bar and ensure Hassocks went into the break with the lead.
The Robins knew they were facing a difficult task defending the hurricane in the second half. Nobody though could have predicted how difficult it would become by the end.
That Hassocks limited United’s chances despite it being all one-way traffic was testament to Shaw, his back four and the midfield in front.
Cross after cross was thrown into the box, where Shaw needed to be at his confident and commanding best. Likewise, Sam Smith and Alex Bygraves became heading machines.
On one of the rare occasions when United did find a way through, Smith came to Hassocks’ rescue with an utterly outrageous goal line clearance.
Just when it looked like the Robins were going to survive the onslaught to record what would have been easily the most impressive shutout of their recent club-record run, Ingram struck with 86 minutes on the clock.
United won a free kick on the edge of the box which they clipped towards the back post. An almighty pile up ensured as both white and red shirts tried to judge where the wind was going to take the delivery.
Eventually, it dropped somewhere in the melee. Ingram was on hand to fire a scrappy effort which seemed to pass through a number of Hassocks legs on its way to beating the despairing Shaw.
Hassocks: James Shaw; Harvey Blake, Sam Smith, Alex Bygraves, Jack Troak; Alfie Loversidge, Mike Williamson, James Westlake, Leon Turner; Phil Johnson, Pat Harding.
Subs: Joe Bull (Turner 56), Liam Benson (Johnson 78), Jamie Wilkes (Williamson 82), Bradley Tighe (Loversidge 90), Sam Rogers (unused).
Bedlam Brewery Starman: Phil Johnson.
