HORROR HOUR LEAVES HASSOCKS WITH TOO MUCH TO DO
Having rescued games from two goal deficits on three occasions already this season, Hassocks tried to go two better at the Oval against Premier Division newcomers Little Common.
In the first league meeting between the two for 24 years, the Robins gifted their hosts a four-goal lead inside the opening 55 minutes as a Lewis Hole brace and goals from Wes Tate and Ryan Paul looked to have put Common on easy street.
Hassocks fought back though through Jake Lindsey and Harvey Blake. Mark Dalgleish’s side also missed a succession of chances in a final 30 minutes that could’ve seen the score tip back in their favour, such was the momentum shift after that horror opening hour.
As it was, they had to settle for a 4-2 defeat which represented Common’s first three points since the second game of the season. Hassocks meanwhile have lost all four games in October after a September which promised much.
The Robins made the trip to Eastbourne at near-full strength as they welcomed Josh Green and Spencer Slaughter back from one-match bans. Captain Jordan Badger also returned having missed the previous weeks 3-0 Peter Bentley League Cup defeat to Lingfield.
The game was just six minutes old when Hole gave Common the lead with a drilled effort into the bottom corner from the edge of the box and they doubled their advantage 11 minutes later with a well-worked team goal.
Paul started the move in midfield and it went through Tate to Jordan Astell. Astell delivered a low cross to Hole who was on hand to take a touch and finish past Green.
Hassocks changed their shape after that, abandoning 4-3-3 in favour of 4-4-2. Lindsey had looked uncomfortable in an unfamiliar central role as part of the midfield three and the adjustment got him out onto his favoured left flank with James Littlejohn patrolling out on the right.
It was a smart move from Dalgleish, Lindsey proving to be a real live wire and with Will Broomfield stepping out of defence with the ball, there was a mini-improvement of sorts from the Robins as Phil Johnson was played in but his effort was blocked by a superb covering challenge from the outstanding Paul.
Slaughter saw a header from a Lindsey corner kept out by Common keeper Matt Cruttwell while at the other end Green produced an excellent sprawling stop to deny Hole a first half hat-trick after he’d got the deftest of touches onto a Russell Eldridge free-kick.
Common’s third arrived 10 minutes before the break and it really knocked the wind from Hassocks’ sails. It was wholly preventable as well, a huge free kick being flicked onto Tate who looped the ball over the top of Green.
Slaughter got booked shortly after that for a foul that seemed to be born out of frustration and only some sensible refereeing from Mr Marc Meeten saw Slaughter avoid what would have been a second booking for a trip and with it, a second dismissal in as many matches.
The hosts fourth came on 55 minutes, Paul coming up from the back to power home a header from a Tate corner with plenty of questions being asked about Hassocks’ marking.
Four goals behind seemed to be the Robins’ cue to start playing. Just past the hour mark and Lindsey’s much-improved performance since reverting to the wing was rewarded with his first goal of the season, a crisp finish past Cruttwell who got a hand to the ball but couldn’t keep it out.
It was all Hassocks after that. Paul Feakins cleared one off the line from Johnson after good work from Dan Stokes on the right, Stokes’ looping header was then brilliantly clawed out by the back pedalling Cruttwell and Lindsey was wasteful when well placed.
Handbags were drawn with 10 minutes remaining after Dan Jacques, making his 200th appearance for the Robins, reacted angrily to being clattered by Adam Smith.
Quite what sparked Hole to get involved nobody seemed to know but he was soon on the scene to butt heads with Jacques, leaving Mr Meeten with no choice but to send the Common striker for an early bath. Jacques and Smith were both booked for their part in the melee.
Playing with momentum and a man advantage, the Robins swarmed forward now and set up a tense last five minutes when Blake netted his first goal for the club, smashing home a loose ball after another excellent Lindsey corner wasn’t effectively dealt with.
Hassocks had chances to snatch the most unlikely of draws as Blake squandered a half chance and Lindsey found himself with just Cruttwell to beat after latching onto a long ball over the top from Badger but his volley was straight at the grateful Common keeper.
Hassocks: Josh Green; Harvey Blake, Dan Jacques, Will Broomfield, Jordan Badger; Dan Stokes, Spencer Slaughter, Jake Lindsey; James Littlejohn, Phil Johnson, Liam Benson.
Subs: Alex Spinks, Harry Mills, Joe Bull (used), Harvey Enticknap, Phil Wickwar (unused).
Starman: Jake Lindsey.
