HEATH CLAIM ROBINS 424 DAY UNBEATEN RUN TO LIFT INTERMEDIATE CUP
A first Sussex Intermediate Cup since 1975 eluded Hassocks as their Reserve side were beaten 2-1 by Haywards Heath Town in extra time at Culver Road.
For Simon Corless’ Blues, this was their second trophy of the season to go with the Sussex County League Division Three Cup which is already in the Hanbury Park display cabinet.
And with the divisional title still to play for, Heath could yet end the campaign with an historic treble.
It was a fully deserved victory on the night for the Blues. In the process, they ended Hassocks’ astonishing 424 day, 16 month, 36 game unbeaten run in all competitions.
“We just didn’t turn up and I suppose it was bound to happen sooner or later,” Robins boss Roy Staughton admitted. “Typical for it to be in a cup final,” he added.
On a good surface, Heath played some attractive football throughout. They could have had the tie in the bag within the 90 had they not seemed to want one extra touch in front of goal every time a chance came.
Instead, it finished 1-1. 16 minutes into extra time and penalties were looming large until Corless’ substitutions reaped handsome dividends.
Danny Mobsby had been introduced barely a minute earlier by Corless when his astute pass released Kieran Purkis to cross into the box.
Heath saw a shot blocked by Arni Kublickas but the ball ballooned up into the air. Another of Corless’ substitutes, Sean Ardley, headed in what proved to be the winner.
The Blues dominated the first half by a street. Hassocks goalkeeper Andy Edwards made an excellent one handed save midway through and then made himself big to a foil a one-on-one with his legs.
There was nothing the Robins number one could do though when Joe Ranson beat him comprehensively to give Heath the lead on 39 minutes.
Falling behind did at least spark Hassocks into life and within five minutes, the Robins equalised.
Good work from Laurence Robinson and some mishandling from Blues goalkeeper George Hyde presented an opportunity to Tom Davess. Not a bad time for the wide man to net his first goal in Hassocks colours.
The Robins kicked on after the break and had the best chance of the second half within eight minutes of the restart.
Neil Kane went in one-on-one with Hyde, who atoned for his earlier error by denying Hassocks’ top scorer.
Late in normal time and there were a couple of good chances for Heath. Edwards made another fine stop to deny Purkis and then Ranson blazed wildly off target with the goal begging just after the clock ticked past 90.
Neither side were able to make much of an impression in the additional half hour despite both managers making attacking changes.
Staughton brought on the pace and directness of Phil Johnson in place of Davess before introducing the creativity of Josh Hawkes into the middle of the park with Nick Pitcher dropping to centre back, Kublickas switching to the left and Luke Pawson going off.
Heath striking with only four minutes left to play meant there was little time for Hassocks to launch a comeback, even with the veteran James Laing thrown on in immediate response.
The Robins must now dust themselves down and quickly. They still have plenty of football to play and like Heath, may end the season with a treble as they remain at the forefront of three competitions.
Staughton’s side are already into the final of the Mid Sussex Senior Cup, the last eight of the Sussex County League Reserve Section Cup and are runaway leaders of the Reserve Premier Division.
As Staughton said afterwards, the quadruple never did sound right.
Hassocks: Andy Edwards; Ben Palmer, Sam Goodridge, Arni Kublickas, Luke Pawson; Laurence Robinson, Dan Jacques, Nick Pitcher, Tom Davess; Richard Thomas, Neil Kane.
Subs: Phil Johnson (Davess 82), Josh Hawkes (Pawson 99), James Laing (Goodridge 117), Sam Palmer, Rowan Wallis (unused).
