Robins back on top but Common make them work hard for it
Seeing their weekend trip to Loxwood called off due to the appearance of a bee nest in one of the goals at Plaistow Road was a sting in the tail for Hassocks given recent form.
But the postponement did nothing to halt the Robins’ momentum ahead of the visit of Little Common to the Hassocks Hotel Beacon Ground three days later.
A 3-1 victory made it 10 Premier Division games unbeaten to start the season, seven league wins in a row and took the Robins back to top spot.
Common arrived in BN6 at the opposite end, sitting bottom of the standings. Not that they played like a side with only one point to their name so far.
The visitors were reasonably disciplined defensively and caused several problems at the other end. Hassocks were made to work hard for the three points. More performances such as this from Common and they will surely not be propping up the pile for long.
Compared to how quickly the Robins have started games this season, it was a lengthy nine-minute wait for Alfie Loversidge to open the scoring against Common.
The tenacity of Joe Bull made the goal. A charge forward from left back took Raging Bull past two visiting players and towards the by-line.
His first attempted cross was blocked by Cam Thompson but Bull delivered successfully at the second attempt, pulling back to Loversidge.
The pass was perfect and the finish from Loversidge even better as he side footed first time, guiding the ball into the bottom corner.
Common thought they had equalised shortly after when Sam Ellis powered his way into the box and found Lewis Hole.
The Common stalwart crashed an effort against the bottom of the bar, from where it bounced down onto the line.
Half-hearted appeals from Hole and Ellis – who probably had the best view out of anyone over where it had crossed – suggested no goal was the right decision.
Paul Feakins was next to go close for Common. He escaped Bull, finding space to let a shot go requiring a solid block from Dan Turner.
Noah Hoffmann lifted an effort too high and Ruari Farrell headed wide to round off a first half in which good scoring opportunities were at a premium.
The second half got off to a flying start. Common goalkeeper Matt Cruttwell displayed good handling to hold a drive after Harry Furnell cut in from the left flank.
A Feakins corner was then punched directly upwards by Jordan Brown. The ball remarkably rose about 50 feet in the air before coming down and crashing directly onto the top of the cross bar.
Chaos and confusion ensued when it then rebounded back into the Hassocks area, ended when Harrison Smith shot over.
That bizarre series of events set the tone for the equally strange Common equaliser on 57 minutes. The Robins failed to clear their lines twice, the result being a Turner header falling to Liam Ward who kneed over Brown from 15 yards.
It is not every day you see a goal scored by a deliberate knee. Whilst the crowd could scarcely believe what they had just witnessed, Hassocks did not display any signs of shock as they retook the lead within 60 seconds.
Turner atoned for his poor headed clearance giving Ward the opportunity to level by picking out the run of Furnell with a stunning 70 yard pass out defence.
It dropped on the edge of the Common area, where Furnell latched onto it and produced a superb cushioned volley over the advancing Cruttwell.
Hassocks knew a third goal would kill the game off. Harvey Blake sought to find it, turning into Lionel Messi and dribbling around seven Common players on an outstanding run turning defence into attack. His finish though was just over.
Cruttwell showed more safe handling when gathering a low Bull shot before Morgan Vale wrapped up the victory with seven minutes remaining.
Josh Mundy whipped over a free kick and although Vale saw his initial effort blocked by Ward – with his back rather than that now famous knee – the Robins substitute reacted quickest to fire the loose ball into the top left corner.
Hassocks: Jordan Brown; Harvey Blake, Dan Turner, Liam Hendy, Joe Bull; Alfie Loversidge, Josh Mundy, Will Berry, Harry Furnell; Noah Hoffman; Ruari Farrell.
Subs: Darren Budd, Morgan Vale, Jamie Wilkes, Bradley Tighe (used).
Starman: Noah Hoffmann.
