TYE EXTRACT REVENGE ON ROBINS AS BATTLE FOR TOP FOUR INTENSIFIES
Much has happened to Hassocks and Peacehaven & Telscombe since the Robins ran out spectacular 3-0 winners down at Piddnghoe Avenue in September.
Both clubs now find themselves in contention for a top four finish as the campaign reaches its business end. For Hassocks, that would be their highest ever.
Considering that win away against the Tye six months ago represented their first in eight since the opening day, it underlines what a good season the Robins have enjoyed since.
So much so that Peacehaven gaining their revenge via this 2-1 victory at the Beacon felt like nothing more than a blip.
If anything, the home faithful went away encouraged by the fact Hassocks were hardly firing on all cylinders and yet were always in contention against quality opposition.
The winning goal came from a highly contentious penalty decision on 65 minutes. A linesman had already flagged that the ball had gone out of play for a Peacehaven corner when referee Michael Lowe pointed to the spot for what he considered a foul by Ben Palmer on Ashley Rees.
It was a soft award but few Robins supporters were surprised. Mr Lowe had exasperated Hassocks with his performance eight days earlier, even as Mickey Jewell’s side dished out a 4-1 hammering to AFC Uckfield.
He needed only 60 seconds to continue where he left off. Mark Dunk produced a studs up challenge on Chris Maynard which Mr Lowe deemed worthy only of a yellow.
Jewell said afterwards it would have been a straight red at any time in the game other than the opening minute and that Mr Lowe had erred badly by basing a decision on the clock. The Hassocks boss had a point.
Five more names joined Dunk in Mr Lowe’s notebook over the next 89 minutes, including Ashley Marsh and Phil Gault late on. Quite how Mr Lowe only played two minutes stoppage time at the end of the first half was another mystery.
Maynard needed at least three minutes treatment after Dunk’s challenge. There was another lengthy halt when Mr Lowe consulted a linesman about an incident involving Marsh and Peacehaven’s Paul Dudson. The officials even managed to get in a mix over that, Mr Lowe talking to Gault rather than Marsh.
On the football front, there were chances at both ends although the Tye looked livelier for long spells. Peacehaven went mighty close to opening the scoring on 11 minutes.
A poor clearance from Marsh ricocheted off a Tye player to put Rees through. When Rees lifted the ball over the onrushing Jack Simpson, it looked a goal all over until Maynard miraculously got back to thunder the ball against the bar and away to safety.
Rob O’Toole spent most of the afternoon claiming a foul anytime a Hassocks player went near him. The one time he did have a point came seven minutes after Maynard’s clearance but play went on and O’Toole was thwarted by a good save from Simpson.
Peacehaven hit the woodwork midway through and went onto do so again in the second half. Stuart Faith also put two second half headers against the frame of the goal.
The Robins’ best chance of the first half came late. Joe Adams denied Phil Johnson with a smart stop and was then relieved to see an unusually out-of-sorts Gault put the rebound wide.
Gault then played in an equally subdued Nathan Miles just before the interval but he opted to shoot early and it was straight at Adams.
The deadlock was broken eight minutes after the break. The home defence held off, allowing Bradley Murray to make progress. Murray shot from just outside the box, it clipped Faith and looped out of reach of Simpson.
Hassocks responded quickly. Craig Hall sold Adams short with a backpass and although the former Burgess Hill goalkeeper did well to deny Johnson and a defender blocked Miles’ follow up, it was third time lucky as James Westlake converted for the Robins.
The Peacehaven penalty four minutes later was struck by Dunk with aplomb to ultimately settle the argument but the game ebbed and flowed, remaining on a knife edge until the final whistle and providing entertaining fare.
Hassocks: Jack Simpson; Ben Palmer, Ashley Marsh, Stuart Faith, Chris Maynard; James Westlake, Kieran O’Callaghan, Anthony Hibbert, Phil Johnson; Nathan Miles, Phil Gault.
Subs: Jamie Weston (Miles 61), Rob Boddy (Hibbert 77), Rob South (Westlake 85).
Starman: Not readily apparent but it goes to Kieran O’Callaghan for being his usual influential self in midfield.
