Hassocks conquer another Combined Counties outfit in Vase
Road trips in the FA Vase tended to be all about the day out for Hassocks rather than the football. But not this season.
Having registered only two away wins against non-Southern Combination clubs in the competition over the past 20 years, the Robins have now eliminated two Combined Counties League sides in four weeks.
Goals in either half from Ruari Farrell and Morgan Vale gave Hassocks a magnificent 2-0 victory at Camberley Town to send the Robins into the second round for just the fifth time.
Hassocks have never advanced to round three before. The way that James Westlake’s side are playing at the moment combined with a favourable draw could well see them make history in the Vase, to go with the club-record run of eight successive league wins already set.
Nearly half the crowd at Krooner Park was made up of Robins fans, many of whom travelled with the players on chairman Super Pat Harding’s magical mystery tour bus.
It almost gave this a feel of a home game for Hassocks. And the Robins fed off that by getting on the front foot from the first whistle.
Only six minutes had elapsed when Hassocks fashioned their first chance. A free kick from Josh Mundy following a foul on the outstanding Alfie Loversidge was met by a bullet Dan Turner header. Ben Grummit in the Camberley goal somehow kept it out with a superb reaction save.
The quarter hour saw Harry Furnell meander into the box from the left flank to shoot just wide. Grummit then denied Mundy with a sprawling stop after the midfielder showed great technique to strike a clean volley from a full 30 yards.
Jordan Brown showed smart handling from Stan Jones in a rare Camberley attack before the Robins took a deserved lead midway through the half.
Turner was very much enjoying how much space there was between the touchline and the advertising hoardings, allowing him significant run ups to launch his trebuchet of a throw into the box.
His third of the afternoon on 22 minutes – with the promise of a Jagerbomb afterwards from one nearby supporter if Hassocks scored from it – was glanced beyond Grummit by the grey-haired head of Farrell.
Hassocks should have had a second from an almost identical situation on the stroke of half time. Turner’s throw was flicked on by Vale, who had replaced the injured Farrell not long earlier.
The ball flew straight through the hands of Grummitt under no pressure, yet referee Adam Shimmin bizarrely concluded the home goalkeeper had been fouled and awarded a free kick. In fairness to Mr Shimmin and his assistants, it was the only decision they got wrong all afternoon.
Another opportunity for Hassocks to double their lead had come nine minutes before the disallowed goal.
Mundy struck again from 30 yards. This time though it was an effort so wild it cleared the goal, the stand, the net behind the stand and the Hassocks team coach parked behind the stand before smashing into a vehicle with such force it set the car alarm off.
The Robins’ second goal arrived from the penalty spot 12 minutes after the break when a Camberley hand blocked a Loversidge shot.
Despite Grummit diving the right way, Vale’s effort was struck with too much power and precision into the bottom left corner for the home goalkeeper to get to it.
Vale almost had another two minutes later when getting in down the right and taking on an early shot. Grummit made another fine save to tip over at full stretch.
Hassocks withdrew Harvey Blake and Noah Hoffman for Bradley Tighe and Will Berry after that, the Robins deciding to see out the final 30 rather than push for a third.
That made for an attritional finish, best summed up with the ball spending what seemed like 10 minutes in the air as Turner and Camberley defender Kay Conteh kept heading 30 yards down the pitch to each other.
Big Alex Fair managed to get a trademark Cruyff Turn in once the teams remembered you are allowed to kick the ball along the ground, creating a chance which stung the gloves of Grummit.
But that was it in terms of action at either end. Not long after and the full time whistle blew on a great day for Hassocks – and a famous victory.
Hassocks: Jordan Brown; Harvey Blake, Dan Turner, Liam Hendy, Joe Bull; Alfie Loversidge, Josh Mundy, Jamie Wilkes, Harry Furnell; Noah Hoffmann; Ruari Farrell.
Subs: Morgan Vale (Farrell 33), Alex Fair (Furnell 51), Will Berry (Hoffmann 64), Bradley Tighe (Blake 64), Darren Budd (unused).
Starman: Alfie Loversidge.
