GAULT AND MILES MAKE IT TWO FROM TWO
You had to go back 20 years to find the last and one of only two times that Hassocks have begun a Southern Combination Premier Division season with back-to-back league victories.
But that unenviable statistic was finally broken at the Beacon as Phil Gault and Nathan Miles struck in a 2-1 win over Peacehaven and Telscombe to make it six points out of a possible six to kick off their 2016-17 campaign.
Sterner tests no doubt lie in wait than that offered by both Peacehaven and the other side vanquished three days previously, Wick.
Nonetheless, this has been an impressive start for the Robins, even more so when you consider that in the previous two seasons it has taken until the seventh and ninth league games to get the number two into the win column.
Peacehaven have endured a difficult couple of seasons after consecutive relegations. Now without the war chest that helped to provide a remarkable rise from intermediate football to the heights of the Ryman Premier in just 10 seasons, they’ve had to rebuild their squad with talented young players, largely from the lower leagues.
It was one of those players who drew them level. Jack Langford is a summer acquisition from Division Two side Rottingdean Village and he slotted home from the penalty spot with just over an hour played to round off a bright start to the second half for the visitors.
They’d started the first half in equally positive fashion, Langford drawing a fine stop from Alex Harris and Marcus Allen giving the crossbar a good rattling as Hassocks began shakily.
It took Gault’s opener on the half hour mark to settle the Robins down and my goodness what a goal it was, the striker opening his account for the season by hitting an absolute rocket into the top corner which not even three goalkeepers would have kept out.
Both teams went hell for leather after Langford had levelled things up but it was Hassocks who would land the decisive blow, Miles popping up in a pocket of space at the back post to sweep home a low cross with 10 minutes remaining.
Miles has had a terrible run of injuries over the last three years but nothing as bizarre as what happened during the wild celebrations of the winner, Bradley Bant deciding a good way to commemorate the goal would be to headbutt Miles which resulted in a split head for the talented striker.
Despite those surreal scenes, Hassocks stayed strong as Peacehaven became increasingly ragged in their attempts to force a late and in truth probably deserved equaliser.
The Tye couldn’t find a way through though despite all their late pressure as the Robins begin a campaign with two wins from two for the first time since 1996.
Hassocks: Alex Harris; Bradley Tighe, Ashley Marsh, Tom Barnes, Luke Akehurst; Mark Price; James Westlake, Dan Stokes; Ben Bacon; Phil Gault, Nathan Miles.
Subs: Bradley Bant, Michael Death (used), Ollie Stevenson, Lewis Westlake (unused).
Starman: Phil Gault
