ROBINS BACK ON SONG AS HAILSHAM ARE HAMMERED
Three days after being hit for six at Chichester, Hassocks scored a half dozen of their own to secure a much needed victory at home to Hailsham Town.
This 6-2 triumph was well received by the Beacon faithful after four consecutive defeats, especially with the home side losing Spencer Slaughter and Jamie Hillwood to hand and ankle injuries respectively in the warm up.
Given that barren run of form and the late withdrawal of two key players, you could have forgiven the Robins for making a slow start to proceedings.
But they were obviously keen to make amends for the hammering at Oaklands Park on Saturday as they flew out of the traps, taking the lead within four minutes.
Jonno Melia was the architect as he collected an exquisite cross field ball from Dan Stokes to meander past Adam Daubeney.
From there, he delivered a cross which was met with a pleasant header from Josh Hawkes, leaving Ben Head in the Stringers goal with no chance.
The ball was in the back of the Hailsham goal again just five minutes after the opener but the bullet own goal header from a visiting defender was rightly ruled out for offside.
Things calmed down after that hectic opening until the 36th minute when Phil Gault marked the first home appearance of his third spell as a Hassocks player by being the man to finally finish off a game of pinball in the opposition box, firing into an unguarded net after Stokes and Bradley Bant had both seen efforts blocked.
Gault’s goal was the beginning of a frantic final 10 minutes of the half as George Willett denied the dangerous Danny Leach with a fine block with his legs. From the resulting corner, Hailsham were afforded a free header which luckily for the Robins clipped the bar.
Hassocks were wobbling and badly needed the break to come along. They could have done without being on the receiving end of a contentious refereeing decision then with just a minute of the half remaining as Jamie Salvidge went down in the box under minimal contact from Luke Akehurst.
Hailsham were awarded the penalty despite the protests of Gault and captain Dan Jacques. Leach kept a cool head despite all the furore going on around him, burying the kick with aplomb.
The venting of Gault’s spleen not only earned the talismanic forward a booking but also ensured a good five minutes of added on time.
This ended up working out extremely well for Hassocks as it was in the dying seconds of this that they snatched their third goal.
It came completely against the run of play, Michael Death rising like the proverbial salmon to head a corner through the hands of Head for his first goal for the club on his home debut.
Melia got in on the scoring act ten minutes after the restart as once again Hailsham failed to clear their lines effectively, allowing the wide man to fire home through a crowd of players and via several deflections for 4-1.
The ebbing and flowing didn’t stop there. Hailsham added their second of the night after Akehurst was beaten down the left hand channel, allowing Sam Duvall to get away. His cut back was swept home by substitute Omer Bozdag.
Given the way the Robins threw away three points right at the death last week against Eastbourne Town, that could have led to a tense finish.
Any nerves among the Hassocks contingent were settled with 15 minutes remaining however. Akehurst hit a wonderful ball from left back that split the Hailsham right back and centre half like an atom, allowing Gault to power in on goal and finish in trademark style.
Hassocks weren’t done there either. Substitute Nick Pitcher added the sixth when collecting Death’s knockdown from a Bradley Tighe free kick to drive in his first of the campaign and there was still time in the final 10 for Pitcher to hit a post and for Willett to show his worth with three smart saves.
Hassocks: George Willett; Bradley Tighe, Dan Jacques, Rowan Wallis, Luke Akehurst; Dan Stokes, Josh Hawkes, Bradley Bant, Jonno Melia; Michael Death, Phil Gault.
Subs: Nick Pitcher (Hawkes), Spencer Slaughter, Jamie Hillwood (unused).
