HAILSHAM HALT HASSOCKS’ RUN WITH STUNNING SECOND HALF COMEBACK
In a bid for a record breaking ninth successive league victory, Hassocks fell foul to one of the oldest footballing clichés of them all – a game of two halves – to surrender a 4-0 half time lead to hosts Hailsham Town, who produced an incredible fightback to earn a share of the spoils in a crazy 4-4 draw.
Phil Gault’s first half hat-trick and Bradley Bant’s free kick had put the Robins on easy street in a dominant first half display helped no end by the wind.
Defending that wind in the second period proved too much for Hassocks however and they succumbed to two goals inside the final five minutes to relinquish their winning run of wins at eight.
A horrendous playing surface that cut up almost immediately after kick off, and on which players were unable to grip underfoot or have a decent first touch made for an entertaining afternoon for spectators. Coupled with a gale force wind, defences were exposed and there were mistakes aplenty on show.
In fact, it was fair to say that such was the dominance of the team kicking with that wind that Alex Harris in the first half and home goalkeeper Sheldon Levett in the second period did not have a save to make.
Jonno Melia had already forced a fine double save from Levett inside the opening 10 minutes and Bant hit the outside of the post with an in-swinging corner before Gault gave the Robins the lead on 16 minutes, outpacing and out-muscling Simon Piper to slot past the advancing Levett.
Almost immediately the lead was doubled, Gault capitalising on a mix up at the heart of the Hailsham defence to fire home from the edge of the box. Melia then had an effort scrambled off the line, Michael Death’s 20 yard strike fizzed past the post and James Westlake’s corner smashed against the upright as Hassocks’ dominance continued.
It was 3-0 on 32 minutes, Bant’s free kick from wide on the right catching the wind and eluding the flailing Levett to end up in the back of the net. Gault then completed his hat-trick, heading home unchallenged from Westlake’s pinpoint delivery from a corner on 40 minutes.
As players and supporters headed for their half time pint, no-one could have envisaged the drama that was to follow and the total turn around that ensued.
From the kick off, Hailsham were a different team, no doubt having had a dressing down at half time. They pulled a goal back on 52 minutes, Tristan Jarvis’ corner going in direct at the far post having caught the wind to elude Harris in the Robins goal.
Sam Divall fired over from the angle and Harris tipped over a Danny Leach effort as Hassocks were forced on the back foot, struggling to get out of their own half as the resurgent home side piled forward.
A fine move involving Harry Mills, Marcus Goldsmith and Leach ended with the prolific Leach finding space and finishing into the far corner to reduce the deficit to 4-2.
The Hailsham faithful were now sensing a monumental comeback and started to get behind their team. Hassocks meanwhile were forced into scrambling clear on several occasions, desperately defending deeper and deeper and unable to maintain any possession.
There were bookings for Death, Gault and Ashley Marsh as frustrations boiled over and on 85 minutes Hailsham made it 4-3, Leach’s shot somehow creeping over the line after Harris had tipped up the initial effort.
The incredible comeback was completed on 88 minutes, Emmanuel Okinja poking home after an almighty scramble from a corner, with Hassocks appealing in vain for an offside flag which never came.
So ended Hassocks’ run of eight successive wins in extraordinary circumstances. They do remain unbeaten since before Christmas however and are looking up the table, rather than over their shoulder. That is thanks to what has been an amazing sequence of victories which is a credit to the hard work and belief both management and players have put in.
Hassocks: Alex Harris; Bradley Tighe, Ashley Marsh, Nick Pitcher, Luke Akehurst; Bradley Bant, James Westlake, George Brown, Jonno Melia; Michael Death, Phil Gault.
Subs: Tom Barnes (Tighe 45), Jack Wilkins (Bant 80), Josh Hawkes, Rowan Wallis, Phil Wickwar (unused).
Starman: The team faded alarmingly in the second half and were second best all over the pitch, but young George Brown showed enough good touches and poise in the middle of the park to catch the eye in the first half.
