ROBINS ON THE PINCH IN DAYLIGHT ROBBERY
How Hassocks came away from this encounter with Lingfield with a share of the spoils was beyond the belief of even the most ardent of home supporters.
Lingfield were completely dominant in this first meeting between the two sides since 1995. They were quicker to the ball, sharper in thought and their movement was impressive from front to back.
That they only led 2-0 going into the final five minutes was a travesty. Ian Gillard had what appeared to be a perfectly good goal chalked off after Jack Simpson got himself into a bit of flap.
The 17-year-old goalkeeper was no doubt grateful to the referee for sparing his blushes there, but that was nothing compared to the gratitude that Simpson’s teammates must have felt towards him by the time the final whistle blew. Without a string of great saves at vital times from their young custodian, Lingfield would have been out of sight.
The fact that they weren’t set the stage for Hassocks to commit daylight robbery, Laurence Robinson’s 87th minute goal combining with Matt Russell’s bundled effort in injury time giving the Robins the most undeserved of points.
Ollie Davis gave Lingfield the lead as early as the eighth minute, firing home from a fine Sam McCarthy cross.
McCarthy should have doubled the advantage shortly after but he somehow contrived to completely miss the ball, producing a comical air kick from a Gillard centre.
Simpson ensured it was only 1-0 going into the break with a flurry of saves just before half time. He pulled off an excellent stop at full stretch low down to his left to keep out a Craig Abbott effort, showed brilliant reactions to keep out Gillard’s header from a matter of yards and then scrambled across to his right to tip Aaron Courtney’s distance drive around the post.
The second half was just a minute old when Simpson and Hassocks received their let off. Gillard’s cross in was a dangerous one and it caused Simpson enough problems to result in him punching the ball into this own net.
But referee Mr Machink had spotted what he deemed to be a foul on Simpson for what looked to be minimal contact; the goal was disallowed and Hassocks could breathe again.
Lingfield continued to surge forward with the skilful McCarthy wriggling away from Nick Pitcher, only to see his effort on the angle superbly saved by Simpson.
Gillard played in Courtney but he blazed well over and Spencer Slaughter put his body on the line to block a Gillard free kick from eight yards out after Simpson had handled a Glen Woodburn back pass.
Hassocks finally conjured up a genuine chance on 69 minutes, Matt Amos producing a deft flick which bamboozled two Lingfield defenders but Russell could only scuff wide with just Stacey Bowtell in the visitors’ goal to beat.
Three minutes after that and Lingfield doubled their lead, McCarthy getting the goal that his performance deserved as he flicked in a Chris Charlery cross.
The visitors seemed content to see out the rest of the game by getting the ball wide and heading to the corners, a strategy that although not advisable in most games appeared eminently sensible given the fact that Hassocks seemingly posed zero threat to Bowtell’s goal.
But football is a funny game and when substitute James Laing’s cross was hooked in at the far post by the long legs of Laurence Robinson on 87, the atmosphere both on the pitch and in the stands suddenly changed.
Gone was frustration and resignation to defeat and in its place came a sense that this one might not be over yet.
And so it proved. A long ball forward in the 91st minute was flicked on by Amos, leaving Russell in a footrace with Bowtell. It was the Hassocks forward who won – just – nudging the ball past Botwell to pick the pockets of the Lingers.
Hassocks had played their get out of jail free card and judging by the smiles on their players’ faces as they left the pitch, they knew it.
John Suter will also know that his side can’t afford to put in many more performances like this one, especially as they haven’t won in the league now since the opening day.
Lingfield meanwhile will cause plenty of problems for the established clubs in their first ever season in County One based on this showing.
Hassocks: Jack Simpson; Tom White, Glenn Woodburn, Nick Pitcher, Phil Fitzgerald; Anthony Hibbert, Stuart Faith, Spencer Slaughter, Laurence Robinson; Matt Russell, Matt Amos.
Subs: Michael Eynon (Woodburn 62), James Laing (Slaughter 78), Simon Bristow (White 90), James McKenzie, Jason Gander (unused).
Starman: Jack Simpson. He may not be the finished article yet but he made some vital saves to keep his side in it.
