HASSOCKS KNOCKED OFF THE VASE CAROUSEL AT CHESSINGTON
It’s Halloween, Horror and Hocus Pocus Fortnight at Chessington World of Adventures at the moment. And across the A243 just a couple of hundred metres away from the theme park, Hassocks got into the spirit by delivering an horrific display that saw them eliminated from the FA Vase by Chessington & Hook United.
United are near the foot of the Combined Counties League while the Robins are looking for a top three finish in the County League.
Yet Hassocks were second best for most of the afternoon, the result being a 3-0 win for the hosts that was more comfortable than a spin on Professor Burp’s Bubbleworks.
Manager Mickey Jewell said afterwards, “We weren’t at the races today, too many players were well below par and in the end we got exactly what we deserved,” a point reiterated by assistants Mark Dalgleish and Roy Staughton.
Even when Chessington were reduced to 10 men on the hour mark after combative midfielder Darren Smith was shown a straight red for an elbow on Chris Maynard, Hassocks could find no cutting edge, momentum or rhythm to unlock a resolute home defence.
The first half was especially forgettable. Both sides struggled to do much on a heavy surface covered in long grass, particularly Hassocks who are used to the pristine surface of the Beacon.
Jewell was without Nathan Miles and Phil Johnson who were side lined with knee and ankle complaints respectively and so he parachuted in Rob Osgood, dual-signed from Ryman League Crawley Down Gatwick.
Osgood struggled against a robust Chessington centre half pairing although he did show some nice touches on the rare occasions he found himself with time and space.
It was from one such instance that he created one of Hassocks’ best chances, playing a through ball to Jamie Hillwood which was cut out by home goalkeeper Matt Daniels. Hillwood then managed to beat Daniels but not geometry as his effort from an acute angle flashed wide of the post.
At the other end, the lively Theo Woodhouse brought a fine save from Jack Simpson and Matt Ellis hit a cross-shot wide of the far post.
The second half was a little bit more of a roller coaster. Chessington came out with renewed endeavour, no doubt buoyed by the fact that the wind and Chalky Lane slope were now in their favour.
The warning signs were there when Russell West slotted wastefully wide when well placed but that reprieve was short lived as Woodhouse curled a free kick into Simpson’s top corner after a niggly foul from Jamie Ingham.
On 59 minutes came the point that could have changed the game. Smith was booked for lunging in on Maynard and as he walked away, then appeared to throw an elbow at the Hassocks left back leaving the referee no choice but to show red.
The Robins now had 30 minutes to turn the game around against 10 men. It was a lifeline. Yet within 60 seconds they found themselves 2-0 behind when Daniel Harding was allowed a free header and although Simpson got a good part of it, the ball still trickled over the line.
Hassocks now had a mountain to climb and it wasn’t until the final 10 minutes that they tested Daniels with Anthony Hibbert, Nathan Cooper and Phil Gault all being denied by the keeper or some bodies-on-the-line defending.
Going so gung-ho left the Robins wide open on more than one occasion at the other end and Woodhouse, Harding and substitute Nathan Gilbert all missed good chances to put the game to bed.
Eventually though Chessington did get their third, Gilbert tapping home deep into stoppage time to ensure that Hassocks’ ride on the FA Vase carousel is over for another season.
Hassocks: Jack Simpson; Rob South, Ashley Marsh, Nick Pitcher, Chris Maynard; Jamie Ingham, Anthony Hibbert, Nathan Cooper, Jamie Hillwood; Rob Osgood, Phil Gault.
Subs: Lee Cooper (Maynard 60), Dan Jacques (Ingham 65), Tom Davess, Mark Price, Alex Harris (unused).
Starman: Difficult, but Jamie Hillwood was only real bright spark on a terrible day for Hassocks.
