STRIPP HITS WONDER STRIKE BUT ROBINS MADE TO RUE MISSED CHANCES
Late goals are costing Hassocks dear at the minute as for the fourth time in 10 games since Christmas, they dropped points right at the death.
East Preston became the latest side to take advantage of the Robins’ late jitters as Josh Biggs’ 93rd minute header cancelled out Tom Stripp’s first half opener to earn the visitors a share of the spoils.
They follow in the footsteps of Sidley United, Whitehawk and Littlehampton Town who have all scored in stoppage time against Hassocks, a run which has cost Dave John’s side six precious points.
In truth, the Robins should have been out of sight by that point but it was just one of those evenings for the tireless Pat Harding who on another night with a bit more luck could easily have walked off with a hat-trick.
John made two enforced changes as the veteran pair of Ashley Low and Chris Hewitt were both absent with youngsters Stripp and Ashley Marsh coming back into the defensive five.
Marsh’s return in particular was a big boost to John, the teenage defender having missed the past six games through injury after a highly encouraging start to his senior career.
The Robins started brightly and it was Stripp who gave them the lead as early as the eighth minute with a long distance free kick.
Matt Robbins had been brought down just inside the EP half although there seemed to be little on as Stripp set himself to deliver from a good 45 yards away.
He caught the ball cleanly, much to the surprise of EP’s 17-year-old goalkeeper James Colbourne who could only watch the ball fly over his head and into the roof of the net.
It was some way for Stripp to notch his first senior goal and despite his claims that it was meant, even the most hardened of Hassocks supporters would struggle to believe that!
Harding then volleyed into the side netting from 25 yards and James Laing was put clean through by Graham Beveridge and really should have scored but his effort was a little too close to Colbourne who still did well to get a foot to the ball at full stretch to keep it out.
Wary of the manner in which they had conceded, there was a real sense of panic in the EP defence whenever Stripp had the ball and the Robins made no apologies for adopting a somewhat agricultural approach as a result, Stripp constantly looking to smash the ball long for Harding to cause headaches on the chase.
They did manage to put together some decent passing moves too, one such instance seeing Mickey Turner and Robbins working together to release Faith but his shot was wonderfully turned around the post by Colbourne.
EP came into things a little more towards the end of the half as Matt Huckett blazed over when in a good position and Dan McLaughlin set up Chris Hibberd inside the box but he shot weakly wide.
Five minutes after the restart and Harding produced a moment of brilliance as he turned his defender out on the right flank before racing clear and unleashing a powerful left footed effort.
Colbourne was rooted to the spot with the shot smashing from one post, across the goal and into the other before EP managed to clear.
Anthony Hibbert fired wide, Laing was wasteful from a tight angle and Colbourne reacted well to just about get an in-swinging Harding corner out from under his crossbar.
As the clock ticked down and Hassocks couldn’t force a second goal, you could cut the tension with a knife as memories recalled the recent late wobbles that have afflicted the Robins.
EP were more than aware of it as well and they grew into the game, keeping possession well and waiting for an opportunity to strike.
Joel Harding had hardly had a save to make but it was sadly predictable that he would still end up picking the ball out of the back of the net and that’s what duly happened when Huckett crossed from the left and Biggs stooped in to head in unmarked at the far post.
From Biggs scoring to the final whistle blowing there could have been no more than 10 seconds of play remaining as Hassocks were left to reflect on more dropped points – a habit that the Robins could well do without.
Hassocks: Joel Harding; Mickey Turner, Nick Newman, Tom Stripp, Ashley Marsh, Richard Thompson; Graham Beveridge, Matt Robbins, Stuart Faith; James Laing, Pat Harding.
Subs: Anthony Hibbert (Robbins 71), Richard Thomas (Laing 83), Ian Dawson, Phil Wickwar (unused).
