YOUNG GUNS OF HASSOCKS HAMMER HAILSHAM
Mickey Jewell was missing five first team players for the visit of Hailsham Town, but it mattered not a jot as the young Hassocks side he was forced into selecting showed their qualities by demolishing Hailsham Town 6-1 at the Beacon.
Nine of the 14 players on show for the Robins were aged 25 or under and they produced an exciting and fearless display to gain revenge on the Stringers for the shock 2-1 reversal suffered at the Beaconsfield earlier in the season.
Jewell’s biggest problem in the lead up to game appeared to be at centre back, where his three first choice defenders Ashley Marsh, Nick Pitcher and Kieran O’Callaghan were all serving suspensions at exactly the same time.
Former club captain Stuart Faith stepped up from the reserves to help solve the defensive crisis and he was partnered by Alex Gathern who has spent his Hassocks career playing at right back so far.
Gathern was excellent in his new role at the heart of the defence. He and Faith faced the considerable task of keeping the dangerous Drew Greenall quiet and although the Hailsham marksman slotted the visitors ahead from close range on 10 minutes, he got very little joy out of the makeshift back line.
Also missing for Hassocks were Anthony Hibbert and Phil Johnson. Any concerns that their absences might have blunted the Robins’ attacking threat were dispelled in the short period between kick off and Hailsham taking the lead as the hosts could have quite easily been 3-0 ahead already.
Phil Gault volleyed wide and hit the bar with Jamie Ingham squandering a chance which he fired well over when well placed.
Gault did restore parity on 19 minutes with a sensational volley from all of 35 yards which caught Hailsham goalkeeper Sheldon Levett off his line and flew into the net.
That was Gault’s 150th goal in Hassocks colours and he can’t have scored many better. Even the visiting Stringers supporters joined in the applause, such was the quality of the strike.
Hassocks were well and truly in command after that. The busy Mark Price hit the side netting after good build up play between Gault and Nathan Cooper and Gault was then denied by a fine stop from the outstretched hand of Levett.
The Robins did eventually take the lead with four minutes of the first half remaining. Price and Cooper combined to play in Aaron Czech and the teenager showed great footwork to manoeuvre the ball onto his right foot and fire past Levett.
A minute later and it was 3-1. Ingham’s long throw was flicked on by Cooper to the far post where Gault was waiting to volley home.
Gault didn’t return after the interval having fallen awkwardly on his ankle earlier in the first half. The injury looked a nasty one afterwards and it would be a real surprise if he’s fit for Tuesday night’s trip to East Grinstead Town or the journey to Crowborough Athletic in a week’s time.
Gault’s place was taken by Michael Gould who has been scoring goals for fun in the development squad this season.
It took Hassocks a little while to get going in the second half. Michael Lloyd squandered a couple of easy chances for the visitors and Max Collins had to deny Greenall with a fine save before the Robins reasserted control.
On the hour mark, they made it 4-1 when Price set up Cooper to fire home from the edge of the box. On 71, Tom Davess notched his first senior goal and in some style when curling an exquisite free kick around the wall, past a stranded Levett and into the bottom corner from 20 yards.
Gould rounded off the scoring with Hassocks’ sixth in the 87th minute, latching onto fellow substitute Zak Dove’s through ball to coolly lob the advancing Levett with aplomb for a debut goal.
Dove had earlier replaced Price and when another youngster in Matt O’Brien was given his debut from the bench in place of Rob South, it meant that the Robins ended the game with Faith and the enigmatic Dan Jacques the only players on the pitch born before 1990.
Hassocks: Max Collins; Rob South, Alex Gathern, Stuart Faith, Tom Davess; Dan Jacques, Jamie Ingham, Nathan Cooper, Mark Price, Aaron Czech; Phil Gault.
Subs: Michael Gould (Gault 45), Matt O’Brien (South 64), Zak Dove (Price 75), Stuart Brown, Dan Stokes (unused).
Starman: Excellent all round team performance but just goes to young Aaron Czech, although Nathan Cooper and Mark Price pushed him close.
