RAGGED ROBINS CAUGHT COLD ON THE BANKS OF THE THAMES
Within 17 seconds of their FA Vase Second Qualifying Round tie away at Molesey, Hassocks must have known that it wasn’t going to be their day.
That is how long it took the hosts’ James McShane to open the scoring. Hassocks had plenty of opportunities to find a way back into the game against their Combined Counties Premier Division opponents, but they were thwarted by a combination of woodwork and a string of excellent saves from home goalkeeper Wester Young.
At the final whistle, Hassocks boss Dave John said, “I really don’t know how we failed to score. But we could have stayed out there until 10 o’clock tonight and I don’t think we would have done.”
The Robins made the journey to Surrey in confident mood to take on opponents who are yet to win in the league so far this season. Despite those struggles, Molesey had by far and away the best player on the park in their number seven, Sam Lampard, who ran the game from start to finish.
Curriously, it was McShane who earned the hosts’ man-of-the-match award and that may have been for putting away that early chance, created when Lampard was allowed to make easy progress down the right.
Hassocks were woeful for the first 30 minutes. They simply couldn’t get going and that was perhaps the most disappointing aspect of their exit from their competition – that they chose what could have been a winnable game to deliver their poorest performance of the season.
Stuart Faith put in some crucial blocks at the back and although James Laing had the beating of the Molesey back line in the air every time, the Robins were able to do little with the frequent headers that their veteran striker won.
It was painful to watch for the travelling support who had travelled in numbers for a day out by the River Thames. They were final given something to cheer as half time approached when Hassocks fashioned their first chance of the game.
Spencer Slaughter was making his first start in five following suspension and injury and has he gradually grew into the tie, so did the Robins. On 33 minutes, Anthony Hibbert played in Slaughter and his low shot had Young beaten but unfortunately not the frame of the goal as the woodwork came to Molesey’s rescue.
Shortly after and Hassocks had strong penalty appeals turned down by referee Steve Woodinson when Slaughter saw another goal bound effort blocked by a hand in the Molesey box.
The first half nearly ended as it began for the Robins with Molesey seeing a golden chance to double their advantage somehow kept out with seconds remaining. Centre half Joe Yeates stooped to head a corner towards the top corner but the ball rattled the inside of the post, Arni Kublickas then managed to head it off the line and onto the bar, from where it was incredibly scrambled clear.
Having proved his worth at one end with that bit of defending, Kublickas had an early chance to make a difference at the other early in the second half when he broke forward from left back, only to slice a fair chance wide. At the other end, McShane lifted a clear opportunity well over.
As the half progressed, it was Hassocks who looked the most likely to score. Faith’s glancing header was comfortable enough for Young, who then produced heroics along with Lampard to keep out Slaughter’s powerful shot and follow up effort following a superb run by Terry Gacias.
It was Neil Kane’s turn to be denied by Young next. The ball was returned into the box where the Hassocks forward met with an acrobatic overhead kick that was brilliantly tipped over at full stretch by the Molesey number one.
Hibbert squandered a free kick after Kane had been brought down by big number four Moses Spencer, who had already been booked and looked pleasantly surprised when the referee failed to mete out another yellow card.
Hassocks were still plugging away to try and find an equaliser as the game entered the final 10 minutes. With seven left to play, a delightful one-two released Hibbert and his shot looked perfectly placed until Young went full length to his left to get the feintest touch on the ball and turn it away.
Any hopes Hassocks had of forcing extra time were extinguished with 88 on the clock. Matt Baxter was played through and he drilled low and hard under the body of Joel Harding to make it 2-0, a poor goal to concede but one that summed up a disappointing afternoon at the office for the Robins.
John said afterwards that his side badly missed the guile and finishing of the unwell Phil Gault, but in truth there were far too many players having off-days for Hassocks to have deserved anything from the match.
Hassocks: Joel Harding; Dan Jacques, Sol Bowra, Ashley Marsh, Stuart Faith, Arni Kublickas; Spencer Slaughter, Terry Gacias, Anthony Hibbert; Neil Kane, James Laing.
Subs: Michael Bates (Slaughter 83), Ian Simpson, Daley Clark, Stuart Brown, Jason Gander (unused).
Starman: Difficult one but Sol Bowra was one of the most consistent performers on a bad day.
