Dadswell nabs last gasp win

The Blues looked as if they'd thrown the game away when Hassocks cancelled out a two goal deficit with less than 10 minutes remaining but the popular centre-half, who was outstanding thoughout, produced a sweet left-footed finish in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

"He was immense today," commented manager Andy Laskey of a player whose presence has yielded three wins and a draw from four games against Sussex County League clubs since his festive return from Bournemouth University last month.

"The last two games we've not missed Owen (Ball) and that's testimony to how good Matt Dadswell has been. He played well against Westfield and Rye and you would probably say he was man of the match today."

And fellow centre-half Graham Morris, who provided the flick to Jason Finch's free kick which set up Dadswell's second strike in as many games on top of scoring the 28th minute opener with a delightful glancing header, wasn't far behind either. The pair, aided to some degree by skipper Jimmy Watson in midfield and goalkeeper Greg Thurstans, held Sidley together defensively in the second half as several players simply ran out of gas on a Gullivers pitch that resembled a quagmire down the middle.

But, if Sidley continue to rely on such a small number of players, they will soon be found out. Their luck, which has often been absent in the past but has played no small part in those three recent victories, cannot last forever and they certainly aren't the fittest side in the league either.

What they are, however, is determined. Numerous promising attacks from Hassocks, one of only two teams in the division still to win away from home, were thwarted by a last ditched interception or tackle and they scrapped for every ball.

Ball retention still requires plenty of work but there was nothing wrong with the way they manoeuvred the ball for each of their goals, the second of which was emphatically finished by Ian Oliver from Steve Morris' cross four minutes into the second period.

Hassocks, who were the better team in the opening half, responded defiantly through goals from Matt Robins (71) and Anthony Hibbert (84).