Hassocks punished by late 40-yard open goal by Broadbridge Heath's Taylor

A game of few chances was petering out towards a 0-0 draw. Given that Heath had won both their previous games 4-1 against East Preston and early Premier Division leaders AFC Uckfield Town, that would have made a stalemate a good result for the Robins.

It was not to be though. With the match 92 minutes old, an unfortunate scuff from Hassocks goalkeeper Charlie Pugh presented Jamie Taylor with a chance to win the game, providing he had the quality to finish into an open goal from 40 yards.

Unfortunately for the Robins, Taylor did just that and they were left to make the journey back to Mid Sussex with nothing to show for their efforts.

Taylor’s strike was the one moment of quality in a game which featured plenty of hard work but few stand out moments.

Hassocks welcomed Pugh, Jack Gardner, Will Broomfield, James Littlejohn, Jack Troak, James Littlejohn and Charlie Pitcher back after all seven were rested for the midweek trip to Midhurst & Easebourne in the Sussex Senior Cup.

A 3-0 defeat at the Rotherfield to their Division One opponents was the Robins’ punishment for treating the competition with disdain and it took their full strength line up a little while to get going against Heath.

Pugh had to pull off a series of early saves as home captain Lewis Croal tested the Hassocks goalkeeper after a driving run and Charlie Parminter drew a fine stop from a free kick.

Conor Smith put a header from a Croal cross off target in between those two saves with the same fate befalling efforts from Croal, Taylor and Jamie Robinson, none of whom could make Pugh work.

Hassocks’ only chance of a non descript first half came when Pitcher put a free kick on target but it was easy for Liam Matthews to gather.

Whatever was said to Hassocks at half time appeared to have the desired effect as they began the second half the brighter side with Smith in particular being given a torrid time.

Smith was yellow carded within four minutes of the restart and another five minutes later, he was booked again to leave Heath facing the final 35 minutes with 10 men.

Remarkably, Smith’s red card was the fifth time in nine games this season that Heath had ended shorthanded due to a dismissal.

The Bears showed their considerable experience at playing with 10 men by reasserting themselves on the game following Smith’s dismissal.

Pugh was forced into an excellent save, tipping a Taylor shot around the post at full stretch before the same player was wastefully off target.

Hassocks were handed a golden opportunity to take the lead when referee Jamie Wells pointed to the penalty spot midway through the second half.

Pitcher saw his spot kick brilliantly kept out by Matthews, who threw himself low down to his left to deny Hassocks’ talisman a goal against one of his former clubs.

The miss seemed to deflate Hassocks and despite the Robins throwing on three players with the quality of Phil Gault, George Brown and Alfie Loversidge from the bench, it was Heath who had more of the ball in the final 20 minutes.

They were not able to do much with it, however. The lively Croal looked the most likely to make something happen but he found his efforts frustrated by the Hassocks back four of Gardner, Broomfield, Dan Turner and Andy Whittingham.

Heath thought they had found a winner as the game ticked into injury time when Pugh spilled a cross under pressure from Taylor, only for Mr Wells to rule the goal out on the basis that Pugh had been impeded by Taylor when trying to regather the ball.

That looked to be a let off Hassocks but any relief was short lived as within 60 seconds, Taylor notched his spectacular winner.

Heath hit a long ball down the Hassocks left which tempted Pugh to stray into no mans land over on the touchline.

His attempted clearance back down the centre of the pitch went awry and the ball fell to Taylor who took a touch and coolly lobbed the ball back towards the unattended goal with it going in via the far post.

Hassocks: Pugh; Gardner, Broomfield, Turner, Whittingham; Littlejohn, Short, Chadwick, Bant, Troak; Pitcher.

Subs: Gault, Brown, Loversidge (used), Enticknap, Bull (unused).