Hassocks win at AFC Uckfield – Eastbourne United denied by Dockers – Horsham YMCA held at Saltdean

AFC Uckfield 0 Hassocks 4

by Scott McCarthy

February is shaping up to be big for Hassocks in their quest for an unlikely play-off spot with fixtures against three of the current Southern Combination Premier Division top eight.

The Robins will go into the month in flying form after a 4-0 win at AFC Uckfield Town made it four straight victories since the Boxing Day Mid Sussex Derby defeat to Haywards Heath Town.

It is never easy visiting the Oaks and Hassocks arrived to find a typically sticky, heavy, uneven pitch unconducive to good football. Through the first 70 minutes, the surface acted as something of a leveller.

The only thing separating the sides at that point was an audacious 25 yard lob from Pat Harding which gave the Robins a 19th minute lead. Uckfield were still in the game as they sought a first win under new boss and ex-Hassocks goalkeeper Haig Kinston.

But then the Robins stepped it up a gear in the final 20, scoring three more times to run away with it relatively comfortably by the end. The Uckfield cause was not helped by playing for virtually the whole second half with 10 men.

Jay Pullen picked up a straight red for a horror tackle five minutes after the break. The lack of complaints amongst home fans was telling. Yet one suspects that even if the Oakmen had managed to keep a full compliment of players on the pitch, Hassocks’ superior quality would have eventually told regardless.

When these sides drew 1-1 at the Beacon earlier in the season, the Robins found themselves 1-0 down inside of 60 seconds after getting caught out by a long free kick launched down the pitch. Hassocks managed to avoid a repeat of that fate this time around, although they still gave away a succession of early fouls.

The lively Ellis Wright was the victim of most of that rough treatment as he attempted to make ground with the ball at his feet. Big, burly home defender Jay Pullen drew oohs and aahs from around the crowd for some silky skills to get out of trouble when last man on 18 minutes.

Pullen’s time in the limelight was short-lived, however, as one minute later the in-form Harding struck to give Hassocks the lead. With Oakmen goalkeeper James Gurney advanced from his line, Super Pat produced a brilliant lob with aplomb for his third goal in as many matches and 11th of the season.

The Indian summer being enjoyed by the veteran forward is fast becoming one of the most enjoyable aspects of the Robins’ top five push. Uckfield came close to an equaliser just before the half hour mark when George Montgomery lifted a shot marginally over the bar after a free kick fell at his feet inside the box.

That proved to be the start of the most entertaining period of the afternoon as the game ebbed and flowed from one end to the other. Gurney saved a one-one-one with his feet from Jack Troak, followed by the Oakmen licking the outside of both posts in quick succession.

Wright was first to kiss the right upright and George Fyffe then drilled in an effort which whistled just past the left-hand post. Gurney kept out another one-on-one before an almighty spot of handbags broke out after Wright was again fouled to the ground.

Referee Harvey Ransome faced a difficult task deducing who exactly did what in a 20-man Royal Rumble just a few hours before the real WWE event took place in Florida on Saturday night. In the end, Mr Ransome settled for showing only Troak a yellow card for the tackle causing the melee.

Seemingly, the 15 minute interval did little to calm tensions with the result being Pullen getting himself sent off. Uckfield battled well with 10 initially and even came close to levelling when Josh Well’s seemed certain to convert a Wright free kick, only for Alex Bygraves to nick the ball away at the last moment.

Up the other end two minutes later and tall striker Jamie Wilkes notched against his former club to put Hassocks 2-0 ahead. The rangy Wilkes had now opened the floodgates and further strikes arrived from Troak and substitute Sean Stephenson.

Troak struck two minutes after Wilkes for a goal particularly welcome as his first of the campaign after four months out with a fractured collarbone. Stephenson completed the rout with 60 seconds of normal time remaining, whilst Hassocks gave a debut from the bench late on to midfielder Faris Khalloqui who has signed from Broadbridge Heath.

Hassocks: Trigwell; Blake, Bygraves, Gunn, Bull; L Turner, Wilkes, Williamson, Harding; Fair; Troak. Subs: Stephenson (Fair 66), Khalloqui (Harding 82), B Tighe (Blake 83), Mundy (Troak 88).

Newhaven 1 Eastbourne United 1

by Steve Huxley

Saturday dawned with an unexpected end to the wind, rain and heavy frosts, and presented a perfect day for football at Fort Road.

United started the match in fifth, looking to lower the colours of league leaders Newhaven for the first time at home this season.

Anthony Storey was still without Creese, Ingram, Ball and Beaconsfield, but was thrilled to welcome back Ryle Ovenden for a first start of the season.

United started the brighter, indeed Newhaven worked at an impressive pace, but were unable to penetrate United’s solid defence at all in the first half.

United had one or two chances, mainly through Barlow, and indeed it was he who opened the scoring in the 34th minute, powering home for the 31st time this campaign, in the process pulling one ahead of the oppositions Alfie Rogers.

In the tea rooms at half-time, pretty much everyone was agreed upon the fact that United were the better team, and Newhaven would need something a bit special in the second half.

Both teams came out looking to put it to bed, United still looking most likely to double their advantage. Mostly, it was played out in midfield, with the clock ticking away it looking increasingly like United were going to take all three points, but in the 6th minute of added time, Lee Robinson rose to power home with his head among scenes of near hysteria from the Dockers faithful.

Newhaven this season seem to have that elusive quality that can pull it out even when they were second best - and that could bring them the title.

United have a ferocious never say die attitude, and will be certain candidates for the play-offs. On Saturday United, entertain Saltdean United at the Oval in a must-win match.

Saltdean 2 Horsham YMCA 2

by Martin Read

Nothing in sport should be taken for granted, but, Horsham YMCA had hoped to come away from bottom club Saltdean’s Hill Park with three points.

The hosts had won just two of their previous 24 games, and been beaten 19 times, with a goal difference of minus 30.

But, after going two goals down, YM were relieved to share the spoils.

In a scrappy first half, after Hayden Neathey had blocked a one on one chance, YM had a let-off on the half-hour mark when Fraser Middleton lobbed keeper Aaron Jeal, with the ball hitting the post and staying out.

Jamie Taylor was then thwarted by Saltdean keeper Jordan Hawkins in a goalmouth scramble ahead of the East Sussex side taking the lead with a close range goal by Alex Patching on the stroke of half-time.

Against the run of play, Middleton doubled Saltdean’s lead, only for YM’s Dean Lovegrove to promptly score from a free-kick just outside the area.

Ten minutes later Hayden Neathey headed a corner over the line at the far post to draw YM level.

With both sides striving for the decider, Saltdean hit the crossbar and had a corner, before Michael Wood’s left foot strike was just wide for YM.

After a desperate lunge by Jeal denied Saltdean, unrewarded corners at either end heralded the final whistle.

Frustrated YM Manager Dean Carden said: “I know they’ve signed some new players recently, but at my half-time team talk I said that our performance couldn’t have been much worse. A point is a point, but we came here to win.”