Loxwood record first league victory at the 23rd attempt

Loxwood celebrate Mark Goldsons seventh minute goal. All pictures by Derek Martin

Three goals in the opening 25 minutes from Mark Goldson, debutant Charlie Pitcher and Tim Bennett saw the Magpies beat relegation rivals Hassocks 3-0 and take their maiden league victory at the 23rd time of asking.

Courtney said: “Saturday couldn’t have gone any better. Everything we asked them to do, they did.

“Once we got our first goal I said to keep the intensity and bang, we got three goals in 25 minutes.

The evergreen Eddie French goes for a header

“It was backs against the wall a bit in the second half but we defended really well.

“When we had to fight, the guys had the desire to make sure that they didn’t concede any goals.

“There was such a buzz in the changing room afterwards, there was such a buzz in the bar, and there was a real togetherness which is what we’ve tried to do since we took over.”

Goldson had given the hosts the lead on seven minutes before Pitcher marked his Loxwood debut with the Magpies’ second goal on five minutes later.

Loxwood’s third arrived when Bennett slotted home and finding himself one-on-one with Hassocks keeper Charlie Pugh.

The Robins huffed and puffed in the second half but to no avail while Pugh denied Jason Dawson.

Victory for bottom-of-the-table Loxwood had seen them close the gap with place-above Hassocks to eight points.

But Tuesday night saw the Magpies go back to square one.

Keeper Tyler DCruz and Spencer Slaughter defend a corner

Loxwood were beaten 2-0 at third-from-bottom Pagham while Hassocks recorded a dramatic 3-2 home win over Horsham YMCA.

Loxwood now lie 11 points behind the Robins.

On the Pagham defeat Courtney added: “We finally got a result but that performance falls well below mine and the players’ standards.

“We weren’t good enough and didn’t deserve to take anything from the game.”

The Magpies visit Eastbourne Town on Saturday.