This horror show would have beenmore in keepingjust up the road

Their tame exit from the Vase came against a team languishing near the foot of the Combined Counties table and left the visiting management trio of Mickey Jewell, Mark Dalgleish and Roy Staughton to admit that they got exactly what they deserved.

Hassocks were second best for most of the match. Even when Chessington had combative midfielder Darren Smith sent off on the hour for an elbow on Chris Maynard, the Robins could find no momentum or cutting edge.

The first half was pretty forgettable, both sides struggling with a heavy surface and long grass.

Without both Nathan Miles (knee) and Phil Johnson (ankle), Robins gave a debut to Crawley Down Gatwick striker Rob Osgood but he struggled against a robust centre half pairing, although he did show some nice touches when given the time.

Hassocks’ best half chances fell to the energetic Jamie Hillwood, who just failed to beat keeper Mark Daniels to a through ball and then shot wide from an acute angle.

At the other end the lively Theo Woodhouse brought a fine save from Jack Simpson and Matt Ellis hit a cross shot wide of the far post.

Chessington came out for the second half with renewed vigour and certainly used the slope and wind better.

The breakthrough came early when Woodhouse curled a free kick into Simpson’s top corner, after Jamie Ingham had been penalised. On 59 minutes minutes came a point that could have changed the game, Smith picking up a yellow card for a lunge on Maynard and as he walked away, appeared to elbow the Hassocks left back, leaving referee Hickman with no alternative to show a red card.

However, less than a minute later, Chessington doubled their lead when Daniel Harding was allowed a free header and although Simpson got a good part of it, the ball trickled over the line.

With a mountain to climb, Hassocks pushed forward, but never really tested Daniels until the final 10 minutes, Anthony Hibbert, Nathan Cooper and Phil Gault all being denied by the keeper or some desperate defending from the Chessington defence. As Hassocks pushed forward they were caught several times on the break, Woodhouse, Harding and sub Nathan Gilbert wasting good opportunities to put the game to bed but eventually Gilbert tapped home the third deep into stoppage time to complete Hassocks’s misery, with not even a roller coaster of excitement to satisfy the travelling Hassocks supporters, just a ride on the carousel to FA Vase exit.

Hassocks – Simpson, South, Maynard, Marsh, Pitcher, Ingham, Hibbert, N Cooper, Osgood, Gault, Hillwood

Subs – L Cooper (Maynard 60), Jacques (Ingham 65)

Unused, Davees, Price, Harris

Middy Starman – difficult, but Jamie Hillwood was only real bright spark on a terrible day for Hassocks