Vale spot kick makes long trip to Petersfield happy for Hassocks

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The longest Southern Combination Premier Division trip of the season for Hassocks proved worthwhile as the Robins headed home from Petersfield Town with a 1-0 win.

Morgan Vale provided the only goal of the afternoon from the penalty spot, helping Hassocks become just the third side to leave the Southdowns Builders Stadium with three points this season and the first since early September.

Heavy rain in the days leading up to the game and a morning frost thawing out left a very soft pitch. The Rams ground staff did well to ensure the match could go ahead.

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The two teams rewarded those efforts by putting on what ended up being a surprisingly entertaining clash despite the conditions and the lack of any real shots on target bar Vale’s decisive penalty.

Hassocks became the first team since September to leave Petersfield Town with all three pointsHassocks became the first team since September to leave Petersfield Town with all three points
Hassocks became the first team since September to leave Petersfield Town with all three points

Petersfield came flying out of the traps, playing with an intensity through the opening 30 minutes which the Robins struggled to match.

The danger with this approach though was the Rams risked burning themselves out long before the end, especially in light of the pitch conditions demanding extra exertion.

Petersfield therefore needed early goals to give themselves something to defend when energy levels inevitably dropped. Hassocks in contrast knew that if they could weather the storm, they would be in a good position to come on strong in the second half against tired opposition.

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And that is exactly what the Robins did. Despite the ferocity with which the Rams played, there were only two moments of high concern for Fraser Trigwell during the first 45 minutes.

Callum Kimber produced a fine effort dinked from distance. It was just a little too high and ended up on the roof of the net, although the offside flag going up made the outcome immaterial.

Kimber then missed a glorious chance with the final kick of the half, blazing over an Asad Semi pull back from 12 yards out.

The main talking point at the interval was how keen referee Owen Lawrence was to award soft free kicks. Bizarrely, the assistant in front of the Clubhouse was even keener to get involved, waving his flag on multiple occasions to point out minor offences nobody on either side had appealed for.

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Even with their overzealous approach, both Mr Lawrence and his assistant missed Vale being rugby tackled to the ground off the ball by Liam Kimber on 25 minutes. A spot of handbags followed which fired Hassocks up as they came into the game more immediately after.

On another day against different opponents, the number of fouls being given by Mr Lawrence would have suited a team of the Robins’ set piece prowess.

But young Rams goalkeeper Kieran Connell was supremely confident dealing with anything remotely close to his six yard box.

The sixth time in the first half when a delivery was punched clear by Connell left Big Alex Fair and Dan Turner audibly frustrated.

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As predicted, chances began to come for Hassocks in the second half. Vale flashed an effort across the face of goal and the ball got stuck under the feet of tall striker Jamie Wilkes when he was in a good position to either shoot or square right to Fair.

The breakthrough arrived on the hour mark. Petersfield had been well organised and sensible defensively up to that point, so it came as a bit of a surprise when Owen Kimber went lunging in on Harry Furnell in the box.

A penalty was the only possible outcome. Vale duly smashed into the bottom corner, getting the goal his hard working performance deserved.

Petersfield managed a brief 10 minute spell back on top not long after. Semi went on a run past Harvey Blake and Turner, reaching the edge of the box and bending in an effort well saved by Trigwell.

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Five minutes later and Trigwell made another important intervention, going full stretch to push a powerful Callum Kimber drive around the post.

Liam Hendy came off the bench as Hassocks switched to a back five to see things out; something they managed relatively calmly before celebrating with the sizable travelling contingent.

That included sub Jack Troak doing a Klinsmann dive through the mud with such fierceness that he ripped the badge off the number 16 shirt. Time to find out how handy chairman Super Pat Harding is with a sewing machine before Tuesday night’s trip to Horsham YMCA.

Hassocks: Trigwell; Blake, Turner, Tighe, Bull; Fair, Mundy, Enticknap, Furnell; Wilkes; Farrell. Subs: Loversidge, Troak, Farrell, Hendy (used), Pitcher (unused).

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