Westlake hails Hassocks for sailing away from Pirates with 'dirty' three points

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Three points pillaged from the Pirates made history for Hassocks as the Robins sailed away from Bexhill United with a league victory for the first time.

It finished 3-0 and gave James Westlake and his players another club record to go with longest winning streak, most consecutive clean sheets and a number of first-ever-wins in places like the Polegrove which have previously been akin to Davy Jones’ locker for Hassocks.

The final score was somewhat harsh on Bexhill. They competed well through the opening hour, including putting the Robins under heavy pressure in the first 15 minutes of the second half whilst it was still 0-0.

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Fraser Trigwell made two top quality stops during that spell to maintain parity. He then repeated the trick with an incredible save not long after Big Alex Fair had given Hassocks a 58th minute lead.

Morgan Vale scored twice from the bench as Hassocks won 3-0 at Bexhill United - picture by Phil WestlakeMorgan Vale scored twice from the bench as Hassocks won 3-0 at Bexhill United - picture by Phil Westlake
Morgan Vale scored twice from the bench as Hassocks won 3-0 at Bexhill United - picture by Phil Westlake

Had Bexhill equalised at that point, things may well have turned out differently. Instead, substitute Morgan Vale doubled the advantage on 70 to give Hassocks much-needed breathing space.

The Robins managed the game expertly from there, culminating in Vale notching again as injury time arrived. Clinical finishing when it mattered is what proved the difference.

Hassocks were the better side in the first half, even though they clearly found it hard going on a heavy pitch. Several half chances came the way of the Robins, although none overly extended Alex Hobden in the Pirates goal.

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Most of Hobden’s work involved thwarting Ruari Farrell before Hassocks’ leading scorer was able to gobble up opportunities. Hoben did well coming through a crowd of players to punch away a cross into the box dropping dangerously between Farrell and tall striker Jamie Wilkes.

There was then a huge collision when Hobden rushed outside his area to kick clear a through ball before Farrell could get there. Hobden came off worse and required treatment for his troubles, although Farrell may well have claimed it was just deserts for the Pirates number one booting him in the back earlier.

As well as those aforementioned saves from Trigwell, centre backs Dan Turner and Bradley Tighe defended resolutely when Bexhill came flying out the traps after the break. Josh Mundy meanwhile was excellent sitting in front of the back four and breaking up Pirates attacks.

It was very much against the run of play when Fair put Hassocks ahead after a rare piece of good football broke out. The rangy Wilkes, Raging Joe Bull and Jack Troak combined down the left flank to carve through Bexhill. A low pass came into the box and eventually found Fair, drifting in from the right unnoticed and therefore unmarked to fire past Hobden.

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Even with that goal, Hassocks still felt the need to change things up in an attempt to turn the second half tide and stop the momentum the Pirates were building before Fair struck. And so on came Vale in place of Farrell. Trigwell’s stunning stop to deny the Pirates what looked a certain equaliser happened on 64 before Vale struck on 70, just seven minutes after entering the fray.

A magnificent sunset made up for the lack of action from that moment on as the Robins set about seeing the game out to take home what they had. The sunset was not the only thing of note to take place in the sky, either. A paraglider appeared between the blocks of flats behind the old main stand at one point in the first half; another welcome distraction during a lull.

Back on the pitch, Vale rounded off the scoring as the clock ticked over the 90 with his second and Hassocks’ third of the afternoon.

“A dirty three points,” is how Westlake described it afterwards. “We grafted our way through and showed real quality in the final third.”

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They’re qualities the Robins will need again when embarking on another long trip on Saturday to third place Petersfield Town.

Hassocks: Trigwell; Blake, Turner, Tighe, Bull; Fair, Mundy, Enticknap, Troak; Wilkes; Farrell. Subs:Vale (Farrell 60), Loversidge (Fair 80), Berry (Wilkes 85).

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