Westlake formation trick treats Hassocks to FA Vase history on Halloween

On Halloween afternoon, Hassocks delivered a frighteningly good performance to hammer Eastbourne United 5-2 in the FA Vase and make club history.

Victory took the Robins into the third round for the first time ever and left them as one of only two Sussex clubs still standing in the competition alongside Crawley Down Gatwick.

This all-Southern Combination clash at the Hassocks Hotel Beacon Ground guaranteed at least one Premier Division side would progress to the last 64 of the competition.

Before kick off, it looked too close to call. Hassocks and United sit third and second respectively in the league table, level on 30 points.

Not only that, but they have faced off twice already this season with nothing separating them on either occasion. A 2-2 draw in the Sussex Principal RUR Charity Cup at the Oval Arena 39 days earlier was followed by a 0-0 stalemate when meeting in the league in Mid Sussex 18 days ago.

James Westlake played a trick and sought to counter this familiarity by changing formation and the way Hassocks played. To say it worked a treat would be an understatement.

United were caught totally off guard. The Robins went ahead after just 30 seconds. They led by three inside a quarter hour and headed into half time 4-0 to the good with the tie over.

The visitors belatedly got to grips with what Hassocks had done after the break to win the second 45 minutes 2-1. But even then, the Robins produced the standout moment of the half when Lewis Finney smashed home a spectacular over-the-shoulder volley from 30 yards which will surely be the best goal any Hassocks player nets this season.

Pushing Finney further forward into the number 10 role of a 4-2-3-1 formation was one of the surprises sprung by Westlake. Finney did not take long to make an impact as he was also the scorer of that very early opener.

Brett Patton and Dan Hull got in a bit of a mess trying to keep possession at the back for United with Finney latching onto the loose ball, charging in on goal and rounding Alieu Secka before firing into the unguarded net.

Plenty of home fans missed it still making their way out of the Clubhouse. Some had barely settled into position when Jack Troak made it 2-0 on the five minute mark.

Big Alex Fair crossed from the right and when Secka could only parry as far as the penalty spot, Troak was on hand to take a touch and pick out the bottom corner.

Hassocks were rampant and United could do nothing to break out of their own half. Troak put a good chance from a Finney pass just wide and a Devon Fender corner then led to an almighty scramble in the box.

Finney saw a shot blocked in the chaos by Hull, tall striker Jamie Wilkes put the follow up against the post and Patton made a flying tackle to keep out the third bite of the cherry from Troak.

The Robins' third arrived on 13 minutes and was credited to Big Alex Fair even though he said afterwards it was an own goal. Fair glided his way around three United players and crossed with the head of the hapless Hull helping divert it past Secka at the near post.

There was no doubt that Fair scored the fourth with 23 minutes played. Dan Turner launched over a long throw which Troak met with a diving header brilliantly saved by Secka. The rebound fell straight to Fair, who reacted quickly to lash home a first-time drive with his left foot.

United's nightmare would have turned even darker without some inspired goalkeeping from Secka. He threw himself down to his right to repel a fierce Finney shot from 18 yards after a quick throw between Troak and Raging Joe Bull caught the visitors asleep.

Troak was also denied by Secka; first from a shot straight into the arms of the United number one and then a header following another wicked right wing delivery from Fair.

Finney produced his moment of magic five minutes after the restart. Fair flicked on an Ed Cooper kick which Liam Benson collected and lifted over the top of the United defence.

The dink was perfectly placed into the path of the onrushing Finney. He watched it drop from the sky like a hawk straight onto his right foot, unleashing an unstoppable effort which rocketed over the stranded Secka to move Hassocks a scarcely-believable five goals ahead.

United pulled one back just three minutes later when Rhyle Ovenden bent a low free kick around the wall from the edge of the box.

The good news for the visitors was short-lived, however, as an unsavoury incident midway through the half saw Sam Scott red carded. Scott had been substituted and was making his way around the perimeter of the pitch when he became involved in an altercation with Turner.

Whatever happened was enough to seriously anger the normally placid Turner, cause United striker Callum Barlow to run over and attempt to shepherd Scott away and for referee Hassan Rajwani to whip out a straight red once order was restored.

With Scott having already been replaced by Zach Robitaille, it made no numerical difference on the day. United though will now have to cope without one of their regulars through suspension. A potentially helpful situation for Hassocks back in the bread and butter of the Premier Division promotion race.

In a sign of how fierce encounters between the Robins and United have been, that was the third sending off in the three meetings between the sides this season.

But it did not spark any more disciplinary drama as the tie petered out through the final 20 minutes bar Freddie Jones pulling back another consolation for United with a glancing header from a left wing free kick.

"To go and win like that playing against a team we are level on points with in the league and who we know will be really competitive at the top of the table sends a message to everyone that we are full of confidence and going really well at the moment," said Westlake afterwards.

A message not just to their Premier Division promotion rivals but also those left in the FA Vase. How far might the Robins now go having finally got the monkey off their back of progressing beyond round two after more than 30 years of trying?

Hassocks: Cooper; Blake, D Turner, Hendy, Bull; Wilkes, Fender; Fair, Finney, Troak; Benson.

Subs: Croal, Budd, Bonwick-Adams, Brasier (used), Farrell (unused).

Starman: Big Alex Fair was a constant threat down the right and ended the afternoon with his first brace in 15 months... presuming the second goal goes down as his.