Littlehampton Town 0 v 2 Hassocks

Saturday 3rd March 2018
Southern Combination League Premier Division
The Sportsfield, Littlehampton
Admission: £6.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 73
Match Rating: 3

 

After going without football last Saturday, instead attending a recording of the BBC television show Top Gear at Dunsfold Aerodrome, it was looking a distinct possibility that I would have to go without football for the second consecutive Saturday today, after the so-called Beast from the East clashing with Storm Emma produced sub-zero temperatures throughout the week and plenty of snowfall too across most of the UK. As games were called off as early as Thursday and the majority on Friday, with even plastic pitches not surviving the cull mainly due to off the pitch safety concerns, today turned out to be one of the rare fortunate times (in ground hopping terms) of living close to the south coast, as a handful of games did survive along the Kent and Sussex coast. Unexpectedly, Littlehampton announced that their grass pitch had passed an 11am pitch inspection, and so I headed along the coast for the my first visit to The Sportsfield in over ten years.

The Sportsfield is about a 15 minute walk from Littlehampton train station, passing through the town centre, and spectators enter the ground through a turnstile behind one goal, alongside the very large, imposing but not particularly attractive building housing the changing rooms, social club, and a tea bar window on the bottom floor. which is set some way back from the pitch. The football ground is located to one side of a large sports field, which is shared with the town’s cricket club, and their traditional and rather attractive pavilion is situated to the side of the social club building. All of the football club's spectator accommodation is situated along the length next to the perimeter fence, with an old-fashioned stand with four rows of wooden railed seating, “Littlehampton Town F.C.” spelt along the rear wall, and it has quite an intimate feel inside, with a low roof and wooden supports along the front. Either side are more modern stands, covering three rows of terrace steps. There is just hard standing behind both goals, and mainly grass to stand on along the remaining length, due to it serving as the cricket outfield during the summer months. The 16 page programme had an attractive cover with a retro design, and is easy on the eye inside too, with some interesting reading material, as well as all the necessary stats and facts.

This was very much a six pointer, perhaps more so for Littlehampton, who came into this game bottom of the table, following four wins and five draws from their 28 league games, and were five points adrift of safety having played one or two games more than the six teams immediately above them. They had been on an awful run of form, going 14 games without a victory in all competitions since November, before surprising winning 0-1 at  third placed Chichester City last Saturday. Hassocks were just one place and one point above Littlehampton, having won five and drawn three of their 26 league games, and they came into this game in terrible form though, having gone on a 14 game run without a victory, which apparently is a club record, stretching all the way back to October.

At kick off, conditions were dry and the pitch looked in decent condition, and the game was lively enough without either side looking likely to score, until the visitors opened the scoring on 42 minutes, somewhat against the run of play. A low ball forward found the run of Jake Lindsay, who the struck the ball under the keeper and into the net. As the half drew to a close, persistent rain had arrived, which made the pitch increasingly saturated and tricky to play on, with a couple of puddles forming in the middle of the pitch close to the stand.

Littlehampton were the better team for long periods of the second half, but paid the price for not being able to put away any of the few clear chances they created. On the hour mark, a downward header from a corner was deflected wide, and on 67 minutes, a looping cross from the right wing was met by a far post header, but the ball was deflected wide. And on 73 minutes, a hitherto very rare Hassocks attack resulted in a second goal on 75 minutes. A corner was played into the box and falling at the feet of Jack Wilkins, who side footed the ball home from close range. The game really opened up in the last quarter of an hour as the hosts pushed to get back in the game. On 81 minutes, two Hassocks forwards sprinted from the half way line against just one covering defender, but a combination of struggling with the pitch and some dithering saw the move lose impetus and the eventual shot was easily saved. On 83 minutes, Littlehampton really should have scored but a shot from 8 yards, unmarked and in a central position, was weakly struck at the keeper. On 85 minutes, Hassocks had another great chance, following a terrific diagonal ball forward from the left wing sending a striker through on goal and with plenty of time to place his shot, which the keeper eventually saved. In added on time, two Littlehampton crosses within a minute hit the woodwork, first the post and then the crossbar, but it was just not to be their day and they do look in trouble at the foot of the table, although still within touching distance of safety. Hassocks will be relieved at finally getting a win after their terrible run, after what was a good away performance in terms of soaking up pressure and putting away chances that came their way.