Peter Bentley Challenge Cup Final
The Beacon, Hassocks
Admission including Programme: £6.00
Attendance: 254
Match Rating: 3
I had originally planned to head up to Suffolk today, to take in what could well be Debenham LC's last ever match in senior football, after the recent resignations of the chairman and committee members. However, on another hot and sunny day - indeed, it turned out to be the hottest May Day on record - I decided I really could not face a couple of hours driving each way, and at the mercy of bank holiday traffic around the Dartford Crossing and along the A12. So I decided to stay more local to take in another cup final today, at a venue I had previously visited just over eight years ago, but which would be a lovely setting for the warm, sunny day in store.
The Beacon is situated just to the south of Hassocks village, up a short track from the main road, and today cars were diverted beyond the usual car park, behind one of the goals and into a field behind one length. Normally, spectators enter via a turnstile building, and find themselves close to the half way line, with the large brick clubhouse building to the left. There is overhang in front of the building to provide covered standing area for spectators. On the opposite site, there is a metallic all-seater stand, and either side spectators are able to stand on top of a grass bank. There is just hard standing around the rest of the ground, , although behind one of the goals, quite a tall grass bank made for an excellent, slightly elevated vantage point for the game. The ground has a very pleasant rural and peaceful setting, with the South Downs visible in the close distance, and is one to be really enjoyed on a warm, sunny day with blue skies like today. The 12 page programme was acceptable if uninspiring, containing all of the basics such as brief welcome message, club histories and penpics, league table, roads to the final and predicted line-ups.
This would be Haywards Heath's last game in the Southern Combination Football League, as they were crowned champions of the Premier Division, having won 26 and drawn 5 of their 38 league games, a point ahead of runners up Three Bridges, and they now look forward to Isthmian League football next season. They thought they had earned that right last season, only to be denied by an administrative error causing them to have points taken away from them. For a long time this season, it looked like Horsham YMCA would also be filling one of the two promotion spots available this season, leading the table for an extended spell, but fell away to finish fourth in the end, following 22 wins and five draws from their 38 league games. In the league games between the two teams, both teams won their home game, Horsham YMCA 1-0 in October, and Haywards Heath 2-0 in late April.
On a hot, sunny morning, this match turned out to be disappointingly one-sided, as Horsham never really managed to get in the game despite trying to look lively and mounting the occasional attack, but in truth Haywards Heath always looked too quick, creative and clever. A couple of early meaty challenges indicated that this was not going to be a slow stroll under the hot sunshine, and Haywards Heath took the lead on 4 minutes, when Karl Akehurst volleyed the ball home. They were awarded a penalty on 12 minutes when a dribble inside the box towards the byline was ended by a foul tackle. Callum Saunders fired the ball low into the bottom right hand corner, despite the keeper going the right way. After that early burst by Haywards Heath, the game settled down, and the tie looked far from over, as Horsham did manage to do a fair amount of attacking, without really looking likely to pull a goal back. The game was pretty much decided a minute before the break, when Akehurst found the ball at his feet before firing the ball low through the keeper's legs.
The third goal really did kill off any realistic hopes of a Horsham fightback, and although they did keep plugging away during the second half, Haywards Heath very much looked in control of proceedings, and they were presented with a great chance to add a fourth on 68 minutes, when the Horsham YMCA keeper clattered into Saunders as he chased the ball wide of goal, earning a yellow card. But Akehurst smashed the penalty against the underside of the bar to deny him his hat-trick. But it was still Haywards Heath who looked the more likely to score, and in the second minute of added on time, they were awarded their third penalty of the match, when defender Charlie Cooke stopped a goalbound shot with his hand, to earn a red card. Max Miller, who struck the shot to earn the penalty, stroked the ball into the left side of the goal, sending the keeper the wrong way.
So, a very comfortable victory for Haywards Heath to complete the league and cup double, as they now head into their maiden season in the Isthmian League. Horsham YMCA will be disappointed to have lost so convincingly, but they were probably unlucky to come up again very good opponents, who were right at it from the start.
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