Hassocks 3 Pagham 1 (3rd February 2024)
A late change of plan had me heading south for a meet up at Hassocks, just north of Brighton, in a town I’d never previously heard of. I knew the name Hassocks, but thought it to be one of those esoteric and unusual names, normally more associated with rugby clubs, that don’t derive from the town they play in. But Hassocks is indeed a proper town, with a railway station and everything, serving the London to Brighton line, upon which trains pass Hassocks’ ground’s east end.
Like most grounds at the level, there’s not going to be too much in way of a stadium, but there’s enough to give it a bit of interest. Opposite the clubhouse side there is a fine view over the hills, with a couple of windmills atop one, providing a nice backdrop to the games.
This side had the only real stand. It’s of the minimum-requirement Meccano variety that cash-strapped clubs are rather forced into, but at least the steps were of a decent height. The seats, possibly Withdean leftovers, looked like someone had attempted to scrape off years of sun-weathering, but only succeeded in making them look like they’d been attacked by a graffiti artist with one can of green paint.
Beside this stand was a handrail embedded into the grass, should anyway need assistance in walking up the small slope on this side. A few watched from this side, although a spectator’s dog was more interested in the stick it had found than the game.
A higher embankment behind one goal was a kids’ play area. Pretty useful given that most young kids would rather play their own game of football than watch the one taking place on the pitch. If any did fancy taking in some action on the ‘big pitch’, the embankment provided the best view in the ground.
The game itself maybe wasn’t the best. Despite there being four goals, both defences looked well drilled, and comfortably withstood almost anything aimed in their direction.
The hosts were having the edge, but it took a set-piece to open the scoring, nodding in from a corner. With the game seeing to peter out before half time, Hassocks had other ideas. Picking up the ball near the corner of the penalty area, a low shot was fired in at the near post for a fine goal.
Pagham had really struggled to create much in the first half, but a decision to go more pragmatic in their approach paid dividends with them threatening far more in the second half. This was rewarded with a penalty, which was kicked so hard you wondered if he’d caught the ball in bed with his wife. The keeper went the wrong way, but even if he’d guessed right, he wouldn’t have stopped that one.
An more even second half was ended late on with Hassocks getting a penalty of their own. No complaints about the foul, but there were suspicions that it happened outside the box. “You’re the only one in the ground who thought that was in the box” shouted the keeper, but I’ve never seen a ref yet who has changed his mind after a complaint. This one was rolled in rather more calmly, and despite a few more efforts, for Pagham this time, there’d be no way back.
Stadiums and Cities 