Peacehaven and Hassocks fought each other to a standstill on Saturday, and the result will have done little for either side. With Three Bridges stuttering and Rye distracted by their run in the FA Vase a possibility existed for an outsider to gatecrash the title race, but to do so they will have to keep winning. Draws like this are likely to put paid to those hopes.

After a sluggish start this was a tremendously absorbing match, where the initiative swung this way and that as both teams went for a win. Hassocks will probably feel that they should have got all three points, having dominated the second half, whilst Peacehaven will feel that they had the chances to secure the points in the first half.

Peacehaven were without top scorer Ashley Rees, who was away playing golf in the middle east. They do however expect to have him back next week, despite a substantial offer from Crawley Down, and hope not to be getting a goodbye from Dubai before then.

Peacehaven included new signing James MacKenzie from Seaford in their starting line up, which was otherwise unchanged. Hassocks attack was spearheaded by Dan Smith, who had a largely frustrating spell at Piddinghoe Avenue last season. He was the lone forward in a rather conservative formation from the visitors, who were clearly not keen to over commit themselves early on. That combined with a terrible pitch and a home side who hadn't played for two weeks produced an instantly forgettable first half. The only real chances created fell to Peacehaven, with Craig Bunch chipping over the bar, and Ryan Bradley

Thankfully things livened up considerably after the break, with Peacehaven at last getting people forward to support Bunch and Bradley. They got the goal their play deserved as MacKenzie's cross caused consternation in the visiting defence, and Tom Levitt volleyed in his first goal since November.

The Robins boss Mickey Jewell responded instantly, throwing on two extra forwards to pep up a largely listless attack, and his gamble paid off. Hassocks almost immediately regained the initiative against a tiring home side. They should have been level when the experienced Phil Gault stole in behind Adam Kneller, but his shot was scrambled off the line after hitting a post. You sensed an equaliser was coming though, and so it proved. A corner caused chaos in the box, and eventually the ball cannoned off Clive Snell and into the back of the net.

Hassocks were now in the ascendency, and they should really have added to their goal, as they put Peacehaven under intense pressure. A reorgonisation stemmed the flow, and by the end Peacehaven were back on top, but the sides had by then become deadlocked, and had to settle for a point each.

Report by
Alex Panton

Saturday 12th Feb 2011.   Sussex County League, Division 1. Peacehaven & Telscombe 1 - 1 Hassocks Joe Adams 1 Jack Simpson Craig Hall  86 2 Robert South Matt Hill  83 3 Andy Whittingham Adam Kneller  4 Ashley Martin Scott Marshall  81 5 Matt Carruthers Aaron Gunn 6 Anthony Hibbett  62 Clive Snell  77 7 Kieran O'Callaghan Ryan Bradley 8 Spencer Slaughter  69 Craig Bunch 9 Dan Smith  84 Tom Levitt  63 10 Phil Gault James MacKenzie  77 11 Jamie Weston  68 Substitutes Harrison Cullinane  77 12 Elliott Butler  68 Steven Whelan 14 Lee Whitehouse  84   89 Connor Saunders  77 15 Nathan Miles  69   16 Dean Smith   >> Clive Snell  75 (o.g.)         Peacehaven Man Of The Match Aaron Gunn