Midhurst and Easebourne 1, Hassocks 2 (aet): Nothing pretty about RUR Cup win for Hassocks

There was nothing pretty or entertaining about Hassocks' extra time win over Midhurst & Easebourne as they progressed to the quarter finals of the Sussex RUR Charity Cup.
By The Newsroom
Published 2nd Nov 2016, 09:54 BST
Updated 8th Jun 2018, 02:01 BST

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Liam Benson after scoring his first senior goal. Midhurst and Easebourne v Hassocks. Picture by PW Sporting PhotographyLiam Benson after scoring his first senior goal. Midhurst and Easebourne v Hassocks. Picture by PW Sporting Photography
Liam Benson after scoring his first senior goal. Midhurst and Easebourne v Hassocks. Picture by PW Sporting Photography

Being brutally honest, this was as an horrific game of football as the Robins have been involved in for some time, not helped by the surface at Rotherfield which neither team was able to get to grips with over 120 excruciating minutes.

Rotherfield has only had floodlights installed for a month or so and the previous two games under them had yielded a 2-2 draw with Selsey and a penalty shoot out win over Oakwood in the Division One Cup.

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Neither side was able to live up to those previous encounters though and it took until five minutes into extra time for the Robins to break the deadlock through Liam Benson.

Brad Bant. Midhurst and Easebourne v Hassocks. Picture by PW Sporting PhotographyBrad Bant. Midhurst and Easebourne v Hassocks. Picture by PW Sporting Photography
Brad Bant. Midhurst and Easebourne v Hassocks. Picture by PW Sporting Photography

Benson is the top scorer across the Southern Combination’s u21 section with 12 goals in 10 games and he was afforded a rare first team opportunity here due to the absence of Nathan Miles and Ben Bacon.

And the young striker took it with aplomb, scoring his second senior goal in a decent performance alongside Phil Gault and Michael Death in an attack that in truth didn’t really click all evening.

Needless to say in games as devoid as quality as this, having a player with 174 senior goals to his name will always give you the chance of something happening out of nothing.

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That is where Gault came in, adding a second for Hassocks five minutes before the midway point in extra time. Ben Kemplen pulled one back for Midhurst a couple of minutes after the interval to leave a nervy finish.

Liam Benson. Midhurst and Easebourne v Hassocks. Picture by PW Sporting PhotographyLiam Benson. Midhurst and Easebourne v Hassocks. Picture by PW Sporting Photography
Liam Benson. Midhurst and Easebourne v Hassocks. Picture by PW Sporting Photography

Hassocks will now face one of Premier Division rivals Crawley Down Gatwick or another Division One outfit Mile Oak in the next round.

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Related topics:MidhurstRobins