LVS Hassocks against LVS Staff is a regular fixture always ending in a tight match full of goals and excitement. This match was no less exciting. Staring defeat in the eye with a 5-2 score-line unfavourably adding to the discomfort of a hot and sticky Friday morning for the students, one could have been forgiven for predicting that LVS FC would simply crumble. Time and time again the purple's have proven their critics wrong, and they did so in sensational fashion. Snatching three late goals to level the match. Memories of a painful penalty shoot-out last time the teams met were exorcized as the students defeated their rivals 5-4 in the shoot-out allowing departing club captain Liam Pope to lift the Leavers Cup aloft.
Blistering heat and a immaculately cut, however extremely dry surface, did little to help the pace of the game as right from the start the players from both sides were content to play the match at walking pace. This played into the slightly older players that the staff team fielded. The team wearing red shirts were on top throughout the first half, creating good openings that were thwarted regularly by good goalkeeping and some impressive defensive performances.
The Hassocks side showed glimpses of life on the counter attack with several efforts towards goal. Few troubled the staff goalkeeper but the warning shots were there and that made for an intriguing game.
The deadlock was broken by the staff team when Michael Robus skipped past the Hassocks defenders down the left wing before firing his shot from a narrow angle into the bottom right corner.
Hassocks responded and were unlucky not to level on several occasions. the heat perhaps to blame for the absence of a clinical edge in the final third.
The Staff lead was doubled in humorous circumstances when a goalmouth scramble culminated with an attempted clearance finding the bottom corner of the net. An own goal is never nice to score, but with the ball finding the bottom corner of the net, it sent the clear message to the players' team mates that they should be finding the net at the other end with such potency.
Captain Liam Pope heard the message loud and clear and after being sent through on goal he rounded the keeper and tucked the ball into the empty net. It was a determined and confident piece of play that reminded the staff team that the match was anything but over.
Half Time Score: LVS Hassocks 1-2 LVS Staff
Tiredness crept in on both sides as exhausted looking players struggled to maintain their energy levels for the full match. Concentration was hard to keep as players dealt with desert like conditions. Mirages of waterholes and the shade of palm trees perhaps distracted many as the goals came thick and fast.
The staff team extended their lead when new signing Charlie Ries-Coward, who managed the side as the match paid tribute to the efforts of departing duo Ries-Coward and Pope, struck the ball powerfully into the back of the net.
It seemed the Hassocks side were being kept at arms length, but that false sense of security was soon tested as Kynan Kirlew-Wright raced through and powered his shot past the goalkeeper.
Two quick fire staff goals looked to have put the game beyond Hassocks, when an own goal was soon followed by another fine strike from Ries-Coward. At 5-2 there seemed no way back.
The purple's don't understand what it means to give up, and they fought back gallantly to defy the odds.
Liam Pope waltzed into the box before tucking the ball home, to cut the deficit to two. Kynan Kirlew-Wright then finished efficiently to further panic the Staff defence.
One goal was all that was needed, and with seconds remaining on the clock Hassocks managed to make possible the impossible. Pope crossed and Kirlew-Wright powered home his header to dramatically level the scores.
Full Time Score: LVS Hassocks 5-5 LVS Staff
Penalties loomed, and the Hassocks fans were fearing that their side would collapse like they had last time the two sides faced each other in a shoot-out. An embarrassing defeat was the result last time as the pressure proved too much for the purple's. They say that you learn more about yourself in defeat, and perhaps that experience helped the Hassocks side this time around.
Four penalties out of five for both sides were converted successfully prompting a sudden death situation.
Steven Bagnall scored, and then Sam Alexander showed cat-like reactions to paw away Becky Brann's penalty. The players celebrated with their goalkeeper enthusiastically as they could be proud of such a fine comeback and a match that will live long in the memories of all involved. The Staff team simply will not be allowed to forget the result....until next time!
LVS Hassocks win 5-4 on penalties
