LVS Hassocks agonisingly surrendered 'The Charity Cup' to bitter rivals LVS Staff. Having beaten the staff team in last years match 4-3 the team were forced to watch on as the trophy was placed into the hands of the enemy. A dramatic match ended 6-6, with penalties eventually deciding the outcome of the match as the staff team won 2-0 in the shootout.
The hype surrounding the fixture was intense and the atmosphere at school was both excited and anxious. No one wanted to lose a match which would have serious ramifications for weeks to come. Any normal defeat would be forgotten quickly, not a defeat against the people you work with every day. The bragging rights were up for grabs, and the battle lines drawn up. Winner takes all.
There was little surprise that both sides started the match in a cagey manner. The fear of failure was far too great to ignore. Conditions didn't help settle the players. Rain poured and the slick surface left it hard for players to keep their footing and keep their passing accurate.
The game sprung into life when LVS Staff had a corner. The ball was cleared and Liam Pope ran quickly on the counter attack. His long range effort hit the back of the net to make it 1-0 top the students.
The response was immediate. Donny Rogers took the ball down the right and David Jones smashed his shot into the bottom corner of the net to level the scores. 1-1
The quickfire goals settled the players nerves and the game became more open and more exciting. End to end football was pleasing on the eye.
Liam Pope restored the Hassocks lead from the penalty spot just as the staff team started to apply pressure to the students team. Another swift counter attack saw Pope waltz into the box only to be upended by the staff goalkeeper Michael Robus.
Pope kept his cool, and fired the resulting penalty past the hapless Robus. The players in red were disgusted by the penalty award feeling that their goalkeeper won the ball cleanly in the challenge.
Mark Carrell then equalised for the staff team. He slotted the ball past Joe Bedding after some neat play by Pip Tomsett. 2-2
Carrell and Bedding were to clash again soon after with the challenge ending Carrell's involvement in the match. An injury top the colar bone forced the staff team member to come off.
A powerful Kynan Kirlew-Wright strike again put the students team into the lead. He picked up the ball and drove at the defence before uinleashing an unstoppable effort into the net. 3-2
Just before half time the staff team responded. Harry Batchelor pounced on a loose ball and his weak left footed effort trickled over the line and the players face was left almost as red as the shirt he was wearing.
Half Time Score: LVS Hassocks 3-3 LVS Staff
The staff team gained the psychological advantage with that late equaliser. That lift was converted to dominance on the pitch as the first ten minutes of the half saw wave after wave of red attack.
Donny Rogers ran through the purple defence rounding the keeper in the process and tucking his shot into the back of the net. 4-3 to the staff.
Soon afterwards Nick Cooke tapped home after some neat passing play between the staff team. The goals were no more than the staff team deserved as they had made the most of their opportunities. 5-3
The purples needed to respond quickly or the damage would be beyond repair. They broke forward and Kynan Kirlew-Wright reduced the deficit finishing neatly after being sent through. 5-4
Parity was restored when Charlie Ries-Coward slammed his shot into the bottom corner of the net. The build up play was brilliant and the spirited battling from the LVS students deserved the equaliser. 5-5
The game was drawing to a close and it seemed that a goal at that stage would be the winner. So Marie Spence could be forgiven for celebrating like she had won her side the game when she unleashed an accurate strike that hit the net for the staff team. 6-5
That seemed to be the winner. Then the drama happened. A late corner saw everyone including Joe Bedding pour into the box looking for a Hassocks leveller. The chaos caused confusion defensively and when the ball was chipped into the box it flicked off Jack Clancy and into the net. An own goal had sent the game to penalties. 6-6
Nerves got the better of the student side, as they missed all four of the penalties they took. Calm finished by Pip Tomsett and Gail Lelliott were enough to win the shoot out for the jubilant staff team.
Final Score: LVS Hassocks 6-6 LVS Staff (LVS Staff win 2-0 on penalties)
