It was a tale of two halves for East Grinstead Town, as they dug deep to come from a goal behind to beat a determined Hassocks side 3-1 at the OHOB Community Stadium last night to advance to the Third Round of the Sussex Transport Senior Cup.

From the off, The Wasps looked to stamp their authority on the game, continually working it down the flanks and sending crosses into the Hassocks box, yet the visitors centre halves, were always on hand to head clear.

Hassocks meanwhile were content with absorbing the early pressure as they looked to get a foothold in the game.

However, the early indications where it could be a long night for the Robins, with their only shots in the opening 15 minutes being speculative halfway line efforts from AlexFair, who seemed determined to catch keeper Matte Pierson off his line.

Yet Fair was undeterred, and his tenacity paid off, winning the ball off East Grinstead’s Matt Weaire right on the edge of his own box.

Fair was then able to keep his composure and slot the ball past the on-rushing Pierson, to give Hassocks the lead with just under 20 minutes played.

East Grinstead looked to respond quickly, but as the first-half drew to a close, they continued to struggle to create any clear-cut opportunities to test Fraser Trigwell in the Hassocks goal.

Indeed, with just five minutes left to play of the half, it was the visitors who once again looked the more dangerous going forward, with a long throw landing at the feet of Nathan Miles, but he was unable to get a good enough connection on the shot, and it was seized upon by Pierson.

The second-half started in much the same way the first had ended, with East Grinstead continuing to enjoy the bulk of possession, yet seemingly still lacking that cutting edge.

However, those home supporters needn’t have worried, as just after the hour mark a corner was swung into the Hassocks box, and in the scramble to get it clear, it ended up in the visitors own net, bringing the Wasps right back into the contest.

The Robins were quick to try and restore their lead though, with Kyle Woolven played through one-on-one, but Pierson was quick to rush out and close him down.

Yet with 70 minutes played, it was East Grinstead who struck next, going in front for the first time in the game thanks to Max Walsh, who drilled his shot towards goal through a crowd of bodies and past an unsighted Trigwell into the bottom corner.

Hassocks kept coming though, and with just a minute left of regular time it looked like they were going to send the tie to penalties, when substitute Sean Stephenson glanced his header towards goal, yet he was unable to steer it on target as it drifted narrowly wide of the post.

In the end it would be the Wasps who had the final say, with Walsh latching onto a well weighted through ball to once again place his shot past the reach of Trigwell and send his side into the Third Round of the Sussex Transport Senior Cup!

(A selection of photographs can be found on Facebook - courtesy of Simon Roe Photography)
SUSSEX TRANSPORT SENIOR CUP ROUND 2 RESULTS

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