Hassocks Fatboys Reserves 3-4 Cuckfield Town Reserves

In the week it was announced that manager Jamie Stratton had been given the dreaded vote of confidence by the Hassocks Fatboys board, the reserves put in a much improved performance but were still on the end of defeat as they went down 4-3 to newly formed Cuckfield Town Reserves.

Except, this wasn’t really Cuckfield Town Reserves. The writing was on the wall when Fatboys fan favourite James Ballantyne was lining up against the men in green, and it turned out that Town were actually fielding a mixture of first and reserve team players. Gulp.

The Fatboys meanwhile had a goalkeeper crisis on their hand. First team number one Scott McCarthy was still feeling the effects from his midweek head injury picked up in a fantastic 4-2 win over Lindfield Reserves and was not allowed to play.

That meant 22-year-old Nick Jones receiving a first team call up despite his young age. With Justin Parker on honeymoon and The Nick Clayton also absent, former Hassocks goalkeeper Reece Wickwar was forced into donning the gloves for the Reserves for the first ever time.

Wickwar’s creativity out pitch would be sorely missed so it came as a surprise that the Fatboys started the game the brighter of the two. Josh Evetts in particular was causing problems down the left hand side with his pace and he had the first effort of the game, cutting inside after receiving the ball from Mark Potter only to see his effort comfortably saved.

The Fatboys looked as organised at the back as they’ve ever been, helped hugely by Wickwar’s excellent communication which reduced some of the headless chicken play that a back four of Nick Davie, Ross Joannides, Sam Wilson and Stuart Young are more than capable of.

There was little that the Fatboys could do about the opening goal. Predictably, Big Bally was the architect as he produced a lovely through ball which left the Cuckfield striker with a routine chance which he smashed past Wickwar for 1-0.

The Fatboys responded almost instantly. Chris Clayton was causing problems with his presence and his header found it’s way to Ando Knott, playing a second consecutive game without injury for the first time since he was 13. Knott did brilliantly to break away from the Cuckfield defence but saw his shot superbly saved by the visiting goalkeeper.

That save led to a period of Cuckfield dominance as the game ticked towards half time. The Fatboys looked like they might ride the storm until the break but they eventually conceded a second just before the break as a long ball caused chaos and confussion in the home defence and the pacey winger took full advantage to smash the ball into the top corner.

Stratton rang the changes at half time and was particularly keen to get Wickwar out pitch. With a lack of other options and Stratton still bruised from the game he played in goal during a similar crisis last season, the reserves boss turned to Davie to don the gloves.

The reasons behind selecting Davie were clear. He’d once got man-of-the-match in a year seven game and “used to save lots of Ben Bacon’s shots down the local park.” Bacon apparently has gone onto have a glittering career with Haywards Heath Town reserves, which seemed to qualify Davie well for the job.

Just as in the first half, the Fatboys made a lively start to proceedings. Substitute Simon O’Brien sprang the offside trap for the first time in his life but his shot flew just wide. Actually being onside for once must have had some weird effect on O’Brien’s brain as he then began to shout wildly at the referee when he correctly awarded a blatant free kick for a foul on Wickwar. It doesn’t bode well for O’Brien’s season if his age is already leading him to forget which team he is playing for.

It was against the run of play that Cuckfield added their third with a sweeping counter attack goal. The pacey winger again caused problems and took full advantage of being marked by Jules Clay, a man nearly in his 60’s, to deliver a cross which the striker controlled and fired home.

The Fatboys heads didn’t drop and it was the pace and directness of Josh Evetts that earned them a route back into the game. Evetts was illegally halted on the edge of the box and Wickwar stepped up to bend the free kick beautifully into the top corner.

It was end-to-end stuff after that, Davie making a smart save from the dangerous winger but the resulting corner made it 4-1 to Cuckfield as the Fatboys couldn’t clear their lines and the Cuckfield striker hit a shot from outside the area that Davie could only observe go straight past him.

The Fatboys second goal was the most un-Fatboys like thing that is ever happened. The men in green managed to string together a seven pass, one touch move through Evetts, Wickwar and O’Brien which ended when O’Brien fed Wickwar who smashed home for his second of the game.

Thankfully, Wickwar was not aware at the time that another of his balls had ended up in a hedge where Knott and Potter were paying their best tribute to the late, great Barry Chuckle by making a right meal out of retrieving it. Given that Wickwar quit the club 10 days previously after Chris Britton unceremoniously sent his ball into the forest, it was just as well that Potter and Knott succeeded in their efforts.

Tommy Tyler’s first action of the season was going well and he gave Cuckfield plenty to think about in the final 20 minutes when coming close to meeting an O’Brien close. Tyler then made an impressive block with his hands, punching the ball through to O’Brien. As Cuckfield seethed at the referee for this most blatant of handballs, O’Brien remained calm and unphased to stick the ball past the on-rushing goakeeper for 4-3.

The Fatboys went in search of the most unlikeliest of draws after that but weren’t able to land another blow on Cuckfield. Indeed, it was Town who nearly scored themselves when Davie spilled a shot and then reacted to produce a brilliant siding tackle to round off 45 impressive minutes in goal. It is a shame he can’t tackle like that when out pitch.
 

FATBOYS (4-4-2)

Reece Wickwar
Was full of joy and glee about playing in goal. Nothing he could do about the two he conceded, he turned the game when he came out pitch by scoring twice and being at the heart of everything good.
Nick Davie
Linked up well with Tyler in his first half at right back. A surprising success in goal, even if the fourth was probably his fault.
Sam Wilson
His move to centre back continues to be a revelation, with another faultless performance giving Stratton plenty to think about.
Ross Joannides
Organised the defence well, helped by Wickwar’s brilliant communication. Always looked to step out of defence with the ball to make things happen.
Stuart Young
Showed a superb amount of hangover rage when Clay attempted to coach him. Did an excellent job at left back and then excelled out of position at centre back in the second half.
Tommy Tyler
Made his belated first appearance of the season. Showed some great touches, sensible passing and even claimed an assist with a thinly disguised handball.
Mark Potter
Didn’t let the effects of 20 pints at Watford the previous day dampen his performance until he substituted himself off. Played some decent passes and helped out defensively.
Kane Wright
Covered every blade of grass, won every tackle and was a real handful when he attempted un-Kane like things like dribbling. Whatever he was on, let’s hope he takes it for every game this season.
Josh Evetts
His pace caused real problems throughout. Fitness is improving as he lasted just over 25 minutes this week before requiring gas and air.
Chris Clayton
Hold up play and bringing others in was excellent. It looks as though he could form an extremely promising partnership with Knott.
Ando Knott
The only thing that was missing from this performance was a goal. Worked his socks off and his attitude also chimes with the clubs values with him being keen to point out to Stratton that all three Fatboys goals came once he had been subbed off.
 

SUBS

Russell Jebbitt
Beat his only personal record for how quickly he could give away a foul by pushing someone, managing a remarkably quick 20 seconds this week. Asides from that, he defended solidly.
Jules Clay
Always difficult when you ask a pensioner to go up against a man who could take on Usain Bolt in 100m. Despite that, he did well and linked up well with Ticehurst on the left.
Kenny Tinnion
Reverted to his original position of central midfield and reminded everyone of the qualities he can bring there. Some strong tackles and some clever passes.
Simon O’Brien
Took his goal excellently and wasn’t offside once. Produced a fantastic rant at the referee for having the nerve to award a free kick to Wickwar.
Kevin Ticehurst
Took a battering from O’Brien in the warm up but didn’t let that affect his game as he tracked back to help out Clay and sent in some trademark deliveries.
 

GOALS

59′ Wickwar, assist Evetts; 73′ Wickwar, assist O’Brien; 83′ O’Brien, assist Tyler.
 

MAN OF THE MATCH

Kane Wright would’ve been a shoe-in on another day, but it has to be Reece Wickwar for stepping out of goal and scoring twice in a game changing performance out pitch in the second half.