BELEAGUERED BOSS DEAN IS ‘SENT OFF’ AGAIN AS LINGERS CRASH

Volatile Dean was ordered from the dug-out by referee Michael Ryan following comments directed at the official after 61 minutes, replicating The Lingers’ manager’s last gasp dismissal in their 4-1 league defeat at Newhaven on October 26.

Dean became increasingly incensed with Ryan’s decisions and his anger boiled over following a blistering verbal criticism of the man in the middle, being sent behind the barrier as The Lingers plunged to their third successive away New Year league defeat.

With assistant manager Darren Maziere being unavailable, it was left to experienced striker Clinton Moore to direct operations from the bench before replacing left back Marco Mwanza following an attacking substitution four minutes later. But, by then, despite The Lingers’ rich first-half promise, they faced an almost insurmountable uphill battle, although the visitors showed spirit again to the bitter end.

Gault had opened The Robins’ account from a seventh minute penalty, following a foul by manager’s son, centre-back David Dean, who brought down Craig Knowles in the area. Gault duly sent debutant youth team back-up goalkeeper Jason Wilson-Southwell the wrong way from the resultant spot-kick.

The Lingers had given themselves another massive mountain to climb. However, to their credit, Dean’s men equalised just three minutes later as influential striker and the visitors’ man of the match Joel O’Hara strengthened his claim to become the club’s Linger of the month for January, glancing home back to his best captain Gareth Graham’s left-wing free-kick from close range past goalkeeper Alex Harris.

Ex-Three Bridges player O’Hara led the line intelligently as an imposing pivot in a 4-4-2 formation, providing countless flick-ons for strike partner Richard Wetton which sadly were not capitalised upon again crucially.

The key losses of former professional striker Nicky Forster following injury, along with centre-back Dean Hamlin, have never been overcome as Lingfield slipped to 10th in the table, while Hassocks started in sixth spot.

But plucky Lingfield went close through successive first-half chances by Dean, Dan Frith and youth team midfielder Harry Boultwood, earning interval parity at 1-1 comfortably.

Then Dean senior was incensed after 46 minutes when recalled Harry Sintim appeared to be fouled in the penalty area by captain Ashley Marsh, but referee Ryan awarded nothing.

Fate then intervened again three minutes later as Wilson-Southwell, faultless in the first half, lost Anthony Hibbert’s right-wing corner in the blustery conditions and opportunist Gault swooped to fire home the loose ball from close range for his second goal.

Hassocks sealed success after 59 minutes when the ever influential Knowles set up Gault, following fine interplay down the right, the latter giving the rookie keeper no chance by firing home to complete his treble.

Then came the touchline sideshow and fireworks as The Lingers looked like a rudderless ship at high sea, never being able to repeat their first-half heroics despite three substitutions and five additional minutes.

By David Groves