Hassocks continue their preparations for the 2018-19 season with a friendly against AFC Vardeanians on Wednesday night.
The clash takes place at Culver Road, with an 8pm kick off on the artificial surface at Sussex County FA HQ.
It’s been a busy summer for V’s so far. They’ve appointed former Burgess Hill Town manager Gary Croydon as Director of Football with Kev Keehan coming in as manager and Ryan Storrie as his assistant.
On the playing front, a string of impressive signings have followed. Andy Pearson, Sam Blundell, Scott Packer and Joe Keehan are among the bigger named arrivals at Withdean Stadium ahead of the new campaign.
V’s are in their fourth season in the Southern Combination, having enjoyed a previous spell in the league between 1956 and 1973. They won Division Two at the first attempt in 2014-15 and have since established themselves as a solid Division One side.
Hassocks and AFC Varndeanians have never met in a competitive game in senior football, although there have been plenty of meetings below first team level,
The most famous of those came in the Mid Sussex League Montgomery Cup Final in 2004, when Hassocks III’s shocked V’s by lifting the trophy to deny that seasons Premier Division champions a league and cup double.
Nothing could separate the two sides in normal time at Leylands Park as the game finished 2-2. Phil Eldret and Tom Hall were the Robins scorers with David Bridges and Mark Lloyd netting for V’s. The Robins triumphed on penalties with Simon Maskell’s side that day containing an 18-year-old Ashley Mash and a 16-year-old Sam Fisk.
The two sides did face each other in pre-season last August, Hassocks rounding off their preparations for the 2017-18 camapign with a 4-0 win at the Beacon. Michael Death scored a brace that day with Liam Benson and Spencer Slaughter also on target.
