Hassocks play their final friendly ahead of the start of the Macron Store Southern Combination League season when Horsham visit the Beacon this Tuesday.
The Robins are yet to win a game so far having lost 2-0 to AFC Varndeanians and 2-1 against Upper Beeding last week. Those results followed defeats against Bostik League sides Burgess Hill Town and Haywards Heath Town.
In contrast, Horsham have been scoring goals for fun. They’ve plundered 18 in five games so far, winning four and losing one. The Hornets ran out 6-0 winners away Newquay at the weekend.
Horsham last visited Hassocks in the season they lifted the Southern Combination League title. Dom Di Paolo’s side were the overwhelming favourites to be crowned champions that year with the Hornets boss having bought most of his title winning East Preston squad of two years previously to Gorings Mead, yet any illusions that the season would be a walk in a park were shattered on the opening day at the Beacon.
Nathan Miles gave the Robins a shock lead with just six minutes played. Horsham levelled things up through a Joe Shelley penalty after a clumsy challenge in the box from Bradley Tighe.
The visitors dominated after that but couldn’t find a way through as Hassocks held on for a famous point. They almost repeated the trick in the return game four months later, which was the last time the two sides met.
James Westlake scored the first goal of his second spell as a Robin after returning from Haywards Heath Town to give Hassocks the lead.
Evan Archibald equalised midway through the first half after a scrappy goal mouth scramble and it was Archibald who made it 2-1, this time with a goal of the highest quality as skipped past a couple of challenges down the left before clipping an effort into the top corner.
The second half was a far less exciting affair although Hassocks came close to pinching a point, Rowan Wallis sending a shot over the bar and Gareth Williams making a sprawling save from Dan Stokes in stoppage time.
Kick off this Tuesday is at 7.45pm and entry is £5 adults and £3 concessions.
