Hassocks Under 18s will begin the defence of their Southern Combination League Under 18 title with a local derby against St Francis Rangers.
Rangers will visit the Beacon on Sunday 2nd September with an 11am kick off. In a forward thinking and much welcomed move, the league have published a full season fixture list for the first time ever, dispensing with the monthly updates of previous campaigns.
That means that Brad Sweetman’s side know they can look forward in advance to a meeting with local rivals Haywards Heath Town at Hanbury Park on Sunday 21st October. Heath will make the short journey to the Beacon on February 2nd.
The return game with St Francis takes place on November 18th and there is one game under lights to look forward to. Upper Beeding visit the Beacon on Thursday 13th September with a 7.45pm kick off.
Old Barn Way was the only ground where the Robins lost a league game last season. They have the chance to exorcise those demons when they visit Southwick for what is currently scheduled to be the final game of the campaign on February 24th.
Seasoned under 18 watchers will know that is unlikely to be the case. Last year, Hassocks managed just three games between the end of November and the middle of March as the weather decimated the fixture list.
With that in mind, the league have sensibly thrown in a number of reserve dates, with four weeks currently set aside for rearranged games at the end of the campaign and two weeks prior to Christmas.
The draw for the Under 18 League Cup has also been made and Hassocks’ bid to retain that trophy will begin at home to Steyning Town in the first round on September 30th.
You can see the Robins full fixture list for the 2018-19 season here.
