There’s a spot in the semi finals of the Sussex Principal RUR Charity Cup up for grabs at the Beacon as Hassocks host local rivals Haywards Heath Town on Tuesday night.
Heath will be looking to add the one trophy to their collection that eluded them last season when they lifted the Southern Combination Premier Division and the Peter Bentley League Cup.
Hassocks meanwhile know that they will have to pull off the mother of all upsets if they are to secure a rare Mid Sussex Derby victory.
Heath have showed no sign of let up from their double winning campaign, taking to life in the Bostik League South East Division like a duck to water by mounting a credible promotion bid.
At time of writing, they sit in sixth spot, only outside of the play off zone on goal difference having won seven, drawn four and lost four of their league games so far.
Leaders Cray Wanderers are miles clear of everyone else, but from second down to mid table anyone could claim a play-off spot which leaves Heath as a side who traditionally come into their own in the second half of the campaign in a great position.
Their route to this stage of the RUR Cup makes for ominous reading for Robins fans as well.
They hammered Lancing 10-0 in the last round of the competition to book a quarter final spot having squeaked past Bexhill United in round two, where they only defeated the Pirates 1-0 – a little hope from that one, perhaps?
Remarkably, tonight is the first ever meeting between the two sides outside of league competition.
Mid Sussex Derbies have been few and far between in general with Hassocks’ rise from park football to the top flight of the Southern Combination League coincided with Heath’s slide into the bottom two divisions.
There have only been eight previous meetings at senior level with Hassocks winning just two of those – 2-0 and 1-0 back in the 1980’s – while there has been one 1-1 draw and Town have 3-0, 2-0 5-0 and two 4-1 wins to their name.
The Blues could have several familiar faces on show tonight with Hassocks youth team products Nathan Cooper, Kieran Rowe and George Brown all having played for Heath so far this season and we’re sure that all three will receive a warm reception.
There will also be a familiar name in the dugout with former Robins reserve team boss Roy Staughton now assistant manager to Saunders at Hanbury Park.
Staughton led Hassocks to an historic treble of Reserve Premier Division title, Reserve Section Cup and Mid Sussex Senior Cup in the 2012-13 season while the second string also lifted the Reserve Cup the year before under his tutelage and reached the final in 2011.
Kick off is 7.45pm at the Beacon and entrance is priced at £6 adults, £3 concessions and under 16s go free. Both the Robins Bar and the T Bar will be open serving alcohol and hot food and drink respectively.
