February’s fixtures have been announced and they send Hassocks Under 23s to reigning Southern Combination West Division champions Pagham.
The meeting between the current leaders and the defending champions is the most mouth-watering tie of the month, with Nigel Pearce’s side set to travel to Nyetimber Lane on Thursday 14th February.
It was Hassocks who came out on top in the last meeting between the two in September as goals from Jake Lindsey and James Littlejohn secured a 2-0 success at the Beacon.
The Robins will know that a similar result from their long trip west will give their hopes of lifting a first trophy at Under 23 level a real boost.
Hassocks have never won at the home of the Lions before, there only previous visit coming last season when they were beaten 3-2 with Matt Berridge and Connor Bradley scoring.
A week before the trip to Pagham, the Robins will host Selsey on Thursday 7th February. The Blues are the only team to have beaten Hassocks in the league so far this season, winning 1-0 at the Bunn Leisure Stadium through Josh Hall’s 14th minute strike back in October.
The Robins will round off the month with the visit of East Preston to the Beacon, which comes a week after their trip to Pagham on Thursday 21st February.
EP led at the break last time the two sides met in the final fixture before Christmas through top scorer Daniel Huet but a second half brace from Matt Berridge and a Max Willcox strike earned Hassocks all three points against the side currently sitting third in the table.
Hassocks’ League Cup Quarter Final against Midhurst & Easebourne is also still to be rearranged after the original fixture fell to a frozen pitch yesterday.
The Under 18s have endured a frustrating time with the fixture list having been given two weeks off so their last outing, a 9-0 win over Rottingdean Village on January 20th and they’ve only got two games in February to look forward to as well.
The first of those is a huge one as Central Division leaders Haywards Heath Town put their 100% record on the line when they make the short trip to the Beacon on Sunday February 10th.
Heath were the side who brought Hassocks’ 392-day, 30-game undefeated streak to an end when winning 5-3 in the last meeting at Hanbury Park in October.
Brad Sweetman’s side will have revenge on their minds then, as well as knowing that defeat against an outstanding Heath outfit would all but end their slim hopes of overhauling their local rivals in the race to defender their Central Division title.
The Under 18s other game of the month comes a week later at home to Steyning Town.
As for the ladies, they’ll continue their push for the South East Counties Women’s League Division One title with games against Burgess Hill Town on February 10th and Milford & Witley on the 24th, both at home.
There’s also the small matter of the Sussex Women’s Challenge Trophy against the Hillians to come on Thursday 7th March at Culver Road.
