It’s been 25 years since Little Common last visited the Beacon for a league game and both clubs have come on leaps and bounds since that Southern Combination League Division One clash way back in 1994.
On that occasion, the two sides were heading in separate directions with Hassocks missing out on promotion to the top flight by one point and Common on their way to finishing bottom of the pile with relegation to Division Two following.
That was the beginning of a steep decline as the Albion as they were then known sunk as low as junior level football in the East Sussex League.
They were still playing parks football as recently as 2004 but their rise over the next 15 years or so has been hugely impressive, returning to the Southern Combination League in 2005 and then winning promotion to Division One in 2009.
Common had come close to promotion to the top flight on a number of subsequent occasions but even when they finished in the top three, their home of the Recreation Ground failed to meet Premier Division ground grading and so they appeared to be stuck in the second tier.
That was until a relaxation in ground sharing rules saw them become tenants at Eastbourne United’s Oval ground and that coupled with a barnstorming season in which they were crowned Division One champions last time out saw them elevated to the top division for the first ever time.
They’ve found the step up to the Premier Division tough however and are embroiled in a relegation battle, currently sitting second from bottom with just four wins and seven draws from their league fixtures so far.
Common have picked up some impressive results of late though, including draws with leaders Newhaven and high-flying Pagham and after beating the Robins 4-2 at the Oval earlier in the season, they’ll be viewing their trip to the Beacon as a game in which they can pick up points.
That feeling will be reinforced by the Robins’ recent struggles against sides below them in the table, Arundel having claimed all three points here a month ago via a 2-0 success and Loxwood sauntering into a 3-0 lead two weeks ago in a game that eventually finished 3-3.
One thing that Common do have is a lot of firepower, with Lewis Hole on 10 goals for the season and West Tate not far behind, suggesting that Hassocks will need to be at their best defensively to get anything from the game.
The head-to-head is also dominated by the Commoners, who have won seven of the 12 previous meetings. There have been two draws and only three Hassocks wins.
Kick off at the Beacon is at 3pm and entrance is priced at £6 adults and £3 concessions with Under 16s going free. The Robins are also offering half price entry to any Brighton and Hove Albion season ticket holders on production of their Amex ticket.
The Robins Bar will be open serving alcohol throughout the afternoon and the T Bar will have hot food and drink on offer.
Please note for those travelling by public transport that the London to Brighton mainline has been shut all week for essential repair work which means that there are no trains serving Hassocks Station. Instead, a rail replacement bus service is in place so please allow extra time for your journey to the Beacon.
