SIX SEPARATE SCORERS AS ROBINS SILENCE STAGS
There were six different scorers for Hassocks Under 23s as they went to the top of the Southern Combination League West Division with a 6-2 victory away at Midhurst & Easebourne.
This was a must win game for the Robins and they duly delivered. The Rotherfield isn’t an easy place to go as shown by the fact that one of Horsham YMCA’s two league defeats took place in Midhurst on the opening day of the season.
Hassocks’ success from the long journey west meant that they replaced YM at the head of the table. The two sides are now level on games with the Robins one point ahead, setting everything up for a potential winner-takes-all clash at Gorings Mead in three week’s time.
Before that, Hassocks have a League Cup Semi Final next Thursday against East Preston to negotiate and then a tricky trip to Arundel the week after.
They’ll go into those fixtures in good heart though after a commanding performance in which they once again had to demonstrate great character to come from behind.
Nigel Pearce made three changes from the side that had battled to three points at home to Southwick a week previously.
First teamers Harvey Blake and Harvey Enticknap were both unavailable with Tristan Hayes also missing out. Their places were taken by Matt Berridge, Max Donaldson and Kieran Dimelow, the latter two of those three being handed rare starts in which they both impressed to strengthen Pearce’s options for the run in.
It was Midhurst who took the lead with 34 minutes on the clock and they very nearly made it to the break ahead with Hassocks’ equaliser arriving in the last minute of the first half. Donaldson was the scorer, picking a very opportune time to net his first goal for the Under 23s.
Levelling so close to the half time whistle was a real blow to the Stags and Hassocks inflicted further misery on them within three minutes of the restart when Connor Bradley put the visitors into the lead with his eighth goal of the season from midfield.
Midhurst regrouped though and fought back impressively, levelling the tie up through Kieran Carter on 56 minutes. They weren’t on level terms for long as virtually straight from kick off Hassocks made their way towards the Midhurst goal, from where Matt Berridge applied a finish to give the Robins a 3-2 lead.
They were in no mood to let their hosts back into the tie this time around and set about making the game safe through an own goal, Max Willcox and substitute Martin Ratcliffe to pick up three big points.
Hassocks: Josh Green, Ellis Common, Kieran Wells, James Oliver, Joe Russell, Matt Berridge, Connor Bradley, Max Donaldson, Kieran Dimelow, Max Willcox, James Littlejohn.
Subs: Martin Ratcliffe, Steve Bright, Will Glenn, Harvey Ransome.
