HAIR RAISING EXPERIENCE AS HASSOCKS ARE HAMMERED BY MULLETS
Their first back-to-back defeats of the season couldn’t have come at a worse time for Hassocks Under 23s.
A week after losing 3-1 to East Preston in the semi finals of the Southern Combination Under 23 League Cup, they suffered a heavy 4-0 reversal at Arundel on their return to the West Division title chase.
That leaves the Robins level on both points and games with Horsham YMCA now as the race for the championship goes down to the wire.
Hassocks travel to Gorings Mead next Thursday night for a game that now looks even more important than it already did.
If Nigel Pearce’s side are to come away from Horsham with anything, they’ll need to put in a much-improved performance than that which they delivered at Mill Road.
Whilst the Mullets named a strong side including a glut of first team regulars, the Robins never really did themselves justice on a disappointing evening on the banks of the River Arun.
Pearce was without first choice goalkeeper Josh Green which meant that Under 18s number one Toby Fisher was handed his debut for Under 23s.
The 16-year-old is considered a real talent by those at the Beacon having already deputised in the first team for Green on a couple of occasions this season and Green aside, Hassocks had pretty much a
full strength squad to choose from.
Looking for a reaction from the previous Thursday’s cup exit, Pearce shook up his defence with Steve Bright and Louie Derham taking the places of Kieran Wells and Joe Russell.
Harvey Enticknap also returned at the expense of Max Donaldson and Hassocks weren’t wanting for fire power either, being able to name a front line of Jake Lindsey, James Littlejohn and Max Willcox.
They came up against a resolute and dogged Arundel outfit who, had they not have recorded quite so many draws this season, could have joined YM and Hassocks in the title race.
Five stalemates from 17 games to date have done for them however in what is their first season of Under 23 football.
They took the lead inside of eight minutes through Jack Kates before one of those aforementioned first teamers popped up with the second seven minutes before half time, Harry Russell doubling the hosts lead.
Russell had previously netted when Arundel and Hassocks met at senior level in the Mullets’ 2-0 win at the Beacon back in January.
He’d also been on target in March 2017 when the sides drew 1-1 at Mill Road, so clearly there is something about facing Hassocks that brings out the best in the striker.
No prizes for guessing who it was who added Arundel’s third 10 minutes after the restart which effectively ended the tie as a contest. Yes, it was Russell again who beat Fisher to all but guarantee that the three points would remain at Mill Road.
Arundel’s fourth came through Patricio Gomes just past the hour mark with one small positive for Hassocks being that the score line didn’t get any worse from that point on.
Indeed, although Russell ran riot the Robins did at least manage to keep the equally talented Dion Jarvis quiet. He’d been the other man on the score sheet for Arundel in that first team meeting back three months ago.
There could be few complaints about the result from a Hassocks point of view and the Robins won’t have long to wait to seek revenge – the Mullets visit the Beacon on the final day of the season on Thursday May 2nd.
Hassocks: Toby Fisher, Ellis Common, Steve Bright, James Oliver, Louie Derham, Matt Berridge, Connor Bradley, Harvey Enticknap, Jake Lindsey, Max Willcox, James Littlejohn.
Subs: Martin Ratcliffe, Will Glenn, Max Donaldson, Kieran Wells, Joe Russell.
