The dras for the Sussex Football Association’s County Cups have been made with Hassocks paired with either Chichester City or Pagham in the second round of the Sussex Principal RUR Charity Cup.
The two Arun rivals will meet in the first round for the right to come to the Beacon. That fixture is a repeat of the final from two seasons ago when Chi hammered their rivals 4-0 to lift the trophy for the fourth time.
Should Miles Rutherford’s side repeat that victory, then it will be the second season in succession that Hassocks have faced the reigning Southern Combination League champions in the competition.
Last year, the Robins were eliminated by Haywards Heath Town in the quarter finals. They had beaten Crawley Down Gatwick and Seaford Town to reach the last eight.
It would also be the second season in succession that Hassocks have faced Chi in a county cup. Last year, the Robins went to the Countrywide Gas Stadium in the first round of the Sussex Senior Cup, where they gave their high flying hosts a fright before succumbing to a 2-1 defeat.
Hassocks have never faced Chi in the competition before. Should it be Pagham who manage to shock their Isthmian League South Central opponents, then it would be the fourth RUR Cup meeting between Robins and Lions.
In an ominous sign for Hassocks, Pagham have won all three so far. The most recent of those game in the second round stage in the 2003-04 season when Dave John’s side went down 4-2 away at Nyetimber Lane.
The Lions denied Hassocks a first ever appearance in a senior final when winning 2-0 in extra time at the semi final stage in the competition in 1994 and a year previous to that it had been a similar story in the last eight where Pagham were 2-1 victors. The winners will go onto face Mile Oak or Newhaven in round three.
In the Sussex Under 23 Challenge Cup, Hassocks will face a tough looking trip to Three Bridges in the first round of the competition.
The Robins have never progressed beyond round three of the fledgling competition, having been eliminated at that stage by AFC Uckfield Town in the 2017-18 season. Last year, Hastings United ended their interest at the second round stage.
It will be the first time that the Robins have met Bridges in Under 23 football for two years. Bridges had a one-season stay in the Southern Combination League’s West Division with the two sides drawing 1-1 at Jubilee Field and Hassocks winning 2-1 at the Beacon.
The Under 18s will meet Lewes Juniors in the first round of the Sussex Dennis Probee Youth Cup. That game takes place on Sunday 6th October and should Brad Sweetman’s side be successful, their is the tantalising prospect of a Mid Sussex Derby with Burgess Hill Town in the second round should last season’s beaten finalists overcome Maidenbower Colts.
