ROBINS DRAW BLANK IN DEFEAT TO MAVERICKS
For the second week running, Hassocks Under 23s drew a blank against opponents from down on the west coast as the Robins fell to a fourth defeat of the season.
Last Thursday it was a 1-0 loss away at East Preston, a side who on early season form could be one of the teams who gives chase to reigning champions and current leaders Horsham YMCA in the title race.
There was no disgrace in losing as the Lashmar. Less expected would have been this 2-0 defeat to a Worthing United side who arrived in Mid Sussex having lost five games out of five so far in the league.
Not that their winless start tells the whole story. The Mavericks had been scoring goals for fun, averaging over two a game which left them with a higher total than six of the division’s other 10 teams despite the fact they sit bottom of the pile.
The problems for United have been at the other end, where 24 goals have flown into their net at an average of nearly five a game.
The general impression of the West Division’s newcomers then was that if they sort out their defensive frailties, they could be a force to be reckoned with given their fire power at the other end.
Unfortunately for Hassocks, it was at the Beacon that both parts of United’s game together against a Robins’ side who are struggling with injury and unavailability at the moment.
It’s a problem that’s afflicting the whole club, from first team right the way through to Under 18s. Five of Dave John’s squad had been involved in the first team’s extraordinary 6-4 Sussex Senior Cup win just 48 hours previously.
Thomas Jupp played the whole 120 minutes at Mill Road, Joe Bull and Liam Benson both had around an hour each and Louis Pople was thrown on for the final few minutes.
17-year-old defender Luke Marshall also played the full two hours with John deciding to name him on the bench here as a result.
First team assistant manager Brad Sweetman was even pressed into action from the bench, marking his first appearance as a player for the club.
John also gave first starts of the season to Steve Bright and Max Donaldson in what was a much changed line up to what we have seen over the first five weeks of the campaign.
United were well placed to take advantage of that unfamiliarity and they duly took the lead with 18 minutes on the clock through Dan Hills.
Substitute Kieran Sellick ensured that the three points went back to the Robert Albion Memorial Ground when adding the Mavericks’ second of the evening on 72 minutes.
Hassocks do at least have a break from the league to look forward to although their next task looks particularly difficult as they travel to Isthmian League side Three Bridges in the County Cup next Thursday.
Hassocks: James Earl, Steve Bright, Thomas Jupp, Max Donaldson, Ben O’Leary, Joe Russell, Harvey Ransome, Joe Bull, George Galbraith-Gibbons, Louis Pople, Liam Benson.
Subs: Jack Gardner, Alfie Loversidge, Luke Marshall, Brad Sweetman (used).
