Hassocks are on the road for one of their more local away games as the Robins make the short trip to the Haven to play Crawley Down Gatwick this weekend.
This is a fixture that has thrown up plenty of entertainment since these two sides first crossed swords in 2004. There have been 18 meetings between Hassocks and Crawley Down since then with the Robins leading the head-to-head with nine wins to Down’s six while there have been three draws. Hassocks have racked up 36 goals in games against Crawley Down while conceding 31 along the way.
The last clash was a case in point with seven goals shared in a mad afternoon at the Haven in March. Phil Johnson went goal crazy on that occasion as he scored four times in a 5-2 Hassocks victory.
Johnson’s first three goals and a Liam Benson strike came inside the opening 50 minutes and left the Robins in a commanding position before Down pulled one back through Ollie Broad on the hour mark.
Johnson’s response was to go and net his fourth 10 minutes later with Nick Sullivan adding a second consolation for the hosts in injury time.
It still doesn’t come close to being the most ludicrous meeting either, that honour being reserved for the astonishing occasion in the 2016-17 season when Hassocks won 6-4 at the Haven in Ashley Marsh’s 500th appearance for the Robins.
Those heady days of scoring five or six times on the road must seem like a lifetime ago for Hassocks supporters. The Robins will make the journey to Crawley Down having won just twice in the Premier Division all season, the most recent of those victories coming at the end of September.
Down in contrast began the season in flying form and looked like they might put in an unexpected challenge towards the top of the table.
They lost only two of their first six fixtures and were sitting pretty in fourth spot at one point, but a disastrous October saw Paul Cooper’s side lose four games in a row to slip to 12th.
Cup competitions haven’t provided much solace as they’ve also exited the Peter Bentley League Cup, Sussex Senior Cup and the Sussex Principal RUR Charity Cup in the last month.
Something has to give then when two sides who haven’t enjoyed the best of spells lately meet – and it will probably involve plenty of goals. Kick off is at 3pm and entrance prices are £5 adults with Under 16s going free.
