Hassocks’ festive football this year will see the Robins travel to Saltdean United for an 11am kick off on Boxing Day.
The lack of traditional local derby is because there are no longer any other Mid Sussex clubs in the Southern Combination League Premier Division, leaving the Robins to make the jaunt to Hill Park to face a Tigers outfit who are having a bit of a hit-and-miss season so far.
Tom Betts took over as manager in the summer following Damion Freeman’s decision to stand down after winning the Peter Bentley League Cup at the Beacon in May.
Betts himself followed suit by resigning a couple of months into the new campaign with his place being taken by Shoreham’s 2016-17 Premier Division title winning boss, Bryan O’Toole.
As a result of all that disruption, United sit 15th in the league with five wins, three draws and eight defeats to their name so far.
Their most victory was an impressive one, coming at the end of November against high-flying Langney Wanderers. They’ve also defeated Lingfield, Eastbourne United, Pagham and AFC Uckfield Town.
Since winning promotion to the top flight ahead of the 2017-18 season, the Tigers have won all four meetings against Hassocks.
Last season’s encounters were particularly bruising, a 4-1 loss at Hill Park in February following on from defeat by the same scoreline at the Beacon on August Bank Holiday Monday. Current Hassocks striker Ben Bacon scored all four of the Tigers’ goals on that occasion.
Bacon might not be the only familiar face on show. Saltdean have recently added Jake Lindsey to their squad, the former Hassocks youngster having moved to Hill Park from Horsham YMCA.
The overall head-to-head reads 28 meetings, 12 Hassocks wins, 14 Saltdean wins and just two draws. United have dominated the Premier Division fixtures throughout the years while the Robins enjoyed great success in the clashes between the two which took place in Division One during the late 1980s and early 1990s, winning six out of six, scoring 19 goals and conceding just four along the way.
Kick off at Hill Park is at 11am.
