LEAGUE CUP DREAMS OVER AS HASSOCKS ARE OUSTED BY OAK
If Hassocks are to regain the Southern Combination Under 18 Central Division title this season, then their League Cup trip to Mile Oak was an indication of just how tough the competition is going to be.
Oak are yet to drop a point in the league so far, the proud holders of the only remaining 100% record in the Central Division.
They’re now into the second round of the League Cup too having come out on top in an enthralling clash which eventually ended 3-2 to the hosts at Mile Oak Rec.
This was a tough draw for Hassocks, the 2018 winners of the competition with Chalky Road never an easy place to go at the best of times.
The Robins might have fancied their chances had this game taken place at the Beacon where they are unbeaten this season. They had originally been given a home draw too, but if a club postpones a cup tie twice then competition rules state that the venue is switched to the opposition’s home pitch.
With what feels like non-stop rain having battered the Beacon for the past six weeks, Hassocks fell foul of that particular rule and so found themselves making the short journey over the Downs.
The Robins manager Brad Sweetman made three changes from the side that had beaten Broadbridge Heath 4-2 in the league a week previously.
Goalkeeper Toby Fisher missed out for the first time this season as he was rested to the bench along with Freddie Gamblin while Harry Meredith was absent from proceedings.
In their places came Jayden Dunkley for his full debut, Jack Gardner and Yahya Azizi who is continuing to work his way back to full fitness.
Azizi marked his return to the starting line up with one of the Robins’ goals, taking his tally for the season to three in six games, with only three of those appearances having been from the start.
Azizi remains someway behind Harrison Lees in the scoring chart however. Lees was the other player on target for Hassocks with his 12th of the season, pulling him further ahead of Lewis Beebee in what has been an intriguing battle for the top scorer accolade so far this season.
Beebee’s cause in that regard has not been helped by the suspension he is currently serving for a red card picked up in the Robins’ Dennis Probee Youth Cup defeat to Burgess Hill Town.
Oak’s goals came from Franklin Bendu, Ben Tennant and Matthew Thompson, setting up a second round meeting with Saltdean United.
These two sides will meet twice in the Central Division in the new year, two games which could go a long way towards deciding where the championship ends up in what is looking like a three-horse race between Hassocks, Oak and current leaders St Francis Rangers.
There will be one less opponent for all three to face with the news that rock-bottom Southwick have pulled out of the division.
The Wickers had lost all six of the games so far, including when being beaten 13-0 by Hassocks back in September – a result which will now be expunged.
Hassocks: Jayden Dunkley, Luke Marshall, Fraser Mears, Alex Crawford, Oliver Charlesworth, Jack Gardner, Lewis Reep, Harrison Lees, Alfie Loversidge, Finlay McDermott, Yahya Azizi.
Subs: Toby Fisher, Freddie Gamblin (used).
