Hassocks Under 23s will return to league action with their first Southern Combination League West Division game the end of November as Arundel visit the Beacon this coming Thursday night.
A combination of cup commitments and a December which was wetter than an otter’s pocket means that the Robins haven’t kicked a ball in the league since hammering Lancing 6-1 seven weeks ago.
Hassocks had been in good form prior to that, picking up an equally impressive 5-1 victory at Oakwood a week earlier. Those two results lifted Dave John’s side into mid table, from where they’ll be looking to kick on with eight games now left to play.
Arundel are enjoying something of a mixed season too. They are two places and three points below Hassocks in the table, although they do have two games in hand having only played eight times to date.
The Mullets have picked up three victories from those two fixtures; one coming against Oakwood while the other two were against the division’s bottom club Worthing United.
Not that Arundel will prove to be easy opponents. Hassocks know that all too well after two bruising encounters last season which ultimately proved to be fatal to the Robins’ title hopes.
The sides didn’t meet until mid-April when second place Hassocks went to Mill Road knowing that victory would set up a winner-takes-it-all clash with leaders Horsham YMCA the following week.
But the championship race never quite made it that far. Instead, Arundel hammered the Robins 4-0 thanks to goals from Jack Kates, Patricio Gomes and Harry Russell.
A week later and Hassocks lost 2-1 against YM at Gorings Mead and the title was all-but guaranteed to end up the with the hosts.
That was followed by the return meeting between the Robins and Arundel, which ended 1-1 at the Beacon. James Littlejohn got the Hassocks goal that night.
John and his side will be hoping for a much better result than those two previous meetings. Should they manage to win, then it would be Hassocks’ first ever victory over the Mullets at Under 23 level.
Kick off is at 7.45pm at the Beacon and entrance is £3 adults with everyone else going free. The T Bar and the Robins Bar will both be open for hot food and drink and alcohol throughout the evening.
