March saw the curtain brought down prematurely on the 2019-20 Southern Combination League season with the campaign being declared null and void as the coronavirus pandemic swept across Britain.
Hassocks’ final game before curtailment saw them face fellow strugglers Lingfield at Steyning Town’s Shooting Field. Having not managed to play a home fixture at Godstone Road since October, the Lingers took the decision to switch the game to the 3G surface at Steyning and they were duly rewarded with a 3-2 victory in an entertaining clash.
The Robins had every right to feel that they were worthy of at least a point afterwards after a string of poor refereeing decisions went against them. They were also without both Charlie Pugh and Josh Green, meaning that 45-year-old Phil Wickwar started between the posts.
That made him Hassocks’ oldest ever player in senior football. It also meant that Wickwar achieved the remarkable feat of playing for the first team in four different decades.
It was a player at the other end of the age spectrum who gave Hassocks the lead when 19-year-old Dan Turner headed them in front from a Lewis Westlake corner with 17 minutes played. Dan Stokes nearly doubled the advantage 10 minutes before the break with an effort which rattled the post. Lingfield punished that miss by going straight up the other end and equalising through Sammy Clemments.
The Lingers took the lead on 57 when Jame Bakhit brought a cross under control with his back to goal, rolled off a challenge and fired into the corner. Four minutes later and it was 3-1 as Lingfield scored thanks to a huge helping hand from referee Matthew Goldsmith.
An attack on the Hassocks goal fizzled out to nothing and both sides retreated for Wickwar to take the resulting goal kick. Yet somehow, Mr Goldsmith got the idea that Lingfield should have a corner. The Robins’ mood wasn’t improved when the ball was swung over from the right and Kerran Boylan headed home.
Hassocks then had a strong penalty appeal turned down after Harvey Blaze was wiped out in the box. James Littlejohn did manage to pull one back with his seventh of the season, a stunning volley from distance but with just one minute left on the clock, it proved to be too little, too late.
The Ladies season came to an end 24 hours later as Martin Lee’s side were beaten 4-0 at home by Phoenix Sports. The Robins gave an excellent account of themselves in the first half, turning around at 0-0 against quality opponents. Phoenix’s class eventually shone through in the second however as four goals in 29 minutes handed them a 4-0 success.
Hassocks sat eighth in the South East Counties Women’s League Premier Division when the season was declared null and void. The Robins had collected nine points from 12 games, a decent return in their first season back in the top flight of the league following promotion.
The Under 23s were the last Hassocks side to take to the field in the 2019-20 season and they went out in style, winning 2-1 against Arundel. The fixture had been due to take place at Mill Road but with the Mullets’ home ground struggling under the wet weather, it was switched to the Beacon and Hassocks took full advantage to pick up their fifth win in 13 games.
George Galbraith-Gibbons and Harvey Enticknap were on target for Dave John’s side, who finished the season in sixth spot in the West Division. It was something of a transitional year for the team as John blooded many young players into Under 23s football for the first time.
Their Sussex Under 23 Cup run was the highlight of the campaign as the Robins eliminated Isthmian League side Three Bridges and reigning West Division champions Horsham YMA on their way to the quarter finals for the first time.
That points to a bright future for the players involved and they will certainly be worth keeping an eye on when football resumes with the 2020-21 season. The Under 18s also had an encouraging season with Brad Sweetman’s side one point behind leaders St Francis Rangers before the campaign was voided.
Luke Marshall, Jack Gardner and Alfie Loversidge all made their first team debuts with 16-year-old Marshall so impressive that he won November’s Player of the Month award. Toby Fisher, Charlie Jones and Harrison Lees were all involved with the Under 23s.
As for the first team, the Premier Division season was brought to a close with Hassocks in 19th spot in the table. It was a difficult year in which Mark Dalgleish’s squad was beset with injuries, but before coronavirus there had been signs that a corner may have been turned.
The Robins had won three and drawn one of their seven games since the turn of the year. With up to three games in hand on the sides immediately above them in the table and plenty of fixtures to come against fellow strugglers, Hassocks might have backed themselves to get out of the relegation zone had football been able to continue.
Unfortunately, we will never know. Ultimately, the right decision was taken by the Southern Combination League in terms of cancelling the remainder of the season as football, winning promotion and avoiding relegation is not as important as protecting lives.
Hassocks were served a reminder of that with the sad news that club stalwart Fred Wetherill had passed away in April. The Robins were at least able to do some good to help the NHS in the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic, with current and former players raising over £100 through the Sussex Football Run 5k for the NHS Challenge.
Chairman Dave John then doubled that figure by pledging £1 for everyone who have been connected with the club during his 30 years at the Beacon who completed their 5k. That set Johnsy back £160 in total, a positive way to bring the curtain down on the 2019-20 season.
