Three Hassocks teens fire Under 23s to best win of the season
Three Hassocks Under 18s players fired the Robins Under 23s to their most impressive win of the season, a 5-2 success over a Horsham YMCA side who have dominated the North Division for several seasons now.
Lewis Beebee and Sam Geard scored two apiece with defender Luke Marshall also on target in a result which gives Hassocks a real shot of qualifying for the semi finals of the Supplementary Shield.
The Robins are two points behind leaders Horley Town having won two and drawn one of their three matches so far. Hassocks have a game in hand and are still to play the Clarets. The table toppers are guaranteed a place in the final four with the best runner up from the three groups also progressing.
YM would have been many peoples’ favourites to win the Shield, let alone Group B. They were top of the North Division when the regular season was curtailed in both the current campaign and in 2019-20.
The last time the Under 23 League was played to a finish in 2018-19, they pipped Hassocks to the title thanks to an excellent end-of-year run of form which saw them overhaul Nigel Pearce’s side at the head of the table.
This therefore was a seriously impressive result for Hassocks who took a young side to Gorings Mead, showing four changes from the previous Thursday’s 1-1 Mid Sussex Derby draw with St Francis Rangers.
All four new faces coming into the starting XI were Under 18 players. Jayden Dunkley, Kobe Dersley, Beebee and Geard replaced Charlie Pugh, Kieran Dimelow, Charlie Tuck and Marshall Smith.
Beebee’s two strikes took him onto six of the season, meaning he now leads the scoring charts for both the Under 23s and Under 18s. Geard’s brace represented his first goals in Hassocks colours on what was his full debut for the Under 23s.
Marshall meanwhile is enjoying quite the time of it since football he resumed, having scored from inside his own half for the Under 18s in their 3-1 win over previously undefeated Alfold at the beginning of April. YM’s goals came from Aden Radojevic and substitute Leon Eales, a regular scorer against Hassocks in recent seasons.
The Robins face Broadbridge Heath next in a week’s time, their game in hand over leaders Horley. Victory at High Wood Hill Sports Ground would take them top of Group B ahead of a potential showdown when they face the Clarets in the final group match at the New Defence on May 5th.
Hassocks: Jayden Dunkley, Kobe Dersley, Luke Marshall, Thomas Jupp, Harvey Ransome, Sam Geard, Ben Hicks, Jay Hudson, Connor Bradley, Lewis Beebee, Joe Bull.
Subs: Archie Russell, Brad Sweetman (used).
