Super sub Smith strikes late to down Oak in Supplementary Shield
They left it late, but Hassocks Under 23s did just about enough to get their Southern Combination League Supplementary Shield campaign underway with victory, winning 1-0 away at Mile Oak.
Substitute Marshall Smith chose a timely moment to score his first goal for the Robins, coming off the bench to hit an 80th minute winner to give Hassocks all three points – something of a rarity this season.
The Robins had won only two out of eight matches in all competitions before the regular 2020-21 campaign was curtailed. Goals too had been hard to come by with Hassocks drawing a blank in their past two competitive outings, a 2-0 defeat against Horsham YMCA in December and a 1-0 reversal at Crowborough Athletic in October.
Those two matches seem like a lifetime ago now and Hassocks will be hoping to be a different team following three months off. This win against opponents who were second in the West Division behind only Chichester City suggests they might well be.
Oak’s lofty position would have made them one of the favourites to progress from Group B into the final four of the competition. Only the table toppers are guaranteed a spot in the semi finals, where they will be joined by the best runner up from the three groups.
Hassocks’ other opponents all come from their own North Division. The Robins will also face Broadbridge Heath, Horley Town, Horsham YMCA and Mid Sussex rivals St Francis Rangers, all away from home due to the pitch maintenance work going on at the Beacon.
It was a strong Hassocks team that made the short hop over the South Downs to Chalky Road, even with Shay Leahy and goalkeeper Conor Evento both suspended after picking up red cards in that pre-Christmas defeat to YMCA.
Charlie Pugh, Dan Turner, Jack Gardner, Alfie Loversidge and Joe Bull have all been first team regulars this season and the Robins took the chance to get further football into their young players’ legs with a Thursday night outing after three months of inaction.
Hassocks could also call upon Kieran Dimelow and Jake Atherton who have rarely been available this season. Dimelow started whilst Atherton offered a dangerous attacking option from the bench.
It was Atherton’s fellow substitute Smith who decided the tie, netting late on when it appeared as though a 0-0 draw was destined to be the full time result. The former Burgess Hill Town player signed for Hassocks from Loxwood earlier in the season, opening his account with a neatly taken goal in his fifth appearance for the Robins.
Victory sets Hassocks up nicely for next week’s local derby away at St Francis Rangers. St Francis were one of the few clubs below the Robins in the North Division; if Hassocks can pick up another three points from their trip to Colwell Road then that will leave them in an excellent position with a third of the Supplementary Shield completed.
Hassocks: Charlie Pugh, Jack Gardner, Dan Turner, Connor Bradley, Harvey Ransome, Kieran Dimelow, Ben Hicks, Jay Hudson, Alfie Loversidge, George Galbraith-Gibbons, Joe Bull.
Subs: Marshall Smith, Jake Atherton, Lewis Beebee, Luke Marshall, Brad Sweetman (used).
