After lockdown had ended the 2019-20 campaign in March, competitive football resumed in September with the start of the 2020-21 season. The first part of our Hassocks Season Review covers an action-packed month in which 16 matches were fitted in across the First Team, Under 23s, Under 18s and the Ladies.
September 1st 2020. 179 days had passed since Hassocks last kicked a ball in a competitive game of football and much had changed, both in the wider world and at the Beacon in that time as the Robins prepared to open their 2020-21 campaign with a trip to Balham in the FA Cup.
The Hassocks side who took to the field at Mayfield Stadium were almost unrecognisable from the one which had lost 3-2 against Lingfield in the final match before the 2019-20 campaign was curtailed six months earlier. There were just four survivors from that defeat on the 3G of the Shooting Field back on March 7th in Hassock’s starting XI: Dan Turner, James Littlejohn, Harvey Enticknap and Jack Troak.
Andy Whittingham returned after long-term injury but the other six players on show were all new signings following a busy summer for Dave John, back in the dugout for a fourth spell as Robins boss. John had replaced Mark Dalgleish and was joined in a new-look managerial team by Brad Sweetman and Mark Enticknap.
Of the recruits on show against Balham, the majority were actually old faces returning to the Beacon, most notably record scorer Phil Gault after a spell in the Mid Sussex League and Bradley Bant, appointed club captain after making the move from Peacehaven & Telscombe.
Striker Charlie Pitcher and George Brown were also back with the side rounded off by two debutants; goalkeeper Dave Carruthers who made his name at Loxwood and former Newhaven right back Louis Pittock.
Nobody quite knew what to expect from such a new-look side. Hassocks fans who had braved the Tuesday night trip to Surrey soon had an early answer as Littlejohn gave the Robins the lead inside of four minutes.
That set the tone for a ridiculously entertaining encounter. Ashley Snadden equalised for Balham midway through the first half with Troak ensuring Hassocks went into the break with the lead, making it 2-1 two minutes before the interval.
The Robins thought they had done enough to advance, only for Tom Read to score six minutes from time to take the game to penalties. Brown, substitute George Galbraith-Gibbons, Littlejohn, Bant and Troak gave Hassocks a perfect five from the spot.
Carruthers meanwhile made himself an instant hero to the Robins faithful, pulling off a brilliant stop with his legs from Balham’s second penalty – a save which resulted in an injury which would plague him up until Christmas – to send Hassocks through to the Preliminary Round.
It was the Robins’ first FA Cup win over a side from outside the Southern Combination League since 2010 and it earned a cool £1,200 in prize money – a particularly welcome cash injection given the lack of income over the previous six months.
Four days later and Hassocks were brought back down to Earth with a bump as they opened their Premier Division campaign away at Alfold. With Carruthers sidelined, 46-year-old Wickwar took over in goal. The veteran himself lasted less than an hour before pulling a muscle as a result of not applying enough WD40 to his leg before the game, leaving defender Turner to play out the final 30 minutes in goal.
Unsurprisingly given the less-than-ideal goalkeeper situation, Hassocks were on the end of a 3-1 defeat. Pitcher got his campaign up and running but a brace from Tiago Andrade and one from Sammy Clemments gave the hosts a comfortable win.
A sizable crowd of 176 turned out for the first home game of the season as Hassocks hosted the previous season’s table toppers Lancing. Not many would have given the Robins a hope beforehand. What followed was an extraordinary 90 minutes which suggested that this Hassocks side had enough about them to avoid another battle against relegation.
Pitcher gave the hosts the lead with Ebou Jallow scoring twice to put the Lancers in control. Lancing retained their advantage right up until the 80th minute when Joe Bull equalised. Hassocks were then awarded a 95th minute penalty with Troak displaying nerves of steel to despatch the kick past Mitch Bromage to secure a famous 3-2 victory.
A stern test lay in wait next as the Robins travelled to Bedfont Sports in the FA Cup, whose smart little 3G stadium is a stone’s throw from the end of Heathrow’s southern runway. Unfortunately, Hassocks found their adventure in the world’s greatest cup competition grounded in a 3-1 defeat, although they did give the higher division Eagles plenty to think about.
Two goals from Jordan Espirit – the second of which was a hotly disputed penalty – looked to have Bedfont in control. The home fans certainly thought so if the over-exuberance of one supporter in particular who had turned up with a vuvuzela was anything to go by.
Pitcher though had other ideas and he pulled one back with a brilliant individual goal, picking the ball up on halfway and beating two opponents before finishing into the bottom corner. The Robins threw the kitchen sink at their hosts after that but could not manage to add to the score, meaning that Bedfont flew through to the next round of the competition.
Pitcher hobbled off after just eight minutes of the visit of Steyning Town through injury three days later and that resulted in a toothless Hassocks display as the Barrowmen left Mid Sussex with a 3-1 victory. There was drama even before Pitcher’s early departure, Troak seeing a penalty kept out by Steyning goalkeeper Alex Theobald.
Although Troak made up for that miss by giving Hassocks the lead, this was a night when the Robins were second-best as a Tom Bold double and Cian Griffin-Tilley had the visitors 3-1 ahead before the 50 minute mark. That was how it finished and to complete miserable evening, George Brown was shown a deserved red card.
The less said about the FA Vase, the better. Pitcher was absent as former Hassocks defender Harry Mills kept a clean sheet whilst playing in goal for Peacehaven & Telscombe, the Tye running out easy 3-0 winners through a Tyler Scrafton double and a stunning free kick from Jake Brocklebank.
A trip to Eastbourne Town did little to lift the mood. Injuries again caused problems, this time to goalkeeper Conor Evento who spent most of his debut after signing from Broadbridge Heath playing on one leg after pulling his thigh after just 20 minutes at the Saffrons.
Town took full advantage, raining in four goals between the 34th and 57th minutes. Bright Temba hit a brace and Nathan Crabb and Sam Cole put their names on the scoresheet.
Hassocks did at least rally after that as 17-year-old Alfie Loversidge scored his first senior goal with 15 minutes remaining. Troak then added a second, although any semblance of respectability to the result was gone when Daniel Hull and Matt Rodrigues-Barbosa added two more for Town in injury time as it finished 6-2.
Another tough test lay in wait in September’s final first team match as unbeaten Pagham visited the Beacon. For 80 minutes, very little happened other than Pitcher earning and then converting a penalty to give Hassocks a 1-0 lead.
The final 10 minutes more than made up for the earlier lack of drama. A Hassocks corner resulted in a goalmouth scramble which Pitcher ended with a clinical finish to double the Robins’ advantage with only eight minutes left to play. The Lions halved the deficit within two minutes through a brilliant 25 yard volley from substitute Jamie Carroll to set up a tense finish.
What nobody expected to see with Hassocks defending a slender lead in stoppage time was their centre back charging 60 yards up the pitch with the ball. Will Broomfield was nearly rewarded for his bravery as he exchanged passes with Troak, resulting in Troak finding himself one-on-one with Pagham goalkeeper Connor Kelly who made a superb double save.
That was in the 93rd minute. In the 95th, Dave Crouch hit the post for the visitors and in the 97th, Ash Hawkes found himself one-on-one but could only drag wide as Hassocks held on for their second league win of the season. A welcome to surprise to end the first team’s month.
The Under 23s played two fixtures in the newly-created North Division in September, beginning their campaign with a local derby against Mid Sussex rivals St Francis Rangers.
Despite Kieran Dimelow scoring for the Robins, bragging rights remained at Colwell Road as goals from Josh Paine and former Hassocks favourite Jake Lindsey gave Rangers a 2-1 success.
A week later and a first ever meeting with Horley Town at Under 23 level ended in a 1-1 draw. Jonathan Kusaka put the Clarets ahead at the Beacon with George Galbraith-Gibbons levelling seven first half minutes later.
The Under 18s enjoyed an excellent start to their campaign, winning all three of their fixtures, plundering 19 goals along the way and conceding just twice. Brad Sweetman’s side kicked off with a 6-1 win at Roffey, followed that up by beating Steyning Town by the same score and then hammered Burgess Hill Town 7-0.
Chief amongst the goal scorers was Lewis Beebee, who netted eight times to start a ding-dong battle for the top scorer accolade with Archie Russell who himself notched three.
The Ladies knew they were in for a challenging campaign having been elevated to the London & South East Regional Women’s League for 2020-21. Just how challenging became clear when they were beaten 10-0 in their first fixture by a Worthing side who had swept all before them prior to the previous season being curtailed.
Hassocks bounced back in the best possible way from that hammering, winning 2-0 away at Crawley Wasps in their next fixture. Mia Pordage scored her first goal for the club and Jess Craig was also on target in a shock win.
September was completed with a 3-1 defeat at home to Parkwood Rangers. Kirsten Mair scored for Hassocks with Corrie Goodhew netting twice for the visitors to the Beacon, alongside Faye Tompsett.
