Hassocks kick off their 2021-22 campaign at home to Broadbridge Heath
Fixtures for the first two Southern Combination League Premier Division matchdays of the 2021-22 campaign have been announced along with the draw for the Peter Bentley League Cup.
Hassocks will kick off their season with a home game against Broadbridge Heath on Saturday 31st July at 3pm. The Bears last provided the opposition on the opening day of the campaign in the 2018-19 season when a Liam Benson penalty earned a 1-1 in Mark Dalgleish’s first game in sole charge of the Robins.
Heath enjoyed the better of the fixture last season, winning both games 1-0. Jamie Taylor’s stunning strike from a full 40 yards earned the Bears victory in the 92nd minute at High Wood Hill Sports Ground in October.
Two months later and a heated affair warmed up the Beacon on a freezing cold December Tuesday. Both teams ended with 10 men, Andy Whittingham seeing red for Hassocks and Alfie Jones doing likewise for Heath minutes later and there were a flurry of bookings including to all three home substitutes.
Mark Zydonik scored the only goal of the game, tapping home after Charlie Pugh had done well to keep out an Ollie Joels free header from a Jamie Robinson corner.
Hassocks’ second Premier Division game of the season is a tough looking trip to Saltdean United on Tuesday 3rd August, kick off at 7:30pm at Hill Park.
The Tigers had been top of the table last season before the winter lockdown. The curtailment of the season meant that Hassocks did not get to test themselves against the leaders, having been due to make the trip to Saltdean on Boxing Day.
You therefore have to go back to February 2020 to find the last time the teams met. It was a match neither side could afford to lose in the battle against relegation and perhaps unsurprisingly, it ended 1-1.
Dan Perry put the Tigers 1-0 ahead with 18 minutes played but the lead was short lived, Alex Spinks equalising 10 minutes later with his first Hassocks goal coming after a long Dan Turner throw caused chaos and confusion in the Saltdean box.
In the Peter Bentley League Cup, Hassocks will host Division One side Roffey at the Beacon. It will be the first ever meeting between the sides at senior level. The winners will go onto face one of Storrington, Selsey or Wick in round three.
