Three goals in four appearances earns Westlake November award
Lewis Westlake has been voted as Hassocks Player of the Month for November 2021 after scoring three goals in four appearances.
The midfielder has been in sparkling form since signing for a third spell at the Beacon. He re-joined following two starts and one substitute appearance for Steyning Town, having moved to the Shooting Field from Loxwood after Spencer Slaughter left the manager’s job at Plaistow Road.
Westlake’s first game back in Hassocks red came in the disappointing 4-1 defeat away at second-bottom East Preston. Three days later and he was on target in the 5-0 Sussex Principal RUR Charity Cup victory over Montpelier Villa.
It was a spectacular goal too which set the tone for what was to follow over the rest of November. Westlake was 36 yards out from the Villa goal and slightly to the right when he spotted visiting goalkeeper Ryan Walton had strayed from his line, sending a beautiful effort over Walton’s head and into the back of the net.
Similar happened in Hassocks’ next match when Alfold came to the Beacon. The game was only two minutes old when Westlake pressed a roll out from Alfold goalkeeper Andrew Osei before chipping in from 24 yards.
Westlake departed shortly afterwards with a broken nose. His contribution in the short time he was on the pitch however proved vital, as Hassocks went onto pick up a 2-1 win thanks to Phil Gault’s penalty with the final kick of the game.
Having missed the 2-1 defeat against Pagham and the 0-0 draw at Broadbridge Heath through injury, Westlake returned for the visit of Peacehaven & Telscombe.
It did not take him long to get back into the swing of things with another spectacular goal. The Robins won a free kick 30 yards out from goal and everybody expected Westlake to deliver a ball into the area.
Instead, he hit a belter to catch out the surprised Lawrence Sanded and earn Hassocks a 2-2 draw against opponents who had been on a march up the Premier Division, powered by 30 goals in their previous six matches.
Second place in November Player of the Month was a close-run thing with Arthur Rawlingson just about doing enough to prevent James Westlake making it a Westlake one-two at the top of the charts.
With Jack Gardner injured, Rawlingson has nailed down the right back spot with a string of excellent performances. Having been voted into third place in October, can Rawlingson now go one better and win the December vote?
James Westlake was just 1.2 percent behind Rawlingson in third. Like brother Lewis, James returned to Hassocks in October and instantly established himself as one of the first names on the team sheet.
Hassocks have had a much more solid look in the middle of the park since he re-signed from Loxwood, as evidenced by the Robins recording their best month of the campaign of two wins, two draws and two defeats from six matches.
