Rare draw for Young Robins in stalemate away at Shoreham
The trip to Middle Road produced a pretty middling result for Hassocks Under 18s as they were involved in a rare draw, sharing the spoils 1-1 with Shoreham.
Prior to their trip south, Hassocks Under 18s had drawn just three matches since the start of their 2017-18 Southern Combination League Under 18 North Division title winning campaign.
Needless to say with such a record of games being decided one way or another, this was the Robins’ first stalemate of the season.
It did at least extend their unbeaten run to three matches, following the 7-0 hammering of Mile Oak a fortnight ago and a 3-1 victory against AFC Varndeanians at the Beacon last Sunday.
The Robins’ new-found consistency is no doubt coming in part from a settled starting XI, with just two changes needed from the side who saw off Varndeanians.
Harry Carter and Oliver Parker-Williams were unavailable with their places taken by Oliver Steel and Will Varley, who has recently broken into Neil Parker’s Under 23s squad.
Hassocks were also pleased to welcome back one of last season’s Under 18s Joe Woodhouse for the first time in 2022-23. Woodhouse made his bow for the campaign from the bench.
Fixtures at youth team level with Shoreham are traditionally tight and as the final score from Middle Road shows, this occasion was no different.
Last season, only a Sam Geard penalty could separate the sides when Hassocks visited on the opening day of the campaign. The return fixture at the Beacon in November was a seven-goal thriller, just about edged 4-3 by the Musselmen.
Geard again scored along with Carter and Archie Russell. Joe Dixon notched one for Shoreham but the ultimate match winner was Tom Bond, who hit a hat-trick.
The Musselmen can still count on Bond’s services this season. And he maintained his liking for scoring past Hassocks by grabbing the home side’s goal.
For the Robins, it was top scorer Alex Brewer who notched to continue his superb campaign so far. Brewer now has 10 goals from only seven appearances, leading the Hassocks scoring charts by some distance.
The point keeps the Robins fifth in the Central Division table. Hassocks will face Lancing in their final October fixture at the Beacon next Sunday in an 11am kick off. Admission is free and your support is as always very welcome.
Hassocks: Jack Thomas, Sam Dean, George Gladding, Ed Tobias, Sam Fernley, Alex Wintle, Will Varley, Toby Munt, Harry Goatcher, Oliver Steel, Alex Brewer.
Subs: Joe Woodhouse, Ewan Edwards, Ryan Goss, Ben Foster.
