Hassocks held in entertaining score draw against Varndeanians
It has been a weekend of thrilling yet frustrating draws for the Robins. Sunday saw Hassocks Under 18s go to AFC Varndeanians and draw 2-2, following up the first team sharing the spoils at home to Lingfield a day earlier.
This game was switched from Withdean Stadium after the heavy rain of the past week to the 3G at the University of Brighton, otherwise known as the biggest pitch in the world.
Hassocks might have been hoping that so many wide open spaces would play nicely into their passing game, but they were up against a Varndeanians side whose familiarity with the unique challenges posed by playing on a pitch which is approximately four miles long and two miles wide was very evident.
That meant there was to be no repeat of the 3-1 victory the Robins inflicted on Varndeanians at the Beacon last month.
Hassocks came into the game in good spirits with four wins and a draw from their previous five matches, including the October success over the Vs.
The Robins had conceded only twice during that run, Varndeanians finding a way past Jack Thomas followed by Shoreham a week later in the game where Hassocks dropped points, drawing 1-1 at Middle Road.
Hassocks had beaten Lancing 4-0 in back-to-back matches in their past two outings and there were two changes from the side victorious at Culver Road a week earlier.
Harry Goatcher was unavailable with his place taken by Archie Hill for his first Under 18s start of the campaign, coming later in the season than his first full game for the Under 23s.
Will Varley came back into the XI for Ryan Goss who dropped to the bench, where he was joined by Cam Mitchell returning after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Varley had been rested for the Lancing match, but still managed to score twice after coming on to take his tally to six goals in six appearances.
He added another one at the University of Brighton, Varley finding the back of the net alongside George Gladding whose strike was his first for Hassocks.
Varndeanians owed their point to two goals from Ossie O’Neill, who the Robins found a real handful all morning.
It proved to be a good weekend for O’Neill as he also notched coming off the bench for Varndeanians’ first team in their 6-2 win over Loxwood on Saturday.
The draw saw Hassocks lose ground at the top of the table, slipping two points behind Burgess Hill Town who have overtaken St Francis Rangers at the top. Hassocks sit on 17 whilst both of their Mid Sussex rivals are on 19 with two games in hand.
St Francis will visit the Beacon and Hassocks go to Burgess Hill in the new year, two games which look vital if the Robins are to hang onto the coattails of the title race.
Before then, Hassocks will get a crack at St Francis in the Sussex Bluefin Dennis Probee Youth Cup second round on Sunday 11th December at the Beacon.
Hassocks: Jack Thomas, Sam Dean, George Gladding, Ed Tobias, Sam Fernley, Oliver Goswamy, Alex Wintle, Toby Munt, Archie Hill, Will Varley, Alex Brewer.
Subs: Cam Mitchell, Ryan Goss, Ben Foster (used).
