Robins take advantage of others’ cup adventures to beat Oak and climb second
Whilst the rest of the Southern Combination Under 18 Central Division were in League Cup action, Hassocks took advantage by beating Mile Oak 4-2 to move up into second place in the standings.
The Robins’ lofty position does with come the caveat that they have played four more games than St Francis Rangers in third. Hassocks though can still be happy with their placing following their final league game pre-Christmas.
There are still two more matches to be played before Dave John look-a-like Santa Claus does the rounds on his sleigh but they are both in cup competitions, meaning the Robins’ Central Division work is done for 2022.
Next Sunday sees an intriguing Sussex Bluefin Dennis Probee Youth Cup second round clash with the aforementioned St Francis.
That will give Hassocks a chance to see where they stand against their local rivals and a side gunning to overtake them as nearest challengers to long-term leaders Burgess Hill Town.
The Robins then face their own League Cup tie on December 18th, a trip to Selsey being a lovely early Christmas present which everyone is very much looking forward to.
Hassocks had secured their biggest win of the season in their October trip to Mile Oak, winning 7-0 at the Recreation Ground through an Alex Brewer hat-trick, two from Will Varley, Ed Tobias and Oliver Parker-Williams.
The Robins were nowhere near as convincing this time with the winning margin cut to just two. Still, this was a pleasing way to bounce back from the 2-2 draw Hassocks had recorded away at AFC Varndeanians in their last outing a fortnight ago.
There were three changes from that match on the biggest pitch in world football otherwise known as the University of Brighton.
Ben Foster received a deserved first start of the campaign having come off the bench eight times so far. Jack Duckett and Oliver Steel were the other two players returning to the starting XI. Sam Dean dropped down to the bench whilst Oliver Goswamy and Archie Hill were unavailable.
Brewer clearly likes playing against Oak as he took his total for the season against them to five goals with a brace to go with that October treble at the Recreation Ground. That has edged Brewer further ahead of Varley in the race for the Robins Golden Boot.
Varley did manage to score for the fourth game in succession, but only once. He now stands on eight in eight with Brewer having plundered 14 from 11 appearances. The other Hassocks goal came via Duckett, scoring his first for the Robins.
Vincent De Janon grabbed both goals for Oak, denying Jack Thomas and his defence a fourth clean sheet of the season.
An unusually high number of four yellow cards were shown to Hassocks players. Brewer, Gladding, Alex Wintle and substitute Cam Mitchell all had their names taken by referee Mark Gidman.
Hassocks: Jack Thomas, Ben Foster, George Gladding, Jack Tobias, Sam Fernley, Oliver Steel, Alex Wintle, Toby Munt, Jack Duckett, Will Varley, Alex Brewer.
Subs: Cam Mitchell, Joe Woodhouse, Sam Dean (used).
