Robins progress on penalties with derby day win in Dennis Probee Cup
After three postponements, Hassocks and St Francis Rangers were finally able to get their Sussex Bluefin Dennis Probee Youth Cup second round tie played at the fourth attempt thanks to some flexibility in venues.
The draw had originally given Hassocks a home game but when the tie was cancelled twice at the Beacon, it switched to Colwell Road as per Sussex County FA Cup competition rules.
A waterlogged pitch last Sunday at St Francis caused yet another postponement and when an early pitch inspection ruled Colwell Road again unplayable on the morning of this game, Rangers surrendered home advantage and agreed to play the match at the Beacon.
This turned out to be good news for Hassocks, who progressed via penalties following an entertaining 2-2 draw after 90 minutes against their local rivals.
A tight game always looked on the cards with the Robins sitting second in the Southern Combination League Under 18 Central Division and Rangers one point and one place behind in third.
St Francis though have four games in hand; win them all and they would overhaul not only Hassocks but move level on points with long-term leaders and the other Mid Sussex side in the division, Burgess Hill Town.
With neither team having played a competitive game since December 4th – although the Robins had enjoyed a friendly runout away at Newhaven on the new Trafalgar Ground 3G earlier in January – there was a worry that rustiness might impact on the contest.
Those fears did not last long as Hassocks were soon into their groove, carrying on where they had left off when beating Mile Oak 4-2 in their most recent Central Division action.
The Robins made three changes from that victory. In came Oliver Goswamy, Harry Goatcher and Cameron Mitchell, who had impressed from the bench against Oak.
Dropping out were Jack Duckett, Oliver Steel and Will Varley, the Robins’ second-top scorer with eight goals in eight games.
Hassocks coped admirably without Varley. Alex Wintle and Goswamy found the back of the net to take the tie to spot kicks.
The shootout played out at the railway end of the ground. Hassocks saw their first penalty brilliantly kept out by the Rangers goalkeeper low down to his left but the Robins were spot on after that with every player remarkably picking out the top corner.
Jack Thomas saved the second Rangers spot kick and when the visitors dragged their third wide, a successful Hassocks conversion saw the Robins through 4-2 from 12 yards.
Round three will bring either Worthing United or Burgess Hill Town to the Beacon in February. Before then, there is further knockout football to come in the Robins’ next game, a League Cup tie at Selsey in two week’s time.
Hassocks: Jack Thomas, Ben Foster, George Gladding, Ed Tobias, Sam Fernley, Cam Mitchell, Alex Wintle, Toby Munt, Oliver Goswamy, Harry Goatcher, Alex Brewer.
Subs: Ryan Goss, Sam Dean (used).
