More penalty drama but this time it does not go in favour of the Robins
For the third time in less than a month, a Hassocks side were involved in penalty shootout drama.
Unfortunately for the Under 23s, they were less successful than their Under 18s counterparts from 12 yards and that meant elimination from the Southern Combination League Under 23 Cup at the third round stage.
The Robins found themselves held to a 1-1 draw away at East Preston after 90 minutes, meaning dreaded spot kicks were required to decide who advanced to a quarter final meeting with either Storrington or Eastbourne Town.
Whereas the Under 18s had won both their January shootouts 4-2 against St Francis Rangers and Selsey, Neil Parker’s side were defeated by that same scoreline at the Lashmar.
Hassocks have reached the semi final of this competition in both the 2018-19 and the 2021-22 seasons, the previous two campaigns it has been played to completion.
As North Division leaders, the Robins would have fancied their chances of making it through to at least the last eight facing an EP side who sit mid table in the West Division.
Everyone knows however, cup football rarely works out like that and so Hassocks are left to concentrate on their quest for a first league title over the final two months of the season.
The Robins named a strong team including three first team players working their way back from injury. Liam Benson played his first minutes since the 3-0 victory over AFC Uckfield Town in the opening game of 2023.
Finding themselves involved in the Under 23s for the second week running were Lewis Westlake and Alfie Loversidge.
Club captain Westlake had started and Loversidge been a second half substitute in last Thursday’s 4-1 victory at home to Roffey.
Loversidge started this time around after a decent cameo from the bench for the first team away at Roffey on Tuesday night, when Hassocks scored in the 87th and 94th minutes to win 2-1 against the Boars.
There was one other change. Jude Wallis was rewarded for scoring his first goal of the season as a substitute last week with a place in the starting XI.
Wes Tighe dropped down the bench, Will Broomfield was absent and Jack Baden has returned to Hailsham Town after two Under 23s appearances following his December move back to the Robins from the Beaconsfield.
EP took an early lead through Morgan Day scoring in the 11th minute, cancelled out by Charlie Broad netting for the second game in succession. Broad’s goal was his fifth of the season and takes him above Danny Reid in the Hassocks scoring charts.
Despite plenty of huffing and puffing, the Robins were unable to make any further inroads on the scoreboard and so the tie went to penalties, where EP proved spot on to advance to the last eight of the competition.
Hassocks: Jack Thomas, Jude Wallis, Jack Smith, Sam Smith, Ben Hicks, Lewis Westlake, Sam Rogers, Sam Geard, Alfie Loversidge, Liam Benson, Charlie Broad.
Subs: Marshall Smith, Wes Tighe, Callum Thompson (used).
