Six different scorers for Hassocks in their Thursday night thrashing of the Tigers
It was a Thursday night delight for Hassocks Under 18s as six different goal scorers saw the Robins to a 6-0 victory over Saltdean United at the Beacon in their first Central Division fixture for over a month.
Since defeat to Burgess Hill Town on Sunday 26th February, a combination of fixtures postponed and impressive runs to the semi finals of both the Sussex Bluefin Dennis Probee Youth Cup and the Southern Combination Under 18 League Cup have meant Hassocks not playing a minute of league football.
That has left something of a fixture backlog, with seven games crammed into four April weeks. Having not played a midweek match all season, this victory over Saltdean represented the first of three games under lights between now and the end of the month.
If every one of those evening fixtures goes as well as this, then it will be exciting run-in for Hassocks – especially with their next midweek match in one week’s time being a big semi in the League Cup away at Newhaven.
Despite the intense schedule and the importance of that trip to the Trafalgar Ground next Thursday, the Robins resisted the temptation to rest players. There were only two changes from Sunday’s 3-0 quarter final victory at Seaford Town.
Hassocks top scorer Alex Brewer is having his minutes carefully managed following injury. He came into the starting XI after being named amongst the substitutes at the Crouch and Ben Foster was also given an opportunity. The players missing out were Alex Wintle and Jack Duckett.
Saltdean arrived at the Beacon one place and two points above Hassocks in the standings. With that suggesting the two sides were relatively evenly matched, such a convincing win made this one of the best Central Division results and performances of the season for the Robins.
It proved to be something of an all-tempered affair. The Tigers were reduced to 10 men when Dan Edmeads saw red and they also Owen Hindle booked earlier in the game. Charlie Smith picked up a yellow for Hassocks after being introduced from the bench for his second appearance of the campaign.
All three of the Robins’ principal forwards netted. Brewer was joined on the scoresheet by Will Varley and Oliver Parker-Williams. The other three Hassocks goal-getters were Oliver Goswamy, Ed Tobias and sub Ewan Edwards.
At the opposite end, Jack Thomas recorded his sixth clean sheet of the season and third in succession. Thomas and his backline could be particularly pleased with their shutout given Saltdean forward Jimmy Tasker is battling it out with Brewer for the Central Division golden boot.
Hassocks are next in action on Sunday when travelling to Steyning Town. Kick off is 11am at the Birchwood Ground.
Hassocks: Jack Thomas, Sam Dean, George Gladding, Ed Tobias, Sam Fernley, Ben Foster, Harry Goatcher, Oliver Goswamy, Alex Brewer, Will Varley, Oliver Parker-Williams.
Subs: Ryan Goss, Ewan Edwards, Charlie Smith (used).
