Flying finish to the season at left back for Jack
The final Hassocks Player of the Month award of the 2022-23 went to Jack Troak, who spent April in fine form at left back.
Troak picked up two Bedlam Brewery Starman accolades for his performances against Crawley Down Gatwick and Eastbourne Town, weighing in with his eighth goal of the campaign in the latter of those matches.
The month began with a tough looking trip to Bexhill United. Troak put his set piece prowess to good use at the Polegrove, sending over a corner which the Pirates were unable to deal with as Alex Bygraves nodded back to Joe Bull on the edge of the box.
Bull did the rest, cracking a difficult left footed volley through a crowd of players and beyond unsighted Bexhill goalkeeper Alex Zamani.
Unfortunately, two second half goals including a last minute winner from Joe Summerbell saw Bexhill come from behind to win 2-1.
Troak was the best Hassocks player on the pitch when eventual Premier Division runners up Crawley Down left the Beacon with a 1-0 win a week later.
His versatility saw him deployed at left back, as the left sided central defender in a back three and then on the left wing as the Robins sought a way through a mean Down defence.
Hassocks might have found one too had they been able to take better advantage of a series of dangerous Troak corners.
Somehow though, the Anvils survived for three precious points in their ultimately unsuccessful quest to overhaul Broadbridge Heath at the top of the table.
The Robins did benefit from a beautiful Troak delivery setting up Liam Benson for the Robins’ third goal in their 3-1 win over Lingfield.
That was a huge moment at a point where the Lingers had all the momentum, having scored nine minutes earlier and with Hassocks down to 10 men for a period after Mike Williamson was sent to the sin bin.
For Troak’s goal against Eastbourne Town, he reversed roles with Bull from Bexhill at the start of the month. This time, it was a Bull corner half cleared to 25 yards out which Troak met with an absolute rocket.
Second place behind Troak in April Player of the Month went to Benson, upon whom greater goal scoring responsibilities were placed following Phil Johnson’s season ending injury at the end of March.
Benson rose to the challenge, bagging a brace in the win over Lingfield and giving a perfect target man display of leading the line and bringing others in against Eastbourne Town.
His first goal against the Lingers was a classic poacher’s finish. The 21 others players on the pitch all stopped expecting referee Daniel Copper to award a spot kick following a tough tackle on a Robin in the Lingfield box.
Benson though elected to play to the whistle, smashing a right footed effort into the bottom corner after Mr Cooper surprisingly said no penalty.
The brace was completed with a powerful header from five yards out following that aforementioned peach of a cross from Troak.
Alfie Loversidge was third in April Player of the Month, a fine way for the young forward to sign off what has been a frustrating campaign.
Loversidge was injured on the opening day of the season at Peacehaven and subsequently missed the next six months until returning towards the end of January.
Hassocks have understandably been carefully managing his game time since, with April bringing Loversidge his best run of matches.
His link up on the right wing with full back Harvey Blake has sewn a lot of panic in opposition defences and it will be fascinating to see how their fledgling partnership develops in 2023-24.
