Seven matches for the Robins in preparation for the new Southern Combination League campaign
Hassocks will play seven pre-season friendly matches across July before the start of the 2023-24 Southern Combination League Premier Division campaign.
The highlight will, as always, be the Ann John Trophy between the Robins and Burgess Hill Town. 2023 will be the 10th time the sides have come together to support St Peter & St James’ Hospice with the game taking place on Thursday 20th July at the Beacon, kick off at 7:45pm.
The Hillians made it six wins in a row last season but it was a much closer game than in recent years, a 2-1 victory for the visitors only decided late on via a controversial penalty converted by Lewis Finney.
A Trialist had given Hill a first half lead cancelled out when Jack Troak scored from the spot for Hassocks, before Mike Williamson was harshly adjudged to have fouled Hayden Skerry in an entanglement which appeared in any case to have taken place outside the box.
More important than the result, over £1500 was raised for the Hospice. Entry this year is once again by donation with every raised going to St Peter & St James’ in memory of Ann.
The Ann John Trophy game falls between two other friendlies with Isthmian League opponents. Southern Combination League champions Broadbridge Heath visit the Beacon on Saturday 15th in a 3pm kick off, followed by Whitehawk on Saturday 22nd also at 3pm.
Hassocks and Heath provided one of the most entertaining games of the 2022-23 campaign last time they met in Mid Sussex back in September.
Lewis Croal put the Bears into the lead with 10 minutes on the clock, only for Liam Benson to equalise three minutes later. Next came Hassocks’ turn to take the lead, Troak hitting a rocket from 30 yards which Bears goalkeeper Liam Matthews had no chance of keeping up.
The Robins led 2-1 up until the 71st minute when Tyler Symonds levelled. Croal added his second on 82 and judging by the reaction of some of the Heath substitutes, they thought that was it.
In keeping with a game which ebbed and flowed from one end to the other, Hassocks equalised for the second time almost straight from their kick off. Leon Turner broke and crossed for Benson to head home as it finished 3-3.
Whitehawk were also visitors to the Beacon last season, running out 6-0 winners in a friendly. Given the quality of football they produced that day, it was little surprise to see Hawks promoted to the Isthmian League Premier Division through the playoffs at the end of the campaign.
Hassocks will open their pre-season fixtures with a trip to Kent Premier Division runners up Peckham Town on Saturday 1st July, kick off 3pm at the wonderfully named Menace Arena.
Rumours that Troak is going to whip out his infamous all-blue “Trigger” suit for the trip to the homeplace of Only Fools & Horses remain unconfirmed.
A week later and the Robins head to Southern Combination Division One side Billingshurst. Hassocks have faced Hurst just once before, a second round Sussex Principal RUR Charity Cup clash in 2016. The Robins ran out 3-0 winners thanks to a brace from Michael Death and a Nathan Miles effort.
Hassocks then go to Epsom & Ewell on Tuesday 11th July. The Salts ran out 1-0 victors at the Beacon in pre-season a year ago and ended the 2022-23 campaign winning the Division One playoffs.
They have since been moved back to the Combined Counties League by the FA. Kick off is 7:30pm but the venue for this game is yet to be confirmed.
Epsom are set to groundshare with Cobham at another incredibly named venue, Leg O’Mutton Field, for this season. The Leg O’Mutton is not available on July 11th, however, and so the Robins visit will take place elsewhere.
Those three matches with Isthmian League opponents follow before Hassocks end their friendly fixtures at home to Division side Oakwood on Tuesday 25th July. Kick off will be at the earlier-than-usual time of 7:30pm.
The Southern Combination League campaign will then get underway on Saturday 29th July with the full fixture list expected to be released within the next couple of weeks.
