Robins start their FA Cup adventure at home to Erith Town
The draws for the early stages of the national cup competitions have been made with Hassocks handed a home tie in the FA Cup and an away trip in the FA Vase.
Erith Town will visit the Beacon in the extra preliminary round of the FA Cup on Saturday 5th August. The Dockers finished fourth in the Southern Counties East Premier Division last season, their third consecutive top 10 placing.
It will be the fifth meeting between the Robins and Town. The most recent came at the same stage of the FA Cup in the 2018-19 season, the Dockers winning 3-1 at the Beacon through a Luis Valencia brace and a Alex Nelson strike. Spencer Slaughter had opened the scoring for Hassocks.
The Robins saw off Town 3-0 in another extra preliminary clash at the Beacon as they made it to within two games of the first round proper in the 2005-06 campaign. Pat Harding scored twice and Anthony Hibbert once.
Two other meetings took place in the 2000-01 season. The sides played out a 2-2 preliminary round draw at the Erith Sports Stadium before Hassocks triumphed 3-1 in the replay three days later.
Hassocks will have added incentive to progress this time beyond the prize money and it being the world’s greatest cup competition.
The winners will face an away tie against either Sutton Common Rovers or Burgess Hill Town on Saturday 19th August. The Robins have not faced their Mid Sussex rivals in a competitive game since the 2003-04 season.
In the FA Vase, Hassocks have been given a bye to the second qualifying round where they will travel to either Sheerwater or Clapton.
Sheerwater finished 16th of 20 in the Combined Counties League Premier Division South last season. Clapton are one of the most famous non-league clubs in the country and will compete in the Eastern Counties League Division One South in 2023-24 following relegation from the Essex Senior League.
The Robins have played neither side before in a competitive fixture. The game will take place on Saturday 23rd September.
