Late Loversidge winner sends Robins through in Senior Cup
Alfie Loversidge picked the perfect moment to score his first goal in nearly 18 months, securing safe passage for Hassocks into round two of the Sussex Transport Senior Cup.
Loversidge burst onto the scene in the 2021-22 campaign, scoring nine times in 43 appearances to help keep the Robins in the Southern Combination League Premier Division.
But his progress was unfortunately stalled last season through injury. The young forward was ruled out for five months between August and January and then had his minutes carefully managed as Hassocks eased him back into senior football.
That meant Loversidge had not found the back of the net since the Robins defeated East Preston 5-2 at the Beacon in March 2022, a hugely important win in the ultimately successful battle for survival.
Fast forward to the Oaks on Tuesday night and penalties were looming in this Senior Cup first round tie against AFC Uckfield Town, the score locked at 1-1 with just 90 seconds of normal time remaining.
It was then that Loversidge struck, giving Hassocks a 2-1 victory, a place in round two of the competition and the prospect of a plum tie with one of the big clubs of Sussex football.
James Westlake has made a habit of rotating his squad for cup matches, including last month when the Robins progressed beyond AFC Varndeanians in the Sussex Principal RUR Charity Cup.
He did so again here. And it is a sign of how much strength in depth the Robins currently possess that they have now seen off two fellow Southern Combination Premier Division outfits even when resting key individuals.
Five of the XI from the weekend defeat at Eastbourne United were given a night off from starting duties against Uckfield – Tom Frankland, Matt Gunn, Jamie Wilkes, Alex Fair and leading scorer Liam Benson.
Josh Mundy, Kyle Woolven, Sam Smith, Bradley Tighe and Sean Stephenson came in, the latter making his first start in Hassocks colours since joining from Newhaven.
With three of the Robins’ next four fixtures also coming in cup competitions, there are sure to be plenty of other opportunities for rotation as Hassocks navigate a busy schedule which has them playing two games a week through until the middle of October.
Having conceded after only two minutes against United at the weekend, the Robins would have been hoping to keep things tight early on.
Naturally, this led to them falling behind with just five minutes played. This young Uckfield side tried to keep the ball on the deck throughout, which is always easier said than done on the infamous surface of the Oaks.
Some neat passing out of a tight spot at right back worked the ball into the middle of the park. Mundy thought he had successfully intercepted, only to fall over a divot.
Uckfield made the most of the reprieve, switching to break down the opposite left flank where Ali Rainford crossed and Morgan Vale fired clinically beyond Fraser Trigwell.
The lead lasted for 14 minutes before Hassocks captain Alex Bygraves hauled his side level with his first goal of the season, coming after a typically threatening Joe Bull corner caused chaos in the Oakmen box.
Westlake’s rotation policy means that Raging Bull is now the only outfield player to have started all 11 matches this season for Hassocks.
Pat Harding is the only other man to be involved in every game, despite being far and away the oldest member of the squad.
Harding had scored two of the goals on the one previous occasion Hassocks and the Oakmen had met in the Senior Cup back in December 2005, so just the 18-odd years ago.
Uckfield were known as Wealden back then and playing in Division One. They were easily swatted aside 4-1 by a Robins side who went as far as the quarter finals of the competition.
Had spot kicks been required on this occasion as looked likely with the game about to enter injury time, Harding would undoubtedly have been in the first five penalty takers.
Loversidge ensured that was not the case, capping off a man-of-the-match performance with that late goal greeted by wild celebrations from the travelling players and support.
Uckfield meanwhile could take heart from their performance and will hope to use it as a platform to push up the Premier Division table having won only two of eight games so far since Steve Ives’ summer return as manager.
Other than the result, the only disappointment for them on the evening was Ellis Wright being sent off for two bookable offences.
Hassocks: Fraser Trigwell; Bradley Tighe, Sam Smith, Alex Bygraves, Joe Bull; Alfie Loversidge, Josh Mundy, Mike Williamson, Kyle Woolven; Sean Stephenson, Pat Harding.
Subs: Alex Fair, Jamie Wilkes, Tom Frankland, Sam Geard (used).
Starman: Alfie Loversidge.
