No stopping Robins as they run riot over Little Common
How Hassocks occupy such a lofty place in the Southern Combination Premier Division has been explained in various quarters by a gentle set of opening fixtures.
But if the Robins rack up many more victories like this 4-1 win at Little Common, it will not be long before that reasoning wears thin.
Hassocks had not defeated Common since 1994. Just one place and two points separated the sides last season and it was the same gap in the current campaign prior to the Robins running riot at the Recreation Ground.
By whichever way you want to measure it, this was a statement from Hassocks. And whilst sterner tests lie ahead, on current form there are few opponents the Robins will fear facing.
Nor will many fancy taking on Hassocks all the while they cannot stop scoring. Seven September fixtures have yielded 21 goals and Liam Benson leads the Premier Division scoring charts with 15 from 14 appearances.
Benson is just four goals away from equalling his best ever haul for a season and it is not even October yet.
Another player in fine fettle is Sean Stephenson. Hassocks have put the talents of the former Ipswich Town Under 18s defender to good use out wide, from where he opened the scoring against Common with 37 minutes on the clock.
It was Stephenson’s third goal in six matches since joining the Robins from Newhaven. Such are the options available to James Westlake in wide areas that he could afford to leave three players as good as Alex Fair, Kyle Woolven and Alfie Loversidge on the bench.
Hassocks were dealt a blow immediately after taking the lead when Lewis Westlake left the action to be replaced by Josh Mundy.
Having spent the best part of a year out injured, the hope will be that Westlake’s early departure was precautionary rather than anything related to the problems which have plagued him for the past 12 months.
Common were able to take advantage of the unexpected personnel change forced upon the Robins by equalising four minutes after Stephenson struck and three minutes after Westlake was removed.
Jamie Bunn provided the leveller with a well hit penalty kick, giving Fraser Trigwell no chance of keeping it out.
A goal so close to half time often can often turn a game around. Common certainly seemed buoyed by going in level, building on the undoubted confidence taken from their thrilling 3-2 Peter Bentley League Cup win over local rivals Bexhill United in midweek.
Hassocks therefore deserved a huge amount of credit for the way they started the second half. They defended manfully to restrict Common to few chances. It was a Robins back four showing two changes from what has been the norm in recent weeks.
Harvey Blake came in at right back in place of Tom Frankland and Bradley Tighe took over in the middle from Matt Gunn, serving the first of a three game ban for his sending off in the 5-4 FA Vase win at Sheerwater a week ago.
Hassocks then became more of an attacking force, thanks largely to Pat Harding taking an ever increasingly prominent role.
Playing off the left behind Benson, Super Pat would end the afternoon as the Robins man-of-the-match and by making a little bit of Hassocks history.
But first came two goals in as many minutes just before the hour mark to put the Robins firmly in control. Benson of course provided one, his ninth of September as he was named Hassocks Player of the Month for the second time in succession.
The other saw Common put past their own goalkeeper, Tommy Sceale. The quick-fire nature in which the Robins had taken a two-goal lead left Common surprised and Hassocks with something to protect.
Prior to that point, the game had ebbed and flowed at a ferocious pace. Hassocks showed exemplary game management to slow things down, take the sting out of the tie and snuff out any hopes of a Common comeback.
The icing on the cake was then provided by Harding added the fourth with 14 minutes left to play. Super Pat finished with aplomb for his 144th goal in Hassocks colours, taking him above James Laing into second place in the Robins all-time scorers list behind only Phil Gault.
Hassocks: Fraser Trigwell; Harvey Blake, Bradley Tighe, Alex Bygraves, Joe Bull; Sean Stephenson, Lewis Westlake, Mike Williamson, Pat Harding; Jamie Wilkes; Liam Benson.
Subs: Josh Mundy (Westlake 37), Alfie Loversidge (Stephenson 58), Kyle Woolven (Harding 77), Alex Fair (Wilkes 77), Charlie Fogden (Bull 87).
Starman: Pat Harding.
