Down go to the nines in eliminating Young Robins from County Cup
There will not be a repeat of the memorable run Hassocks Under 18s enjoyed to the semi finals of the Sussex Dennis Probee Youth Cup last season after the Robins bowed out of the competition at Crawley Down Gatwick.
On the face of it, this 9-2 defeat at the Haven does not look particularly good. But the scoreline only tells half the story.
The Robins were well in the tie until late on, after which Down seemed to score with ruthless efficiency every time they launched a counter attack.
Hassocks came into the game knowing that the Anvils would be good going forward. Down had scored 21 goals already this season at an average of more than five per game, which tells its own story.
Just how good only became apparent in the second half as the game ran away from the Robins. Throughout the first 30 minutes however, it was so tight as to make predicting the outcome almost impossible.
Plenty of good football was played during that period, making it easy to see why both Hassocks and Down are flying high in their respective divisions.
The Anvils also have the significant scalps of Raynes Park Vale and Three Bridges to their name in the FA Youth Cup already.
Hassocks made three changes from their side who had run out 5-0 winners away at Mile Oak a week earlier.
Two of the players missed out were the Robins’ leading scorers from last season, Alex Brewer and Will Varley.
Brewer was only fit enough to be named on the bench. Varley was absent out altogether, along with Oliver Goswamy.Coming into their XI were Ed Tobias, Harry Goatcher and Cavan Chedzey.
For Goatcher, it was a first appearance of the season. Chedzey meanwhile was hoping to bring his scoring form for the Under 23s into the Under 18s, having notched a fourth of the season in Thursday night’s ridiculous 7-5 win at Oakwood.
Kian and Josh Nandhra have also been in amongst the goals for the Under 23s so far this season. They provided the Hassocks consolations against Down.
Five of the Anvils’ nine came from one player. Ricardo De Ponte Silva going berserk to get within one goal of a double hat-trick. The rout was completed by Alex Tidy, Luca Anderson, Lewis Gould and an own goal.
Down will now face either Lancing or Newhaven in round three. Based on this, it would not be a surprise to see them emulate the Robins’ achievements last year of being the last Southern Combination League side left at the business end of the competition.
As for Hassocks, they will be hoping to bounce back when they return to their bread and butter of Central Division action away at Saltdean United next Sunday,
Hassocks: Theo Bradley, Charlie Fogden, Ben Foster, Ed Tobias, Sam Fernley, Kian Nandhra, Sam Dean, George Gladding, Harry Goatcher, Josh Nandhra, Cavan Chedzey.
Subs: Alex Brewer, Toby Munt, Will Hartley.
