Three wins from three and no goals scored sees Robins take award
Hassocks have been named by the Southern Combination League as Premier Division Team of the Month for January 2024.
It is the first time the Robins have won a Team of the Month award since… well, nobody can actually remember.
Hassocks won three games out three through January without conceding a goal. At the other end, the Robins scored 10 times at an average of more than three per game.
That was enough to see Hassocks pip local rivals Haywards Heath Town to the accolade. The Bluebells were the only other team with a 100 percent record in January, scoring eight in four matches and conceding twice.
Hassocks started the month with a 3-0 victory away at AFC Varndeanians. A rare Mike Williamson goal opened the scoring at Withdean Stadium followed by Pat Harding netting with his first touch after coming off the bench in the second half.
According to the man himself, it was the first time in Super Pat’s lengthy career that he has ever scored with his first touch of a game.
Next came a 4-0 victory over an improving Loxwood side at the Beacon. The game was won before half time as the Robins sauntered into an unassailable 3-0 lead.
Captain Alex Bygraves turned home a low cross from Alex Fair to get the party started with a little over 15 minutes played.
Fair himself added the second on the half hour mark, rounding off a blistering Hassocks counter attack.
Fraser Trigwell saved a close range header from a corner at one end, from where the Robins swept forward. 10 seconds later and Fair was rounding Magpies goalkeeper Jacob Bennett to double the advantage.
Tall striker Jamie Wilkes made it 3-0 five minutes before the break. Leon Turner embarked on a powerful run up the left before cutting inside and playing a low pass across the box. The rangy Wilkes duly applied the finish, picking up the bottom corner with aplomb.
Loxwood lost their discipline in the second half, with one player ending up in the sin bin and two members of their management team shown red cards. Once all that drama was over, Harding headed in a Joe Bull corner to complete the rout.
The final game of January saw the Robins make it back-to-back 4-0 victories with success at AFC Uckfield Town.
Harding scored for the third game running with a clever 25 yard lob in the first half. The Oakmen were reduced to 10 when Jay Pullen was shown a straight red card for a horror tackle five minutes after the break.
Hassocks ruthlessly took advantage of their man advantage with further goals from Wilkes, Jack Troak and Sean Stephenson following in the final 20 minutes.
