Rare win at Peacehaven makes it seven straight for rampant Robins
Seven wins in a row to equal the club record in senior football. Three points from the Window Workshop Sports Park for only the second time this century.
And now level on points at the top of the Southern Combination Premier Division with leaders Newhaven. This was some Saturday for Hassocks down at Peacehaven & Telscombe, as they ran out 2-1 victors at a venue where success has traditionally been in short supply.
You had to go back to the 2011-12 campaign to find the last time the Robins defeated the Tye on their own patch – the sole Hassocks Southern Combination success in these parts between 2000 and now.
Goals from Phil Gault, Nathan Miles and current head coach James Westlake secured a 3-0 win for Mickey Jewell’s side. Hassocks went onto end the season in fourth spot, the highest finish in the club’s history.
Nobody at the Beacon is publicly taking about the Class of 2024 surpassing that achievement yet – especially with five of their 10 remaining games against fellow teams in the top six.
Yet at the same time, nobody expected the Robins to be kept off the top of the standings by only goal difference after 28 matches.
They were meant to have fallen away, back into mid table long ago. Consequently, Hassocks find themselves under little pressure and are thriving in their role as gatecrashes of the playoff picture.
“Whatever happens now, we’ve just got to enjoy the journey,” said assistant manager Tom Hughes after the full time whistle at Peacehaven. And enjoy it, they certainly are.
With half the Premier Division fixture list wiped out because of the wet weather leading into the weekend, a bumper crowd of 301 were at the Sports Park.
There was never any danger of this one being off; Piddinghoe Avenue is one of the windiest places on Earth, meaning the pitch was thoroughly dried out to the point no inspection was even needed.
The general consensus amongst the neutrals watching was that even in a game of few clearcut chances, you could understand why both Hassocks and the Tye are fighting for a top five finish.
Westlake though was of the opinion that his team can play better. “We weren’t at our best but we dug deep, stayed organised and got another three points,” said the Robins boss.
There was, however, one negative to come from Hassocks’ afternoon down on the south coast. Captain Alex Bygraves required lengthy treatment before being substituted with a serious knee injury seven minutes before half time.
Hassocks were still waiting for an official diagnosis on Sunday morning, but Westlake felt it unlikely Bygraves would play again this season.
Westlake also thanked Peacehaven officials and fans for the fantastic support given to Bygraves in what was a difficult situation, though it did not come as a surprise.
Bygraves remains a popular figure with the Tye, having skippered Peacehaven through the 2021-22 campaign.
Losing Bygraves for the run-in represents a blow to Hassocks, even with a decent roster of centre backs in Bradley Tighe, Matt Gunn and Dan Turner still to choose from.
Turner started his first league game of the season here after scoring the late winner against Little Common in midweek. He was joined by Gunn from the bench once Bygraves departed the action.
Tighe meanwhile was at right back with Harvey Blake away skiing. The stalwart made the most of the attacking licence the brief afforded by opening the scoring on 27 minutes.
A cross-shot from the right was caught by the wind on its way to defying former Hassocks number one Nathan Stroomberg-Clarke in the Peacehaven goal.
Having waited 192 games and nine years to open his account for the Robins, Tighe has suddenly become prolific to notch twice in nine matches.
Not only that, but both goals have come against Peacehaven – a fact which has gone down rather well with Tighe’s father Jason, who had a long association as player and coach with the Tye’s arch rivals, Newhaven.
There was also a certain element of luck involved when Hassocks doubled the advantage in the second half via an own goal turned past Stroomberg-Clarke by a black and white shirted defender. Fortune may have favoured the Robins but they deserved it, having just about been the better side.
Ross Barclay pulled one back for Peacehaven in the fifth minute of injury time to set up a nervy final few, which included the Tye throwing Stroomberg-Clarke up for a corner.
Hassocks though held on for another famous victory in a campaign full of them and a well-deserved place in the record books.
Hassocks: Fraser Trigwell; Bradley Tighe, Alex Bygraves, Dan Turner, Joe Bull; Sean Stephenson, Jamie Wilkes, Mike Williamson, Pat Harding; Faris Khallouqi; Jack Troak.
Subs: Matt Gunn (Bygraves 38), Alfie Loversidge (Stephenson 67), Julian Durand (Harding 86), Josh Mundy, Noah McHale (unused).
Starman: Bradley Tighe.
