Brilliant defensive display gives Robins scalp of champions elect
Hassocks Under 18s maybe unlikely to lift the Southern Combination Under 18 Central Division title ahead of Burgess Hill Town this season.
But the Robins did at least ensure their local rivals will not go the season undefeated after picking up a magnificent 1-0 win on Easter Sunday at the Homecall Carpets Community Stadium.
Hill came into the game with a perfect record. 12 wins from 12 league matches. 46 goals scored and only nine conceded.
Hassocks though made the short journey north feeling a little hard done by. The Hillians had benefited from being awarded their six most recent points via walkovers after Lancing and Haywards Heath Town both failed to raise sides.
Those would not have been easy games for Hill. Lancing are one of only three times to have stopped Hassocks winning this season, whilst Health almost did the same when the Robins only just edged a chaotic Mid Sussex Derby 4-3 at Hanbury Park back in September.
Who knows how much tighter the title race would be if Hill had faced those two? The Hillians will benefit from another three points awarded too following the news that St Francis Rangers have pulled out of the league.
The feeling that their hosts had been given a helping hand towards the championship certainly provided additional motivation for Hassocks.
What followed was a mature, organised display from the Robins in which they carried out their tactical instructions to a tee.
That made it easily the most pleasing win of the campaign. There have been games with plenty of goals scored and opponents blown away – most notably when Hassocks led Mile Oak 7-0 at half time – but this was a victory based on a gameplan and doing a number on the best team in the division.
The Robins abandoned their normal formation, setting up in a 5-4-1. The aim was to contain a Hillians side averaging just shy of four goals per game, looking to hit them on the counter mainly through Kian Nandhra and top scorer Cavan Chedzey.
Hassocks made two changes from their 3-0 home win over Saltdean United the previous Sunday. Connor O’Farrell made a hugely impressive debut as the latest player to step up from the Juniors side.
Toby Munt meanwhile was restored straight to the starting XI having missed the Saltdean game suspended after picking up a red card in the draw with Lancing three weeks earlier. George Gladding and Leo Charman were the two players who missed out.
The decision to start Munt proved an inspired one as he popped up with the only goal of the game, at the same time as playing a huge role in helping Hassocks keep a clean sheet at the other end.
For the first time this season, the Robins did not make a single substitution. Hill on the other hand used all five of their permitted subs and yet could find no way through in what proved to be a job brilliantly done by Hassocks.
Hassocks: Theo Bradley, Charlie Fogden, Evan China, Toby Munt, Ed Tobias, Sam Fernley, Kian Nandhra, Sam Dean, Connor O’Farrell, George Drake, Cavan Chedzey.
Subs: None used
