Khalloqui wins it at the YMCA to set up two-way title tussle
The tussle for the Southern Combination League Under 23 North Division title now looks like being a straight fight between Hassocks and Broadbridge Heath after the Robins ran out 1-0 winners at Horsham YMCA.
Faris Khalloqui scored the only goal of the game, moving second-placed Hassocks five points clear with a game in hand of YM in fourth.
The other contender in what was previously a four-way battle were Lingfield. Their 4-2 home defeat against Broadridge Heath at the same time Hassocks were winning against YM leaves the Lingers now mathematically out of the contest, having only one game left and trailing Heath by six points.
Hassocks meanwhile are four behind the Bears. The two sides meet at the Beacon on Monday evening for a clash which will go a long way towards deciding if the Robins retain their title or Heath regain the championship they won in the 2021-22 campaign.
Although there was only a single goal in it between Hassocks and YM, this was an entertaining 90 minutes which ebbed and flowed from one end to the other and provided an excellent advert for Under 23s football.
Both sides enjoyed spells of domination and with a little more composure in front of goal, it could easily have finished 5-5.
YM started and ended strongly whilst Hassocks did their best work through the middle period. Where Hassocks had the edge was experience and that ultimately is what helped them resist the pressure applied by the hosts, especially in a frantic final 20 minutes.
Bradley Tighe and Nathan Miles at either end of the pitch have over 400 senior appearances between them.
The Robins were also able to call upon first teamers Josh Mundy, Alfie Loversidge and Faris Khalloqui, all of whom easily qualify as Under 23s.
This was in fact Khalloqui’s debut for the side having featured exclusively for the first team since moving to the Beacon from Broadbridge Heath in January.
His goal was a pretty special one, a powerful right footed strike in the second half as Hassocks finally made the most of their spell on top.
Watching proceedings between was Ryan Gayler and his TeamTalk Sussex Football channel, who spoke Khalloqui and Robins defender Sam Fernley afterwards.
“It’s a big three points,” said Khalloqui. “The team worked hard. It was a shaky start to begin with, we lost the ball a little too much but we grew into the game and got the win.”
As part of the back line which secured an important clean sheet, Fernley added: “It was full-on defensively the whole time. We were struggling the first 20 minutes and the last 20 were a nightmare when we couldn’t get our box.”
The Robins though weathered the storm, leaving a title race of two. All eyes on Monday night at the Beacon.
Hassocks: Jack Thomas, Ben Hicks, Bradley Tighe, Noah McHale, Sam Fernley, Alfie Loversidge, Faris Khalloqui, Josh Mundy, Alex Wintle, Julian Durand, Nathan Miles.
Subs: Cavan Chedzey, Charlie Fogden, Evan China (used).
