Hassocks have to dig deep for big three points at Horsham YMCA
A tough test awaited Hassock in their second game of the Southern Combination League Under 23 North Division season away at Horsham YMCA.
And it was one the Robins’ passed, coming away from the Herbert Direct Stadium with an excellent 2-1 victory to make it six points out of a possible six.
Hassocks and YM have been involved in title races pretty much every year going back to 2018. Pagham pipped YM and the Robins to the West Division championship in 2017-18 but YM turned the tables when winning the league in 2018-19.
Following two Covid-interrupted seasons, the first North Division campaign played to completion in 2021-22 saw Broadbridge Heath claim the title.
Hassocks then lifted the championship in 2022-23 before it went back to Heath after a three-way tussle last season involving the Bears, Robins and YM.
It might only be the second week of the season, but Hassocks therefore knew a result here could potentially have a huge bearing on the year ahead.
The Robins made four changes from the side who had eased past Storrington 7-2 at the Hassocks Hotel Beacon Ground a week earlier.
Captain Dan Turner was absent, as was two-goal scorer against the Swans, Kian Nandhra. Also missing were young Burgess Hill Town duo Dylan Hurst and Fletcher Fane.
That meant Leo Charman and Billy Dove stepping up from the bench. Oliver Goswamy came in for his first start of the campaign and there was a debut for former Haywards Heath Town Under 18s player George Adlington.
Cavan Chedzey was on target once again for Hassocks, notching his fifth of the season already having scored four times in the win over Storrington. George Gladding was the other Hassocks scorer with his first goal for the Under 23s.
A very talented YM side contained several young players with a fair amount of first team experience. They came on strong in the second half, pulling one back on 65 minutes through Kai Oram.
The Robins then had to withstand a lot of pressure in the closing stages as YM tried to find an equaliser, requiring Will Mizon and his defence to dig deep and hold onto the lead.
YM frustrations became evident when scorer Oram and substitute Aidan Kane were booked in the final five minutes.
It proved to be something of a busy night for referee Adam Bensuretti as he flashed earlier yellow cards to three more YM players – Jake Tomlinson, Oscar Din and Ethan Prill. Hassocks duo Goswamy and Chedzey meanwhile joined them in the book.
Hassocks: Will Mizon, George Gladding, Ed Tobias, Leo Charman, Billy Dove, Oscar Kemp, Oliver Goswamy, Alex Wintle, Sam Fernley, George Adlington, Cavan Chedzey.
Subs: Ethan Brasier, Liam Deere, Jack Smith (used).
