Robins rue off night as defeat to United ruins RUR Cup run
As current unbeaten Southern Combination Premier Division leaders, Hassocks were the highest ranked team in the Sussex Principal RUR Charity Cup when hosting Eastbourne United on Tuesday.
That made this competition a feasible route to a first ever piece of senior silverware for the Robins. But as you will have deduced from the use of past tense in those two opening paragraphs, the RUR will not be the cup in which Hassocks break their duck.
They are out, eliminated ahead of the quarter final stage in a disappointing 2-0 home defeat. So disappointing in fact that Hassocks did not name a man-of-the-match afterwards.
United arrived in BN6 with only one league win to their name. Playing home games away from the Oval whilst a new 3G pitch is installed has seemingly had a big impact on Anthony Storey’s side.
Look beyond United’s lowly Premier Division placing, however, and their form in knockout competitions remained in line with a club who finished sixth last season. The Robins knew they would be in for a much tougher examination than the league table suggested.
That and the belief that Hassocks could make a big impact in the RUR Cup led James Westlake to name his strongest available XI.
The only change from the 4-1 weekend win over Horsham YMCA was enforced, the holidaying Jamie Wilkes replaced by Harry Furnell.
Even the veteran Darren Budd – never normally used on Tuesday nights if his 40-year-old body has been put through its paces on the Saturday – kept his place.
It was a different approach from last week’s Sussex Transport Senior Cup elimination. Westlake had made six changes facing Pagham seven days earlier, knowing the Robins are never likely to bother the business end of the Senior Cup.
Although the side Westlake selected was still good enough to fare better than another 2-0 defeat, the disruption played a part in losing to the Lions.
Fast starts have been a Hassocks trademark this season and so when it was United making the early running in this encounter, home connections should probably have been concerned.
Jordan Brown parried away an Arron Hopkinson effort with only seven minutes played, kick starting what was to be a busy evening for the Robins goalkeeper.
Sam Cooper rattled a post on the quarter hour mark with Brown doing well to foil Trevor McCreadie from the follow up.
Gary Ingram whistled one over on 24 before United won a penalty just before the half hour. Arron Hopkinson was cool as you like in converting past Brown.
Hassocks did at least stir a little in response without ever really testing ex-Robin James Broadbent in the United goal.
What the home side really needed to do was make it to the interval with the deficit at only one, giving Westlake an opportunity to rally the troops.
Instead, familiar foe McCreadie doubled the United advantage on the stroke of half time. The former Haywards Heath Town striker always seems to score against Hassocks and this was one of the better goals in his collection, a clever lob of Brown from outside the box.
Popular defender Dan Turner came on for his first appearance of the season but in a sign of how this night was going for the Robins, it was as an emergency striker rather than in his normal centre back berth.
Liam Hendy entering the sin bin offered further indication of Hassocks frustration. And it was during the Robins’ 10 minute spell playing shorthanded that the only real chance of the second half arrived.
No surprise that it went the way of United. The impressive Cooper being denied by a fine clearance off the line from Bradley Tighe.
Victory booked United a trip to Pagham in the last eight, a tie they will fancy their chances of winning. Hassocks meanwhile have to dust themselves down ahead of more knockout action at the weekend.
Attention turns to the second qualifying round of the FA Vase and away tie at Combined Counties Premier Division South side Horley Town.
Hassocks: Jordan Brown; Harvey Blake, Bradley Tighe, Liam Hendy, Joe Bull; Alfie Loversidge, Josh Mundy, Darren Budd, Harry Furnell; Alex Fair; Morgan Vale.
Subs: Will Berry, Ruari Farrell, Dan Turner, Noah Hoffmann, Dylan Hurst (used).
