County Cup quarter final awaits after Robins overpower Oakwood
The quarter finals of the Sussex Under 23 Cup await Hassocks for the first time since the 2019-20 season after a routine 5-1 win over Oakwood.
Five different scorers were on target for the Robins and four of them are current Under 18s players as a young side easily saw off the bottom club in the North Division at the Hassocks Hotel Beacon Ground.
Defender Leo Charman headed the hosts into an early lead from a couple of yards following an in-swinging corner.
It was pretty much one way traffic after that. Kian Nandhra volleyed a Sam Fernley cross against the bar before Evan China doubled the advantage.
Nandhra was the architect, cutting in from the right wing and playing a defence splitting pass which picked out the run of the Robins left winger. China did the rest, finding the opposite corner to score his fourth goal in the County Cup this season.
Nandhra was the one non-Under 18s player to get on the scoresheet when adding the third not long after.
He intercepted a loose Oakwood pass around 15 yards inside the Hassocks half and exchanged a one-two to go galloping clear.
The one-on-one finish was calmness personified, Nandhra dinking over the advancing goalkeeper with the ball dropping under the bar at the near post.
Oakwood almost pulled one back on the stoke of half time. A long ball out from the back caught the Hassocks defence static, meaning Will Mizon had to show his flexibility in extending a leg to keep out a shot.
Mizon made another fine save early in the second half from Archie Fuller. Charman was then a little fortunate not to concede a penalty when appearing to pull back Abrahim Olaniran as the Oakwood substitute attempted to retrieve the rebound.
The visitors were now trying to make a game of it, forcing Hassocks to step up a gear. Oscar Kemp duly made it 4-0 when Nandhra picked up possession in midfield and fed the Under 18s captain.
Kemp showed great feet to dance around two Oakwood defenders on the edge of the box, firing into the bottom corner with his trademark unerring accuracy.
Oakwood captain Jack Charman pulled one back when volleying home a deep free kick but the Robins ensured the winning margin remained four when Liam Deere made it 5-1 late on.
Deere managed to steal ahead of both the visiting goalkeeper and a defender to head in a corner at the back post, although there was initially some confusion over whether the referee had disallowed for a foul.
The Robins will now face West Division side Ferring at home in November with a big semi up for grabs.
Hassocks: Will Mizon, Sam Fernley, Leo Charman, Sam Quickfall, Ben Hicks, Noah McHale, George Gladding, Alex Wintle, Oscar Kemp, Evan China, Kian Nandhra.
Subs: Jack Smith, Jack Duckett, Liam Deere, Ethan Brasier, Ben Foster.
