Robins make the trip to Wick for rearranged Premier Division clash
Hassocks will hope to get 2025 started at the second attempt this Saturday when making the trip south to face Wick.
Last week’s scheduled first game of the calendar year away against Horsham YMCA was lost to frost on a day when six Premier Division matches survived the weather.
Five of those games took place on the coast where it is generally warmer, giving hope that Crabtree Park can survive the expected overnight freezing temperatures this weekend.
This is already the second attempt to get the fixture played. The match was originally due to take place in early December but had to be postponed when a major leak caused serious damage to the Wick’s clubhouse.
In the four weeks since that cancellation, Hassocks have won one, drawn one and lost one of their subsequent three matches – although two of those were against the sides second and third in the table. Wick meanwhile have one victory from five games.
Wick this season
The Dragons are enjoying their first Premier Division campaign since 2016-17 after securing promotion through the Division One playoffs back in May.
Wick are well on course to consolidate at step five, sitting 13th with six wins, six draws and 10 defeats. They also have a Peter Bentley League Cup quarter final to look forward to against Peacehaven & Telscombe.
Amongst the Dragons’ more impressive recent results are a 3-0 win away at AFC Varndeanians and a 1-1 draw with Haywards Heath Town at the Home Smart Energy Stadium.
Wick v Hassocks head-to-head
Wick might have spent the previous seven seasons out of the Premier Division, but the two clubs were frequent enough opponents before that for the fixture to have racked up 40 matches. The head-to-head is remarkably close with 16 Hassocks wins, 15 Wick victories and nine draws.
The Robins traditionally find Crabtree Park a difficult place to visit, although they were victorious on their most recent visit.
That came on the opening day of the 2016-17 campaign, when a Jamie Hillwood brace secured a 2-1 success for Mark Dalgleish and Phil Wickwar’s side.
Last time Hassocks played Wick
The spoils were shared at the Hassocks Hotel Beacon Ground when the Dragons visited back in August. Josh Irish gave the visitors a 19th minute lead cancelled out by Ruari Farrell on 39.
A 1-1 draw was a good result for Hassocks by the end seeing as Jack Troak played the final 10 minutes in goal after Fraser Trigwell was red carded.
How to get to Crabtree Park
Wick is one of the easiest journeys of the season in terms of spending time on a dual carriageway. Take the A27 all the way to Arundel.
When reaching the junction with Arundel, turn left at the lights onto the A284 heading into Littlehampton.
After you cross over the railway line take an immediate left into Coomes Way, at the end of which you will find the ground.
If travelling by train, Crabtree Park is around a 30 minute walk from Littlehampton station. Kick off is at 3pm.
