Young Robins run riot over Rebels to book County Cup semi final spot
For only the third time in Hassocks history, the Robins Under 18s are into the semi finals of the Sussex Dennis Probee Youth Cup.
Hassocks claimed their second Isthmian League scalp of the competition so far, winning 4-1 in their home quarter final against Worthing.
The Young Robins had eliminated Hastings United in the previous round. They will now host Shoreham at the Hassocks Hotel Beacon Ground on Sunday 2nd February with a place in the final the reward for the winners.
Whilst advancing this far in the County Cup is rare for the Robins, Hassocks did lift the trophy back in the 2001-02 season.
That Under 18s side included current club chairman Pat Harding, who was present to see the Class of 2025 move a step closer to emulating what remains the greatest achievement in the 33 years that Hassocks have run a youth team.
Against Worthing, the Robins put on the perfect display when faced with opponents from a higher division.
Hassocks were clinical when their first half chances came. They then defended magnificently in the face of significant pressure, before wrapping up victory playing on the counter.
Nerves were evident on both sides during a cagey start before the Robins took a 22nd minute lead via defender Scott Smith.
A dangerous corner was swung over from Kai Birchley, dropping in amongst a mass of bodies in the box. Smith managed to swing a leg somewhere in all the confusion to volley home from close range.
That shocked the Rebels and just five minutes later, Hassocks doubled their advantage. Captain Oscar Kemp bought down a long throw using his thigh on the edge of the box.
With his back to goal, he showed great strength to roll his marker and turn into space. From there, Kemp hit a distance effort which clipped a Worthing defender to leave the visiting goalkeeper wrongfooted.
The deflection was a significant one but there was enough power in Kemp’s strike to believe it may well have flown in even without the help of the Rebels centre back.
A magnificent passage of play almost gave Hassocks a third not long after. Goalkeeper George Lythgoe played out from the back with the Robins working a passing move up the right flank through Leo Charman, Smith, Evan China, Kemp and Smith again.
Smith then swept a wonderful cross field pass behind the Worthing defence, latched onto by Ethan Brasier. The Worthing goalkeeper pulled off a fine save to tip Brasier’s drive over the bar.
Regan Davis nearly scored from the resulting corner, only to see a towering header at the far post come back off the upright.
Hassocks did manage to add a third before half time. Kemp picked up the pieces after a Rebels corner went awry, speeding past the Worthing right back on a run which carried him 80 yards up the pitch.
After making it to the by-line, Kemp squared across the face of goal for Charlie Bonwick-Adams to convert on the slide.
Worthing came out all guns blazing in the second half. They hit the post from an early corner, followed by pulling one back when a looping cross and header beat Lythgoe.
The Robins now had to dig deep. Lythgoe made a super save from a close range one-on-one. He then somehow grabbed the ball from another header at the very last moment, right on the goal line. Worthing appeals that it had crossed fell on deaf ears.
Resolute defending from that point on meant Lythgoe was not significantly troubled again, although a two-goal advantage still never felt entirely safe against such good opposition.
But with six minutes remaining, Hassocks wrapped up victory. Birchley delivered another pinpoint set piece to cause further chaos in the Rebels box, where Brasier was on hand to apply a clever first time finish from a knockdown.
Hassocks: George Lythgoe, Scott Smith, Leo Charman, Regan Davis, Wilf Jenkins, Kai Birchley, Oliver Goswamy, Charlie Bonwick-Adams, Oscar Kemp, Ethan Brasier, Evan China.
Subs: Nye Sim, Ben Foster, George Drake, Liam Deere, Will Hartley.
