Four goals in opening 30 minutes help Hassocks blow Alfold away
A sensational first half of football saw Hassocks Under 23s score four times on their way to a 4-0 victory at Alfold in what was easily the Robins’ best 45 minutes of the season so far.
Before kick off at the Recreation Ground, Alfold sat just one place and point below Hassocks in the Southern Combination League North Division table.
Hassocks were expecting a tough test of their top two credentials as they attempt to hang onto the coattails of runaway leaders Broadbridge Heath.
The Bears are currently nine points clear at the top and looking pretty much unbeatable having only dropped two points out of a possible 30 all season.
Instead, it was all over before the interval. Hassocks were able to take their foot off the pedal with three points secured although it did not prevent the Robins from picking up four second half yellow cards in the space of 20 minutes.
Sean McSwiney, Ben Hicks, Arthur Rawlingson and Jack Baden were the offending players but the booking spree was the only downer on what was otherwise a remarkable evening of football.
Hassocks made three changes from the side who had been beaten 2-0 at Roffey a week earlier as the Robins looked for an instant response to that disappointing third North Division defeat of the season.
Dropping out were Charlie Tuck, Archie Russell and McSwiney, who picked up his yellow card after being introduced from the bench. Rawlingson, top scorer Jay Hudson and Jack Troak were the players who stepped in.
Troak’s selection was the most interesting of the lot as he looks to work his way back to fitness after a 2021 which has been badly hampered by injuries.
The forward is yet to start a first team game so far – in fact, this was his first start in any format of football this season – thanks to a succession of problems restricting him to only a couple of cameos from the bench.
Once Hassocks get him fit and firing again, then it will be like a new signing – one who can help improve the Robins in an area they have really struggled, namely scoring goals.
It did not take Troak long to remind everyone of what he can offer in that regard against Alfold. Only four minutes had elapsed when Troak struck to give Hassocks the lead.
Four minutes later and he doubled the advantage, completing a quick-fire brace which he celebrated with his trademark energy and enthusiasm.
Next to get on the score sheet was Under 18s wide man Louis Thwaites, notching his first goal for the Under 23s. Thwaites opened his first team account in last month’s 5-0 Sussex Principal RUR Charity Cup victory over Montpelier Villa in what is proving be quite a breakthrough campaign for the teenager.
The scoring was rounded off by Jude Wallis on 32 minutes, at which point it looked like a cricket score might be on the cards.
Hassocks though began making multiple substitutions, taking full advantage of rolling subs to carefully manage their players’ game time in light of the injury and unavailability problems that have gripped the club in recent weeks.
Next up for the Robins is their final scheduled match of 2021 on Thursday 9th December. Steyning Town are the visitors to the Beacon, opponents whom Hassocks eliminated from the League Cup via a 3-1 victory three weeks ago.
A similar result against the Barrowmen will further strengthen the Robins’ grip on second spot.
Hassocks: Harvey Parker, George Mercer, Jack Baden, Luke Marshall, Arthur Rawlingson, Jude Wallis, Harvey Ransome, Jay Hudson, Ben Hicks, Louis Thwaites, Jack Troak.
Subs: Sean McSwiney, Wes Tighe, Jacob Kilkelly, Brad Sweetman (used).
