It was a good Sunday for Hassocks as both the Under 18s and Ladies sides won their respective fixtures against Lancing and Steyning Town.
The under 18s made hard work of making it two wins out of two to start the season. They had led 5-1 with 25 minutes left to play at Culver Road but a remarkable comeback saw the Lancers get to within one goal of the Robins before the final whistle blew with the score 5-4 to the visitors.
Hassocks boss Brad Sweetman made three changes from the previous weeks 4-1 win over St Francis Rangers as he continues to blood an entirely new squad. There were debuts for goalkeeper Toby Fisher and forward George Mercer while Brandon Sheppard was handed his first start after an impressive cameo from the bench at Colwell Road.
The Robins took the lead after just 10 minutes through Alex Moulvogn and doubled that advantage four minutes later when Tristan Hayes scored the first of what would turn out to be a hat-trick.
Captain Jack Baden made it 3-0 five minutes the break as the hosts were restricted to just a couple of half chances in an excellent first half display from Hassocks.
They extended their lead to four through Hayes again with the second half just 10 minutes before Lancing pulled one back when Oscar Pettit netted.
The lead was reduced to three for only a matter of minutes as virtually from kick off, Hassocks went straight up the other end and made it 5-1 as Hayes completed his treble.
That galvanised Lancing into life as goals three goals in the space of a quarter of an hour from Charlie-Joe Millard, Harrison Longley and Sam Wilinson sent up a tense last five minutes.
It was encouraging for Sweetman then that his side managed to see out the remainder of the game despite the pressure being cranked up, maintaining their 100% record in the process.
The under 18s are next in action this coming Thursday night at home to Upper Beeding. Kick off is at 7.45pm at the Beacon.
The ladies meanwhile put the disappointment of their FA Cup exit to Islington Borough the previous week behind them by starting their league campaign with an 8-1 win over Steyning Town.
Both Town and the Robins are new to the South East Counties Women’s League Division One East this season, Hassocks having been demoted from the Premier Division at the end of last season while their visitors were a brand new team playing their first ever league game.
Hat-tricks from Billie Philpott and Katherine Chappell ensured that Martin Lee’s side got the best possible start to the campaign, although remarkably it wasn’t enough to send them to the top of the first league table of the season as Milford & Witley were even more convicing winners thanks to a 9-1 victory away at Bexhill United.
The Robins two other goals came from Kirstin Mair while there were debuts for two summer recruits as Ria Banitas started the game and Jodie Johanson was used from the substitutes bench.
The ladies begin a run of three away games in a row when they make the trip to Tinsley Lane to take on Oakwood this coming Sunday with a 2pm kick off.
