Hassocks have no answer to home hammering at the hands of Horley
Having conceded just two goals in their opening five matches of the 2022-23 season, Hassocks Under 23s shipped three in 90 minutes against an impressive Horley Town outfit at the Beacon.
The Clarets are fielding an Under 23s back in the Southern Combination League this season after a year’s absence caused by the FA moving their senior side back to the Combined Counties.
Based on what we saw on this evening, Horley have a serious chance of marking their return by claiming the championship come the end of the campaign.
Hassocks knew they were going to be in for a challenging evening. Horley always provide tough opposition no matter what level.
Those whose Robins memories stretch back 18 months would also recall what happened the last time these two teams met in Under 23s football.
Hassocks needed a victory at the New Defence to secure a place in the semi finals of the Supplementary Shield competition, held throughout April and May 2021 after the second Covid-19 lockdown was lifted.
Things did not go entirely to plan that night as Horley hammered the Robins 5-1. All six goals were in fact score by the Clarets as they had the good grace to put through their own net four minutes before half time, giving Hassocks their consolation.
Horley went onto be eliminated in the final four on the lottery of penalties by eventual champions Chichester City.
Had that tie not gone to dreaded spot kicks, it is fair to assume that the Clarets would have gone onto beat Pagham in the final.
Back to the present day and Horley arrived in Mid Sussex two points behind Hassocks in the table, having won three, drawn one and lost one of their five matches so far.
That defeat came against reigning champions Broadbridge Heath, who the Robins had beaten 2-0 three weeks earlier.
Horley’s draw was a 3-3 thriller with Roffey. The Boars were another opponent Hassocks picked up three points from via a 1-0 win on the opening day.
The Robins made limited changes from the previous week’s 4-1 win away at Chessington & Hook United. First team left back Sam Cash was given a start as he looks to get minutes in the bank having been ruled out for most of September through injury.
Lively forward Danny Reid was the other change, coming straight back into the starting XI. Will Broomfield and Sam Geard were the two players who dropped out.
The star of the show was Horley’s Tommy McKenna who scored two of his sides three goals. Also on the scoresheet was Josh Rapson, haunting Hassocks again having scored twice in the heavy defeat the Robins suffered the last time these sides met in that Supplementary Shield match.
Hassocks huffed and puffed but were unable to find a way through the Horley goalkeeper and defence on their way to a second defeat of the season.
The Robins will look to bounce back next Thursday when they travel to Horsham YMCA for a 7:30pm kick off.
Hassocks: Callum Thompson, Arthur Rawlingson, Charlie Tuck, Dan Turner, Sam Cash, Sam Arscott, Sam Rogers, Lewis Fairley, George Mercer, Danny Reid, Charlie Broad.
Subs: Marshall Smith, Kieran Dimelow, Jack Smith, Wes Tighe (used).
