Robins at the races with win and clean sheet over handy Lingfield outfit
Hassocks Under 23s were at the races with a win and a clean sheet in their first ever meeting with Lingfield.
The Robins triumphed 2-0 against opponents new to the Southern Combination League North Division for this season to maintain the pressure on Alfold at the top of the table.
Lingfield proved themselves handy opponents and created more than enough chances to take something from the game.
Hassocks could therefore be very pleased at overcoming such a hurdle and taking the three points. The Lingers will cause plenty of problems for the rest of the North Division this season.
The Robins came into the game with the bit between their teeth having beaten Horsham YMCA 6-2 at the Herbert Direct Stadium a week earlier.
The only blemish on that evening was the dislocated shoulder suffered by Callum Thompson, the Robins goalkeeper who has been in excellent form so far this season.
His place in the starting XI against Lingfield was taken by Under 18s number one Jack Thomas, making his Under 23s debut.
A shutout was not a bad way for Thomas to mark it, giving him a second clean sheet in the space of five days to go with the one secured when the youth team beat Mile Oak 7-0 on Sunday.
There are opportunities for players at every level to progress at the Beacon right now. Just ask Danny Reid and Sam Rogers, who were handed full first team debuts in the Sussex Senior Cup against Saltdean United 48 hours before the Lingers visited Mid Sussex.
Reid missed Under 23 duty as a result but Rogers maintained his place as an ever-present in Neil Parker’s midfield.
Sam Smith too turned out for the Under 23s having also started for the firsts in the penalty shoot out win over the Tigers.
In terms of changes, Parker made three from the trip to YM. Thompson being replaced by Thomas was obviously one. Will Broomfield was handed more game time in place of Arthur Rawlingson and Reece Clarke took over from top scorer Reid.
Having scored twice at YMCA, Charlie Broad continued where he had left off by finding the back of the net for his third of the campaign.
Joining Broad on the scoresheet was George Mercer, also getting his third of the season. Actually, make that Mercer’s third goal in four matches having previously gone three seasons and 20 games without scoring.
Hassocks had to dig in at times and that was reflected in yellow cards for Broomfield (a classic of the genre), Wes Tighe and substitute Jude Wallis.
Next up for the Robins is a trip to Loxwood next Thursday. Hassocks also now know their opponents in the first round of the League Cup, with the draw having given them a lovely journey inside of the M25 to Chessington & Hook United.
The Robins reached the semi finals of the competition last season. A repeat of last month’s 4-1 win at Chalky Lane in the league would be a good way to get a similarly memorable cup run going.
Hassocks: Jack Thomas, Wes Tighe, Sam Smith, Will Broomfield, Jack Smith, Ben Hicks, Sam Rogers, Kieran Dimelow, George Mercer, Reece Clarke, Charlie Broad.
Subs: Marshall Smith, Will Varley, Jude Wallis (used).
