Keehan hat-trick and mean Vs defence send Hassocks to opening game defeat
The task facing Hassocks Veterans in adding more silverware to last season’s Fred Pretty Plate was laid bare in their opening game of the season.
AFC Varndeanians were the visitors to the Beacon for the first match of the Robins’ Mid Sussex League Veterans Division One campaign.
Underneath the Wednesday night lights, Varndeanians ran out 3-2 winners thanks to a sensational hat-trick from Joe Keehan.
The Robins had won every Mid Sussex League game they played last season on their way to lifting the Plate against Seaford Town in May’s final.
A new format for the 2022-23 campaign has seen the Veterans League split into three division. Hassocks have been placed in the top division, against some of the best vets sides in the county. It looks like being a very competitive league, featuring the likes of Lewes, Sidley United and Seaford.
Hassocks were able to name a strong XI against Varndeanians, consisting largely of last season’s successful side.
There were two Veterans debutants. Mark Darbyshire brought his unique “dog chasing a balloon” style of play into the team for the first time and he was joined by Craig Beckwith. Hassocks also gave a first appearance to Gavin Humphrey from the bench.
The Robins knew the threat posed by Keehan only too well. He once cost Rushden & Diamonds a rumoured £18,000, which is approximately £18,000 more than any member of the Hassocks squad had fetched.
There is probably a joke to be made here about Steve Spies scoring 18,000 own goals in his career but we are going to be kinder to Spiesy in Veterans reports this season, so let’s not go there after just one game of the campaign.
Keehan was predictably impressive but so too were the Varndeanians defence as they stood strong in the face of a lot of Hassocks pressure.
The Robins goals came from Paul Armstrong and Pat Harding. Super Pat had been rewarded for scoring for the first team on Saturday away at Loxwood with promotion to the Veterans and he duly justified that decision and the faith of the management.
It quite probably set some sort of Hassocks club record too; there cannot have been many other players to have scored for the firsts and Vets in the same week? Answers on a postcard, please.
The Robins are next scheduled to be in action against Sidley United on Sunday 6th November at the Beacon. Sidley will be out for revenge having been eliminated by Hassocks in the quarter finals of last season’s Fred Pretty Plate, so that is a game not to be missed.
Veterans fixtures are however subject to change at very short notice. Your best bet to find out where you can catch the stars of yesteryear playing next is by keeping an eye on the Hassocks social media profiles.
Hassocks: Rob Sayers, Adam Waller, Craig Beckwith, Steve Spies, Mark Darbyshire, Steve Curtis, Anthony Hibbert, Paul Armstrong, Elliott Butler, Simon Shivnarain, Pat Harding.
Subs: Jonathan Bundy, Gavin Humphrey (used).
