Hassocks host Eastbourne Town in rearranged Sussex Senior Cup clash
Hassocks host Eastbourne Town in a rearranged Sussex Senior Cup second round clash at the Beacon with both sides eyeing up a potential route to the quarter finals of the competition.
The draw for the third round was made on Saturday evening, giving the winners a home tie with fellow Southern Combination League Premier Division outfit Bexhill United.
Following that comes the last eight and the potential to meet one of the biggest clubs in the county whilst being just two wins away from playing at the Amex Stadium in the final.
Hassocks were meant to host Town three weeks ago but the game was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. The Robins will no doubt wish it had have taken place when originally scheduled; Town have hit form over the past 21 days to climb from 14th in the table up to 11th.
Their progress was checked at the weekend in the FA Vase, exiting the competition at the hands of Combined Counties League side Egham Town in a 1-0 defeat at the Saffrons.
Hassocks meanwhile will be smarting from a 5-0 hammering at the hands of Midhurst & Easebourne, bringing to an end their own good form which had resulted in an unbeaten November.
Eastbourne Town this season
Eastbourne Town bid farewell to one of the longest serving managers in the Southern Combination League Premier Division when John Lambert stood down in the summer, being replaced by former Whitehawk boss Jude Macdonald.
Under Lambert, Town had always been notoriously slow starters to the season before finding rhythm from autumn onwards and making a late charge into the title picture.
That has not happened so far, although it will hardly come as a surprise following such a summer of change at the Saffrons.
Town have seven wins, five draws and five defeats to their name, leaving them four points and six places worse off than Hassocks.
Ominously for the Robins’ chances of progressing is the fact that Town’s best results have come in cup competitions.
As well as making it through to the third round of the Vase, they reached the first qualifying round of the FA Cup and have eliminated one of the title favourites Newhaven from the Sussex Principal RUR Charity Cup.
Hassocks v Eastbourne Town head-to-head
This is a fixture which Eastbourne Town tend to enjoy. Of the 38 previous matches, Town have won 23 with just nine Hassocks wins and six draws along the way.
Four of those games have come in cup competitions. The Robins have a win and a draw in the Peter Bentley League Cup from the 2005-06 season when a 1-1 draw at the Beacon necessitated a replay at the Saffrons.
Two goals from Pat Harding and one from Matt Robbins sent Hassocks into the quarter finals, where they suffered elimination at the hands of Shoreham.
Town meanwhile won the only FA Vase clash between the clubs in the 2006-07 season, as well as hammering Hassocks 5-1 in the 2014-15 RUR Cup.
Remarkably, this will be the first time Hassocks and Town have faced each other in the Senior Cup in the 40 years the Robins have been partaking in the competition.
Eastbourne Town have quite the pedigree, having lifted the famous trophy on no less than 12 previous occasions.
Last time Hassocks played Eastbourne Town
You have to go back to 2006 to find the last time Hassocks won at the Saffrons and there seemed little prospect of that duck being broken on the Robins most recent visit last December.
The 5-2 scoreline was however a little harsh. It was 2-1 going into half time, a Lewis Westlake free kick cutting the deficit after Kevin Farragher and Arron Hopkinson had the hosts 2-0 ahead after 21 minutes.
Hassocks lost concentration in an eight minute spell just past the hour mark, allowing Town to score three more times through Kian Moynes, Louis Veneti and Hopkinson again.
That put the game beyond the visitors, although Sam Smith did manage to add a second consolation on his Hassocks debut against the club where he started his career.
Matchday information
Kick off is at 7:45pm and admission is £7 adults, £3 concessions and free for under 16s. Both card and cash payments are accepted on the turnstiles.
The T Bar will be open serving hot food and drink and the Robins Bar has a wide selection of craft beer from local breweries, along with other alcohol.
Dogs are welcome and a printed matchday programme will be on sale for £1.
