Hassocks host Steyning Town in Boxing Day morning football
The Beacon hosts Boxing Day football for the first time since 2018 with near-neighbours Steyning Town the visitors in an 11am kick off.
Although not a local derby by geography – certainly compared to when the Robins would face Burgess Hill Town, St Francis Rangers or Haywards Heath Town in the past – there is enough shared history between the two clubs to give the fixture a bit of spice.
Numerous players and managers have swapped the Birchwood Ground for the Beacon and vice versa over the past 12 years, including current Hassocks club captain Lewis Westlake and 11-goal striker Liam Benson.
Added intrigue on this occasion comes from the clubs enjoying remarkably similar reversals in fortunes in the 2022-23 season.
Both appointed new managers in the summer having finished in the bottom six last time out and both are now eyeing up top six places which would have been highly unexpected at the start of the campaign.
Those lofty positions are largely as a result of Hassocks and the Barrowmen scoring plenty of goals. An entertaining morning therefore looks in store, providing the perfect excuse to clear the Christmas Day hangover, walk off too many brussels sprouts or escape the in-laws for a couple of hours at the Beacon.
Steyning Town this season
Steyning faced the difficult task in the summer of finding a replacement for long-standing boss Gerry Murphy.
Murphy had done an outstanding job at the Birchwood Ground, leading the Barrowmen back to the top division of the Southern Combination League for the first time in nearly 30 years and then keeping them there.
His decision to retire from management in the summer saw Steyning turn to Montpelier Villa manager Kevin Green.
This has proven a shrewd move which so far has the Barrowmen scaling heights not really seen since they were one of the most dominant clubs in Sussex non-league football during the 1980s.
Steyning will arrive at the Beacon sitting fourth in the Premier Division having won 11, drawn three and lost six of their 20 matches so far.
That record leaves them six points and three places higher than Hassocks in the standings, although the Robins do have two games in hand.
The Barrowmen’s two most recent results point to the excellent form they are in. Their last outing resulted in 4-1 win away at Newhaven a week after beating long-term leaders Broadbridge Heath by the same scoreline at the Birchwood Ground.
Hassocks v Steyning Town head-to-head
Meetings between Hassocks and Steyning have been few and far between because of Town’s spell in the Wessex League during the 1990s.
The sides have faced off 13 times; four in the Premier Division, four in Division One, four in the Sussex Senior Cup and once in the Sussex RUR Charity Cup.
Hassocks have won seven, drawn four and lost two of those matches. There will be a further RUR Cup clash to come this season with the Barrowmen set to visit the Beacon in the third round of the competition early in the new year.
Last time Hassocks played Steyning Town
The Robins visited the Birchwood Ground on a scorching hot Easter Saturday back in April. Despite neither side having anything to play for as they were already safe from relegation, it was a relatively entertaining affair which finished 1-1.
Both the goals arrived in the first half. Jack Troak opened the scoring for Hassocks with Josh Bradley equalising for the Barrowmen.
Off the pitch, Hassocks could be pleased with their afternoon as Bradley Tighe’s father walked away with a very tasty grand prize from the famous Steyning Town meat raffle drawn after the full time whistle.
Matchday information
Kick off is at 11am 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 44 page printed matchday programme will be on sale for £1.
