The big freeze restricts Robins to just three December outings
After the wet weather of November came the freezing temperatures of December. Frost meant that for the second month running, Hassocks only completed three matches and all three ended in defeat.
This was in stark contrast to November, when the Robins won two and drew one of their outings. That impressive form meant that the 5-0 defeat away at Midhurst & Easebourne which kicked off December came completely out of the blue.
Two goals from Harry Tremlett and one for Dan Wood had Hassocks trailing 3-0 going into the break. Following the third Midhurst goal which arrived on 40 minutes, Alex Harris left the action with a toe to injury to be replaced by defender Will Broomfield.
During the interval, the more optimistic of the travelling support at the Rotherfield recalled the August meeting against the Stags at the Beacon.
Midhurst had sauntered into an easy 3-0 lead, only for the Robins to come close to a famous comeback. It eventually finished 4-3 to the visitors.
Unfortunately, any hopes of a similar rally were extinguished within two minutes of the second half when Tremlett completed his hat-trick. He would go onto add his fourth and Midhurst’s fifth with 13 minutes remaining.
Three days later and Eastbourne Town visited Mid Sussex in the second round of the Sussex Senior Cup. The only goal of the game arrived on 13 minutes, Frankie Chappell being left unmarked at the back post to head home a corner and give his side a 1-0 victory.
It was three weeks before Hassocks kicked a ball again in what proved to be their final fixture of December.
Steyning Town were the Boxing Day visitors and a crowd of over 300 – the biggest the Robins had pulled in for a league game in more than 15 years – were treated to a five goal thriller.
The Barrowmen eventually came out on top, winning 3-2 with one of the last kick of the game. It was with one of the first kicks of the game that Hassocks took the lead, Liam Benson dispossessing Steyning defender Charlie Robinson to open the scoring inside 60 seconds.
Harvey Blake doubled the advantage six minutes before half time, smashing home a loose ball pushed towards him when visiting goalkeeper Lucas Szendela-Goetzke had done well to deny Benson in a one-on-one.
Steyning opted to make three substitutions before the start of the second half and that boldness duly paid off with two of the new faces – Kevin Chalmers and Jack Langford – pulling the score back to 2-2 by the hour mark.
A second goalkeeper injury of December befell Hassocks with four minutes of normal time remaining. Joe Southam took a nasty fall when challenging Cal Chalmers for a high ball and after lengthy treatment, was helped from the field.
Broomfield found himself donning the gloves again with around 10 minutes of injury time to be played owing to Southam’s withdrawal.
In the fourth additional minute, Broomfield produced a fine fingertip save to get a Dom Johnson-Fisher shot over the bar from a tight angle.
The resulting corner proved to be the Robins’ downfall. Jack Barnes’ delivery caught the unfortunate Joe Bull at the near post and beat the despairing dive of Broomfield to give Steyning a 94th minute winner via an own goal.
Away from first team matters, neither the Ladies or Under 23s were able to beat the cold and so their title challenges remained paused in December.
The Under 18s managed to play once, beating Mile Oak 4-2 at the Beacon. Alex Brewer scored twice with the other Robins goals coming from Will Varley and Jack Duckett.
