Hassocks return to the Beacon this Saturday looking to end a run of four consecutive defeats and they couldn’t have wished for tougher opponents with Newhaven the visitors to Mid Sussex.
Even before you take into account Hassocks’ terrible record against Newhaven, this game looks to be an extremely tricky one for Mark Dalgleish’s side.
With no one obvious favourite for the Southern Combination League title this season, the Dockers are one of a host of teams who have genuine claims on being crowned champions come the end of the campaign. They currently sit in fifth spot in the table, five points behind leaders Chichester City but with a game in hand.
Newhaven have faced two of their fellow title challengers so far this season and failed to win any of those games, losing to Chi on the opening day and drawing with Pagham while they also exited the FA Cup at the hands of the Lions.
Though they may have struggled slightly so far against sides around them, that does mean that they are extremely adept at putting teams below them in the table to the sword. That will hardly come as a surprise given that they have the league’s best striker and top scorer Lee Robinson among their ranks.
Robinson already has 15 goals to his name this season which has taken him past the 300 mark in Newhaven colours, a scarcely believable achievement which deserves all the credit that has gone Robinson’s way for both his ability and his loyalty to Newhaven in a day and age where players place a couple of quid over loyalty.
Robinson didn’t enjoy the best of afternoons when the two sides last met, being sent off as Hassocks picked up their first ever point from the Trafalgar Ground courtesy of a 2-2 draw.
That was a rare positive result against the Dockers, with Hassocks only having won three of the meetings between the two sides. Newhaven have won eight out of 14 and plundered 36 goals along the way at an average of over 2.5 game.
As two of the longest serving clubs in the Southern Combination League, it seems remarkable that there wasn’t a single league or cup meeting between 1987 and 2013. In fact, the two sides have never been paired together in any knockout competition before.
Newhaven fell into intermediate football during that 26 year period without a meeting and were playing in Division Two as recently as 2012. The fact they are now challenging for promotion to the Bostik League is testament to just how far they’ve come as a club and a sign of what a tough afternoon is in store for Hassocks.
Kick off at the Beacon is at 3pm and entry is priced at £6 adults and £3 concessions with Under 16s going free. All the normal facilities will be open, with the Robins Bar serving beer throughout and the T Bar offering hot food and drink.
