Robins start season in seventh heaven sinking Swans
It was seventh heaven for the Robins on the opening night of the Southern Combination Under 23 North Division season at the Hassocks Hotel Beacon Ground.
Four goals from Cavan Chedzey, two from Kian Nandhra and one from new signing Oscar Kemp secured a 7-2 win for the Robins over Storrington.
Hassocks finished the 2023-24 season two points behind champions Broadbridge Heath. Having kept most of last season’s side together, the Robins will fancy their chances of challenging for the title again.
Normally, there are a whole host of new faces to introduce at the start of an Under 23s campaign. Not so this year, with Hassocks having only three debutants in the starting XI.
Kemp was one, having arrived from Haywards Heath Town. The 17-year-old made his senior debut for the Bluebells last season and represented Sussex at Under 18s level. He will captain the Robins Under 18s in the current campaign and looks a hugely exciting prospect.
Fletcher Flane made his bow having dual-signed from Burgess Hill Town, where he plays Under 18s football.
The other Under 23s debutant was Dylan Hurst. Like Flane, Hurst has joined the Robins on loan for the season.
He has played all five first team games so far, making one start and four substitute appearances for the senior side.
Hassocks set their stall out early, creating two good chances inside the opening eight minutes. But it was Storrington who took the lead when an under hit back pass sparked something of a mix up in the Robins back line.
Swans forward Marley Heath made the most of the opportunity, latching onto possession and beating Will Mizon one-on-one with a clinical finish into the top corner.
Hassocks were not behind for long. Getting the football under control was proving difficult on a very wet surface and when a Storrington midfield slipped some 35 yards from goal, Kemp was perfectly placed to seize possession.
A couple of quick steps later and he found the bottom corner with a low distance drive to haul the Robins level.
Next it was Nandhra’s turn to pick the pocket of a Swan. He turned over the ball on the left flank, cut inside and drilled into the opposite side of the goal to move Hassocks 2-1 ahead.
Goal three saw Sam Fernley and Kemp link up to feed Chedzey 25 yards out, followed by two touches and another finish of unnerving accuracy past the helplessly sprawling Storrington goalkeeper.
Chedzey notched again shortly after with a close-range finish. Kemp was the architect, using some enterprising wing play to go galloping clear of the Swans left back before crossing low and hard into the box.
Next it was the turn of Nandhra to add his second. Collecting possession on the right, he glided past four blue shirts and into the middle of the park.
With no obvious passing option, Nandhra went for goal left footed to devastating effect as yet another Hassocks effort picked out the bottom corner.
That saw the Robins go into half time 5-1 ahead. Understandably, the foot came off the pedal after that with one eye very much on next Thursday’s tough encounter away at Horsham YMCA.
Storrington opened the second half scoring with a goal straight from the Wimbledon 1980s playbook (look it up, kids).
Having made a superb one-handed save from Kemp, the Swans goalkeeper gathered the ball at the second attempt and preceded to smash a kick 80 yards down the pitch. Jordan Mounteney beat Mizon to it and was subsequently able to roll into an empty net, making it 5-2.
Chedzey completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after Kemp ran through two tackles, only to be finally taken out by a third just as he was about to pull the trigger.
That made it six. Chedzey then added the seventh when captain Dan Turner found Nandhra, whose brilliant outside of the boot pass split the Storrington defence. Chedzey did the rest, rounding the Swans goalkeeper and finishing to complete the rout.
Hassocks: Will Mizon, George Gladding, Ed Tobias, Dan Turner, Fletcher Fane, Oscar Kemp, Dylan Hurst, Alex Wintle, Sam Fernley, Kian Nandhra, Cavan Chedzey.
Subs: Jack Smith, Billy Dove, Leo Charman, Liam Deere (used).
