December’s fixtures are out for Hassocks Under 23s, Under 18s and Ladies with the pick of the bunch the eagerly anticipated clash between the top two in the Southern Combination League Under 23 West Division.
That game will take place on Thursday December 6th at the Beacon as the table topping Robins host their closest pursuers, Horsham YMCA.
The two sides are currently locked at the top of the table on 19 points although YM have played a game more than Hassocks.
While the Robins have only tasted defeat once this season, a 1-0 loss away at Selsey, YM have been on the end of two reversals so far.
They lost a 12 goal thriller 7-5 to Midhurst & Easebourne on the opening day and were also defeated in their last league outing, losing 3-2 away at Mile Oak.
YM bounced back from that in some style, hammering reigning East Division champions Newhaven 6-1 in the Sussex Under 23 Challenge Cup second round two weeks ago.
They’ve also defeated the current West Division champions having battled to a 2-1 home win over Pagham at the end of October, all of which points to a tough evening for Nigel Pearce’s side.
A week after that clash with YM, Hassocks will play their final game of 2018 when they make the trip to East Preston on Thursday 13th with kick off at the Lashmar at the slightly earlier time of 7.30pm.
The Under 18s meanwhile will look to bounce back from a difficult few weeks with one league and one cup game before the Christmas break.
This coming Sunday 2nd December they play host to Lancing at the Beacon in a reversal of the second weekend of the season.
Hassocks were made to work hard for victory on that occasion as, having stormed into a 4-0 lead inside of an hour and then been 5-1 ahead with 20 minutes remaining, they just about escaped Culver Road with all three points after a spirited Lancing comeback saw the game end 5-4. If this next meeting is anything like as entertaining then you’ll want to be present for it with kick off 11am.
The following Sunday, it’s a meeting with AFC Varndeanians in the third round of the Dennis Probee Sussex Youth Cup which again kicks off at 11am at the Beacon.
The V’s were one of only two sides to take points off Hassocks last season in the league when the teams played out a 4-4 draw in September.
Varndeanians have since been moved from the Central Division into the East Division, where they sit second bottom with seven points from seven games.
The Ladies play three times in December, traveling to Anchorians on Sunday 2nd in the League Cup before hosting Mole Valley in the league on the 9th and Littlehampton in the County Trophy on the 16th.
