Hassocks Ladies free-scoring form continued as they hammered Bexhill United 17-0 in South East Counties Women’s League Division One on Sunday, but it was a disappointing day for the Under 18s as their defence of the Southern Combination Under 18 League Cup came to an end with a 3-2 defeat to Montpelier Villa.
Starting with the Ladies and while this may have been top versus bottom, it was still a remarkable performance from a relentless Robins outfit who have now plundered 40 goals in their past four matches.
Hassocks set the tone for the afternoon by registering three shots on goal inside of the first five minutes through Billie Philpott, Jodie Johanson and Kelly Rushworth.
It was Philpott who opened the scoring with nine minutes on the clock, the first of six goals for the Sussex Rep Squad striker as she finished off a month involving Sam Newman and Kirsten Mair.
The Bexhill keeper denied Rushworth with two super saves from point blank range but Hassocks wouldn’t be denied for long and Philpott made it two after slotting home from a Katherine Chappell pass.
Philpott added three more goals between the 20th and 27th minutes thanks largely to the work of the midfield four, Chappell and Mair in the middle and Johanson and Tallie Bright out wide who were proving to be a devastating supply line.
It looked as though Philpott’s five would be it for the opening 45 until Hassocks added two more in the final few minutes of the half through an own goal and a stunning flick and volley from Chappell.
Hassocks withdrew goalkeeper Sarah Chappell at half time with Ellie Moquet coming on and she hadn’t touched the ball by the time the Robins added two more to make it 9-0, Rushworth scoring and then Philpott completing her double hat-trick with a cross-cum-shot.
Chappell’s second bought up double figures but their best goal of the game was still to come with number 11, a sweeping move which started with Moquet in goal and going through nearly every red shirt on the pitch before being finished off by Mair.
Chappell fed Rushworth for her second and Hassocks’ 12th before Philpott was withdrawn with Bright being moved in to the central strikers role and Banna Hannes coming on out wide. Bright instantly added the 13th, Johanson scored number 14 and Bright number 15. The final two arrived in the last 10 minutes as both Chappell and Rushworth completed their hat-tricks.
The Under 18s’ League Cup defence meanwhile came to an end as the Robins were eliminated by Montpelier Villa at the second round stage.
This 3-2 loss was the first time that Hassocks had tasted defeated in the League Cup since January 2017 when Steyning Town had won 4-1 at the Beacon at the same stage of the competition.
It also inflicted back-to-back defeats on the young Robins for the first time April 2017 when they lost two consecutive games against Burgess Hill Town which secured the Central Division title for the Hillians.
Hassocks’ response was emphatic as they went onto win the title for themselves the following season by dropping only four points and manager Brad Sweetman will be hoping his latest crop of talented youngsters will have an equally strong reaction to their latest setbacks.
Sweetman was dealt a selection blow before the game, being without top scorer Tristan Hayes who would’ve been full of confidence having netted twice for the Under 23s 72 hours earlier in their 6-0 win over Peacehaven & Telscombe.
His place was taken by Brandon Sheppard in the only change from the previous weeks Mid Sussex Derby defeat to St Francis Rangers as Sweetman looked to inject some consistency into his side.
With Hayes absence, the goalscoring responsibilities would fall to his strike partner Yahya Azizi and he duly delivered when giving Hassocks the lead with half an hour played with his 10th goal from 10 appearances so far this season.
The Robins weren’t ahead for long however, Ned Sullivan levelling things up just five minutes later to ensure the sides went in locked at 1-1 at the break.
This was the first ever meeting between the two at Under 18 level but Villa had impressed in the first half and they took the lead 15 minutes into the second through Oliver Cass.
Cass then added his second and Villa’s third with 20 minutes remaining to leave Hassocks’ hopes of retaining the trophy they’d won by battling to a 1-0 success over AFC Uckield Town in last May’s final hanging by a thread.
Substitute Finlay McDermott did give them some late hope with his first goal for the club in the 89th minute but Hassocks weren’t able to force an equaliser as Villa progressed to the quarter final.
