It rained goals at the Beacon last Sunday as Hassocks Ladies and Under 18s scored a combined 16 times between them, with the former booking a first ever Sussex Women’s Challenge Trophy final appearance.
They did so by swatting aside Montpelier Villa with a stunning 7-0 success, taking their winning run to 14 games in all competitions in the process.
The Robins’ visitors, currently fifth in the Sussex County Women’s League, had no answer to Hassocks’ remarkable firepower as Martin Lee’s side set up a mouth-watering final with Burgess Hill Town, set to take place at Culver Road in early March.
Despite having a 100% record at the top of a division higher than their visitors, Lee was taking no chances in the run up to the game.
Hassocks had been without a fixture last week so in order to maintain their match sharpness, the Robins arranged a friendly away at Roffey in which they squeaked to a 4-3 win.
The exercise proved worthwhile as they ran out comfortable winners, led by a hat-trick from star striker Billie Philpott who took her tally for the season to 26 in just 13 appearances in the process.
That secured another star player award for Philpott to go with the one she picked up in the Robins last competitive outing a fortnight ago, a 4-0 win away at Wandgas.
Lee made two changes from the side who returned from Worcester Park with those precious three points, recalling the tenacious Chloe John and the experienced Liz King the places of Ria Banitas and Jodie Johnason.
Philpott may be taking all the accolades at the minute but Katherine Chappell is also have an extremely productive season and she chipped in with two of her own to move onto her best-ever haul of 20 with half the campaign still to play.
Hassocks’ other two goals came from Tallie Bright and Kelly Rushworth while Sarah Chappell recorded her eighth clean sheet of the season.
Attention now turns back to the South East Counties Women’s League Division One West title race this this coming Sunday as the Robins host Oakwood, the side who have pushed them closest in the league so far this season with Hassocks’ smallest winning margin this season coming when they triumphed by only one goal at Tinsley Lane on the opening day of the campaign.
In the morning kick off, the Under 18s racked up their biggest win of the season with a 9-0 success against the Central Division’s bottom club Rottingdean Village.
Coming a week after the Robins had to rely on an 86th minute equaliser from Tristan Hayes to secure a point against Upper Beeding, this was a welcome return to form for Brad Sweetman’s side.
What was most pleasing was that the huge victory was achieved without the services of their 16-goal top scorer Hayes who was unavailable.
In his place, Sam Herd made the most of a rare start to grab a hat-trick while at the other end of the pitch, Danny Bulgin was afforded an opportunity in goal where he recorded a clean sheet in just his third start of the season.
Alex Moulvogny was the third and final change from the line up at Beeding with the players dropping out being number one Toby Fisher, Brandon Sheppard and the aforementioned Hayes.
Hassocks flew out the traps, setting the tone for the afternoon by racing into a two-goal lead inside of eight minutes.
Yahya Azizi opened the scoring with only six on the clock and less 120 seconds later and Herd had his first of the afternoon.
He didn’t have to long to wait for his second or his third which arrived in the 16th and 24th minutes respectively, rounding off a hat-trick in just a tad over a quarter of an hour.
Josh Sandilands notched a fifth two minutes before half time, taking his tally for the season to an already impressive four from left back.
If Rottingdean hoped that Hassocks would take their foot off the pedal in the second half then they were gravely mistaken as within four minutes of the restart, Jack Baden added another to the Hassocks total.
That was quite the start for Baden who had not long been introduced from the bench and two minutes later, he had his second of the game.
Azizi completed a brace of his own with around 20 minutes to play and there was an own goal from Rottingdean thrown in there for good measure.
The Robins are currently without a game for a couple of weeks with their next scheduled fixture due to be against leaders Haywards Heath Town at the Beacon on February 10th when Hassocks will be hoping to become the first side to take a point off their local rivals this season.
