Hassocks’ final home game of the 2018-19 season takes place against a Shoream side who arrive at the Beacon fighting for their lives as they look to avoid back-to-back relegations with the trapdoor into Division One of the Southern Combination League looming.
Put simply, this has been a disastrous season for Shoreham. Having been relegated from the Bostik League at the end of 2017-18, that downward spiral has continued, and they will arrive to the Beacon deep in relegation trouble having recently sunk to the bottom of the table, five points shy of safety.
Experienced manager Sammy Donnelly left the club just before Christmas and although his replacement Curtis Foster bought an initial uplift in results, he has also departed.
Dale Hurley, who had an extremely brief spell in charge of Hassocks’ Reserves before the start of the 2014-15 season, has now been charged with trying to save the Musselmen from back-to-back relegations.
He’s got quite the task on his hands. They haven’t won for 10 games stretching back to January 5th, a shock 1-0 win away at promotion chasing Horsham YMCA.
There were signs of some improvement in their last outing however, a single goal defeat away at a strong AFC Uckfield Town outfit.
Hurley and his side will no doubt be viewing this game as the most winnable of their final three, given that they face Saltdean United in 48 hours time and then go to Newhaven on the final day.
They can take solace from the fact that they have a relatively decent record against the Robins. Shoreham have been one of Hassocks’ most frequent opponents in with 50 meetings to date. The Robins have won 22, Shoreham 17 while there have been 11 draws with the only senior competition they’ve never met in being the FA Vase.
The Musselmen will also be out for revenge after the meeting between the two back in December. That was Foster’s first game in charge and there wasn’t much in it, Liam Benson scoring the only goal early in the first half with Hassocks goalkeeper Josh Green winning the Robins man of the match award for a string of excellent saves late on.
Benson seems to love scoring against Shoreham. He netted twice when Hassocks shocked the Mussellmen in February 2017 by hammering the side who would end the season as Premier Division champions 4-1 at the Beacon.
Jack Rowe-Hurst and Michael Death were also on target that evening in what ranks as one of the most stunning victories in Hassocks’ 25 years in the top flight.
A similar result tomorrow would prove a fitting way to end a much-improved season in front of the Beacon faithful. Kick off is at 3pm and entrance is £6 adults, £3 concessions and under 16s go free.
The Robins Bar will be open serving beer and spirits and the T Bar will have its normal selection of hot food and drinks available.
