Hassocks hosts the prestigious Peter Bentley League Cup Final on Bank Holiday Monday 6th May as Saltdean United take on AFC Uckfield Town.
This will the the fourth year running in which the Beacon has been given the honour of being the venue for the Southern Combination League’s showpiece final.
Last season final saw the Robins’ Mid Sussex rivals Haywards Heath Town beat a Horsham YMCA side including current Hassocks striker Phil Johnson 4-0 thanks to a Karly Akeurst brace and goal from Callum Saunders and Max Miller.
That banished the demons of the previous year for Heath, who had suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to Pagham as they ended the season trophy less.
In 2016, Lancing ended their 23 year wait for silverware by defeating Newhaven 2-1. The Robins’ current number one Josh Green was in goal for the Lancers that day as an own goal and Lewis Finney did the damage.
There could be two former Hassocks goalkeepers on show in this year’s even. Nathan Stroomberg moved to Saltdean from the Beacon last summer whilst Alex Harris switched Hassocks for Uckfield midway through the current campaign.
And what a campaign that has been for Harris’ new club. Anthony Storey has led the Oakmen to their highest ever finish in senior football of seventh and they were also the Southern Combination League’s last representatives in the FA Vase having reached for the fourth round for the first time.
It’s quite a turnaround from where Uckfield were even two years ago, when they finished the 2016-17 campaign in the Premier Division relegation zone but weren’t relegated due to Little Common not possessing a suitable ground at the time. They’ve made good use of that reprieve, going from strength-to-strength and are now considered to be one of the most dangerous and free-scoring sides in the division on their day.
United have also enjoyed quite the season, their fifth placed finish being the Tigers’ best since their mid-90’s heyday when they were frequently the closest challengers to Alan Pook’s all-dominating Burgess Hill Town side of the era.
Lifting the Peter Bentley Cup would complete quite the comeback for Saltdean. Just seven years ago they were playing in Division Two of the Southern Combination League and as recently as 2016 they were only spared the drop back down to intermediate football due to the sides aspiring to come up not having the relevant ground grading compared to Hill Park.
Damion Freeman’s appointment as Tigers boss brought a renaissance and they enjoyed a fantastic 2016-17 season which culminated in them winning the Division One title. Since securing promotion back to the Premier Division, they’ve been regular challengers at the right end of the table.
Both sides caused something of a shock in the last four to book their respective places in the final; Saltdean defeated Premier Division champions-elect Chichester City 2-1 at Steyning Town’s Shooting Field whilst Uckfield ran out 3-2 winners over promotion chasing Horsham YMCA at Middle Road.
Whatever happens on Monday, there will be a new or relatively new name on the trophy. United have only won the competition once back in 2000 when they were in the midst of that golden period while the Oakmen are chasing their first ever senior trophy.
They did make the Peter Bentley Cup final in 2012 but went down to a Three Bridges side who completed a league and cup double as a result. That game was also held at the Beacon.
Kick off is at 11am. We are yet to hear if there will be any parking restrictions put in place by our neighbours at South Downs Nurseries, so please keep an eye on our social media accounts for more information – you can find them on Facebook and Twitter.
