Hassocks Under 23s will play their own small part in history as they become the first opponents for Broadbridge Heath Under 23s in a competitive fixture at the Bears’ new High Wood Hill Sports Ground.
Heath kicked off their season last Thursday night with a hugely impressive 1-0 win away at reigning champions Horsham YMCA. This will be their opening fixture at their new home and they’ll no doubt be keen to start life their with victory.
While the Bears were busy knocking off YM, Hassocks were starting their own campaign with a 2-1 defeat at home to an impressive Oakwood outfit.
George Galbraith-Gibbons got the goal for the new-look Robins, but it proved to be nothing more than a consolation as a brace from Josh Neathey got the Oaks all three points.
There wasn’t much between Hassocks and Heath last season. The Bears ended the campaign in fourth place, just three points behind Hassocks who claimed the runners up spot by a point from East Preston.
The two sides last met in March at the Beacon and it was a thoroughly entertaining clash in which they couldn’t be separated. Tom Shergold gave the visitors the lead as early as the sixth minute but Hassocks came roaring back to go into the break 2-1 ahead through Tristan Hayes and Jake Lindsey.
The second half was only five minutes old when Ben Whiteley equalised for Heath and that was how it finished, the draw bringing to an end a run of five consecutive win for Hassocks.
The second victory in that sequence had come at the Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre on the Robins’ last visit to Heath’s former home.
Two goals from either side in the final five minutes of the first half saw them go into the break level at 1-1, Dane Riecker levelling things up less than a minute after James Littlejohn had put the Robins ahead.
Hassocks made a bright start to the second half though and Harvey Enticknap restored their lead five minutes after the restart with George Galbraith-Gibbons finally ending Heath’s resistance with the visitors’ third two minutes from time.
Kick off at High Wood Hill is at 7.45pm.
