ROBINS INTO QUARTERS WITH ANOTHER COUNTY CUP UPSET
Hassocks are loving the Sussex Under 23 Challenge Cup this season. While the Robins’ league form continues to frustrate, they’ve shocked Bostik League Three Bridges and Southern Combination West Division leaders Horsham YMCA in their advance to the quarter finals of the competition.
YM became Dave John’s side’s latest victims, a dramatic 4-3 extra time win at Gorings Mead coming just one week after the same opponents had left Mid Sussex with a 2-1 victory and all three points in their league meeting.
The Robins’ success in the previous round had come via a penalty shoot out away at Bridges and it looked like this one would go to spot kicks too with the scores level at 3-3 as the tie entered the 120th minute.
Dan Turner had other ideas though as he rose highest to head home a James Westlake cross to win the game for the visitors with his second of the evening against the reigning West Division champions.
Westlake’s name was an intriguing inclusion on the Hassocks team sheet as the marathon man played his first football in nearly a year with a run out from the substitutes bench.
The quality of that delivery with virtually the last kick of the game shows that Westlake is suffering very little in terms of rust despite having not been involved in competitive action since last December, although he did tweet afterwards that he was “blowing” after the experience!
Westlake wasn’t the only new face on the bench as John also gave a debut to Sam Cash, a former Sussex Schoolboys Under 16s player.
In terms of his starting XI, John made five changes from the previous week’s defeat to YM. First team goalkeeper Josh Green stepped in with Reece Wickwar unavailable while Thomas Jupp, Kieran Dimelow, Alfie Loversidge and Harvey Ransome came in for Andy Whittingham, Joe Russell, Jack Troak and Joe Bull.
Green wasn’t the only senior player involved either as John took advantage of Harvey Enticknap only being named among the substitutes in the 4-1 Sussex Senior Cup second round defeat to Lancing 48 hours by playing him here.
YM meanwhile had to make two enforced changes through suspension following red cards at the Beacon a week ago. Rhyse Nashe and Jack Ryder had enjoyed interesting evenings last time out as they were also both on the score sheet to help deliver YM’s victory at the Beacon before seeing red in the final few minutes of a heated clash.
Substitute Nashe was dismissed with 87 on the clock and teammate Ryder joined him for an eearly bath shortly afterwards when he saw red in the seventh minute of a protracted period of injury time.
Hassocks would have been hoping that YM not having the services of their chief goal-getter in Ryder would prove to be a particular blow for the hosts but the goals still flowed for the hosts as Leon Eales, Callum Nash and Will Read were all on target.
Hassocks though managed to outscore their opponents though, no mean feat against a side with the third best defensive record in the league.
The Robins’ four goals came from two members of the 2017-18 Under 18s treble winning side. Turner had opened the scoring for Hassocks long before his late headed winner with midfielder Dimelow being the other brace scorer on his first appearance since September.
Those also happened to be Dimelow’s first goals for the Under 23s, a timely game in which to break his duck at the 20th time of asking.
Hassocks will now go onto face Loxwood in the last eight. The Magpies’ Under 23 side currently sit eight in the Combined Counties Under 23 League having won two and lost three of their fixtures to date.
Their run to the quarter finals has been equally as impressive as Hassocks as they’ve knocked out Southwick and another of the Southern Combination League West Division’s title challengers in the shape of Oakwood. The Robins will make the trip to Plaistow Road on Friday 6th December with a 7.45pm kick off.
Hassocks: Josh Green, Thomas Jupp, Dan Turner, Max Donaldson, Ben O’Leary, Harvey Enticknap, Lewis Westlake, Kieran Dimelow, Harvey Ransome, Alfie Loversidge, George Galbraith-Gibbons.
Subs: Charlie Alderton, Steve Bright, Sam Cash, Matt Denyer, James Westlake (used).
