Hassocks will have to wait a little longer for their first Southern Combination League clash against Steyning Town for 25 years after tomorrow’s game at the Beacon was postponed.
Five days of consistent rainfall has left the playing surface flooded. Due to the extreme weather, the SCFL gave special dispensation to clubs to call games off 24 hours early as there is little prospect of anything taking place on a grass pitch in Sussex this weekend.
The visit of the Barrowmen had been eagerly anticipated. The two sides last crossed swords in the 1994-95 season in Division One, which remains in fact the only campaign in which they’ve both been in the same division.
There have been four Sussex Senior Cup meetings in that time but despite the lack of competitive fixtures, the two clubs have close ties. Several players would have been coming up against their former teams.
For Hassocks, Liam Benson and Ben Bacon both moved from the Shooting Field to the Beacon in the first month of the season. Andy Whittingham had a spell at Steyning a decade ago and Robins boss Mark Dalgleish was a long-serving manager and player for the Barrowmen before he was appointed as Mickey Jewell’s assistant at Hassocks in the summer of 2010.
Steyning’s squad meanwhile contains two former Robins in their club captain Alex Gathern and Jamie Weston who was a hugely popular figure with Hassocks fans during his three seasons at the Beacon between 2010 and 2013.
No new date has been set for the fixture yet, although the likelihood is that it won’t be until the end of January at the earliest. Hassocks already have Tuesday night games at home to Little Common and away at Alfold scheduled for the first two available midweek slots in the new year.
The cancellation means that Hassocks have played at the Beacon for the last time this decade. There is not another home game now until fellow strugglers Pagham come to Mid Sussex on January 4th.
Hassocks are next in action on Boxing Day away at Saltdean United. Kick off at Hill Park is at 11am. For updates on whether that will go ahead, please keep an eye on our social media profiles in the run up to Thursday.
Finally, we’d like to wish all supporters a very Merry Christmas. Thank you for fantastic support this year.
