ROBINS FLEX MUSSELS TO GET BACK TO WINNING WAYS
For the first time in 2020, Hassocks Under 18s picked up three points as they won 4-1 away at the Southern Combination League Central Division’s bottom side Shoreham.
Prior to their visit to Middle Road, the new decade had proven to be a disappointing one for the Robins. They’d begun the year with a 4-2 home defeat against local rivals Burgess Hill Town.
They then followed that up by losing 3-1 against Broadbridge Heath on their first ever visit to the Bears’ new High Wood Hill Sports Ground home.
Any victory would do for Brad Sweetman’s side then and they duly got the three points that will hopefully get their season back on track in relatively comfortable style.
Unusually, Hassocks only used 11 players at Middle Road with every one who started the game completing the full 90 minutes as injuries and unavailability continue to bite throughout the club.
There were two changes from the side who’d lost to Heath 14 days previously – Hassocks had been given a blank weekend on the previous Sunday. Missing were Oliver Charlesworth and Charlie Jones and in their places came Yahya Azizi and Luke Marshall.
The Musselmen are propping up the table at the moment having lost all eight of their games so far, scoring just six times and conceding 50 along the way.
Yet they’ve made a mockery of their lowly berth to give Hassocks two tough games; the Robins only just squeezing a 2-1 win last time the sides met through goals from Harrison Lees and Alfie Loversidge at the Beacon on the second weekend of the campaign.
It’s actually a bit of a false position, Shoreham having seen their only points of the season wiped out when Southwick pulled out – although if they give other sides the sort of test they’ve offered Hassocks then they’ll surely but some more on the board before the end of the campaign.
Loversidge was on the scoreboard again against the Musselmen, scoring his fourth of the season for the Under 18s and his sixth in total when you include two goals for the Under 23s.
Neither of the Robins’ leading scorers in Beebee or Lees could join him, with the other goals coming from two players who were yet to score coming into the tie – Alex Crawford and Harry Meredith both notching their first ever goals in Hassocks colours. The Robins’ fourth was an own goal while the Musselmen’s consolation came from Finley Vos-Campion.
Aside from the result, Hassocks could also be pleased with their improved discipline as nobody in red picked up a card for the first time in what feels like an age.
Leaders St Francis Rangers’ defeat to second placed Mile Oak has thrown open the race to finish runners up somewhat, with Oak looking destined to end the campaign as champions having not dropped a point so far in winning five from five.
Rangers are four points clear of Hassocks with Haywards Heath Town a further two behind with all three having played seven times.
The Robins go to reigning champions Heath next week in what is shaping up to be a crucial game – kick off at Hanbury Park is at 11am.
Hassocks: Jayden Dunkley, Harry Meredith, Alex Crawford, Luke Marshall, Jack Gardner, Lewis Reep, Harrison Lees, Alfie Loversidge, Finlay McDermott, Lewis Beebee, Yahya Azizi.
