Hassocks have completed their first week of pre-season friendlies, registering two wins from their three matches played in searing summer heat.
A young Robins side kicked off the campaign away at Southern League Division Two opponents Upper Beeding on Saturday 8th August 2020.
Beeding have become regular friendly opponents for Hassocks in recent years with a number of keenly fought matches taking place between the clubs.
This one at the Memorial Playing Fields was no different with the Robins doing just about enough to secure a 2-1 victory. Both of the goals came from teenage striker Lewis Beebee, who scored 12 times from nine appearances for the Under 18s in the 2019-20 season.
Hassocks took a much more experienced squad to the More Than Tyres Stadium three days later to face Isthmian League South East side Burgess Hill Town.
It looked like a long evening would be in store for the Robins against Jay Lovett’s Hillians as the hosts went into the break 3-0 ahead. Hill named a mixture of first choice players and trialists who were clearly eager to impress as they flew out of the blocks.
Former Robin Nathan Cooper opened the scoring for Hill midway through the first half. Alex Laing doubled the advantage eight minutes before the interval with Josh Short adding a third right on the stroke of half time.
The second half was a different story, however. It was less than 120 seconds old when Hassocks’ record scorer Phil Gault netted a mesmerising effort. Gault collected a throw in just inside the Hill half with his back to goal, flicked the ball over home midfielder Jordi Ndozid and smashed a dipping volley from 35 yards which Josh James could only watch fly into the top corner.
Gault then added a second five minutes later as the Robins came away with a creditable 3-2 defeat against their higher division opponents.
48 hours later and the Beacon hosted its first action of the season as Mid Sussex Premier Division outfit Balcombe visited. Hassocks named a side largely made up of Under 23 players.
George Galbraith-Gibbons helped himself to a hat-trick with Joe Bull, Charlie Alderton and Connor Bradley also on target in a convincing 6-2 win for the Robins.
There are three more games to be played this coming week. On Tuesday night, Division One opponents Arundel come to the Beacon. On Thursday, another Mid Sussex Premier Division side in Lindfield are the visitors and on Saturday, Shaun Saunders brings Haywards Heath Town to face the Robins.
In line with current government guidelines, all three of those matches are scheduled to take place behind closed doors. We will look forward to opening the turnstiles again to supporters once the government decide that 100 people socially distanced around a non-league football ground is as safe as thousands packing onto a crammed beach on a hot day.
