After last week’s brief foray into the FA Vase, Hassocks return to Southern Combination League Premier Division action with a tough looking trip to the Saffrons to take on Eastbourne Town.
Town are one of those sides who knock on the promotion door every season without ever quite managing to get over the line. Since their relegation from the Isthmian League in 2014, they have never finished outside the top five and might well have overhauled Lancing at the head of the table if the 2019-20 campaign had been able to reach its conclusion.
When the season was declared null and void, Town were six points behind the Lancers with a game in hand. We will of course never know what would have happened, but judging by John Lambert’s summer recruitment, Town are determined to get over the line this time with their headline capture being striker Trevor McCreadie from Haywards Heath Town.
Eastbourne Town this season
What has tended to let Eastbourne Town down in the past with regards to their promotion chances is a slow start to the season. Lambert may be concerned that history is repeating itself as from four league games so far, Town have won once, drawn once and lost two.
AFC Uckfield Town are the early Premier Division pace setters and Town suffered a 1-0 reversal against them at the Oaks last week, Daniel Perry scoring the only goal of the game for the hosts to haunt his former club.
Town’s one Premier Division victory so far came when they beat Peacehaven & Telscombe 2-1 in their second league fixture of the campaign. They opened with a 1-0 defeat at Horsham YMCA and have also drawn 1-1 with another regular title challenger, Newhaven.
In the FA Cup, Lambert’s side eliminated Saltdean United 3-1 in the extra preliminary qualifying round before suffering an unfortunate penalty shoot out defeat to Faversham Town.
Hassocks’ record against Eastbourne Town
There have been 35 previous meetings between Hassocks and Eastbourne Town with Town winning over half of them – 20 – to the Robins’ nine. Six draws have taken place along the way.
In 25 meetings in the Southern Combination Premier, Town again lead the head-to-head with Hassocks having won just once in the past 14 years – a shock 2-1 success towards the end of the 2016-17 season.
Phil Gault scored twice at the Beacon that day but goalkeeper James Broadbent was the star of the show, pulling off save after extraordinary save against his former club including a brilliant penalty stop.
You have to go back to February 2006 to find the last time Hassocks won away at the Saffrons. Stuart Faith scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 success for Dave John’s Robins.
Last time we met
It was an afternoon to forget back in January when Town inflicted on Hassocks the heaviest home defeat that the Robins have ever suffered in senior football when winning 7-0 at the Beacon.
There were six different scorers for Town – Sam Cole, Zac Attwood, George Taggart, Jack Langford, Tyler Scrafton and Aaron Capon who netted twice. Scrafton seems to like visiting Mid Sussex – he also grabbed a brace for new club Peacehaven last weekend in their 3-0 FA Vase win over the Robins.
How to get to the Saffrons
The normal route to Eastbourne via the A27 and the A2770, following the road towards Eastbourne town centre. Turn right into The Goffs just before reaching the main station followed by an immediate left into Southfields Road. That is followed by another right into Dittons Road with the Saffrons on the left at the end of the road.
For those travelling by train, The Saffrons is within easy walking distance of Eastbourne Station.
