It has been a busy month on the transfer front at the Beacon with four signings joining the Robins and one heading out the exit door as Hassocks’ squad continues to take shape.
The first new signing through the door was Jake Chadwick (pictured) who made his Hassocks debut back in mid-September as a substitute in the FA Vase exit at the hands of Peacehaven & Telscombe.
Midfielder Chadwick came through the ranks at Horsham, making his senior debut for the Hornets as a 17-year-old on the final day of the 2014-15 season away at Tooting & Mitcham.
A broken collarbone ruled him out for much of Horsham’s 2015-16 Southern Combination League title winning campaign and he was subsequently loaned to Steyning Town to regain fitness.
Chadwick was a part of the Sussex Under 18s side who reached the FA County Youth Cup Final for the first time in over sixty years in 2016, leaving Horsham for Billingshurst early in the 2016-17 season.
Joining Chadwick in the Robins midfield is Josh Short, who arrives from Burgess Hill Town where he was a semi-regular last season. Short scored some important goals for the Hillians, including in two of their local derby wins over Haywards Heath Town and an impressive 3-0 success against Chichester City.
Also arriving from the More Than Tyres Stadium is Drew Matthews, a young defender with an impressive CV. Matthews joined the Hillians last summer following his release from Crystal Palace, where he had captained the Eagles at various age groups.
His signing by Hill was considered something of a coup and he soon established himself in their first team, famously scoring twice in a 4-2 win over Three Bridges in February. Matthews made his Hassocks debut in the Sussex Senior Cup defeat to Midhurst & Easebourne.
The fourth and final new face is actually a returning face as former Under 18s goalkeeper Conor Evento has re-joined the club. Evento was Hassocks’ youth team number one in the 2015-16 and turned out for the Under 21s on several occasions.
Although he never made a senior appearance in his previous spell at the club, Evento did sit on the first team bench on several occasions before departing for Horsham.
He has spent the past few seasons with Broadbridge Heath, making his belated Hassocks debut against Eastbourne Town. Unfortunately for Evento, he picked up an injury early on and finished the game on one leg effectively – and yet he still managed to make the final four for the man-of-the-match poll.
Striker Chris Neatherway is the man who has left the Beacon, dropping down to Division One with Oakwood. Chris was a summer signing from Steyning Town but found first team opportunities limited due to the early season form of Charlie Pitcher, James Littlejohn and Jack Troak.
He made five appearances without scoring for the Robins and everyone at the Beacon wishes him well at Tinsley Lane.
