ROBINS PASS ANVILS TEST WITH FLYING COLOURS
There is no stopping Hassocks Under 18s. Five games into the 2020-21 season and the Robins have a 100 percent record, have plundered 37 goals.
The latest side to fall under their spell was Crawley Down Gatwick, who arrived at the Beacon looking like a side who would offer a different threat to anything which Hassocks had faced so far.
Down were a large, physical outfit. And yet the Robins took this new challenge in their stride, scoring four quickfire goals in a blistering period which ultimately gave them a 6-0 success.
Ominously for the rest of the Southern Combination League North Division, the Robins are getting stronger too. Brad Sweetman gave a debut to new signing Sam Geard and with a couple of other additions in the pipeline, the Robins have real strength in depth across the park.
Hassocks are yet to field their strongest side either. Jack Gardner has established himself as a first team regular and so has barely featured for the Under 18s whilst Alfie Loversidge may have started here, but he is very much a part of the senior squad too.
Geard and Loversidge were two of the three changes from the previous week’s 18-0 Sussex Dennis Probee Under 18 Youth Cup first round win over Rottingdean Village.
Also coming into the side was Luke Marshall, another player who has been on the first team bench so far and turned out regularly for the Under 23s. Owen Parker, Daniel Llewellyn and Josh Sprigg were the players dropping out, the latter two sitting on the bench whilst Parker missed out completely.
Archie Russell in particular enjoyed a fruitful morning as he hit a hat-trick to move onto seven goals for the season. Lewis Beebee remains the Robins’ top scorer on 10 and he hit the back of the net against the Anvils, meaning that continued his record of scoring in every game so far.
Beau Howard was the scorer of Hassocks’ two other goal as his impressive start to life at the Beacon goes on with four goals from only three appearances.
The result leaves the Robins level on points with Horsham YMCA at the top of the Southern Combination Under 18 League North Division. Both sides have won four from four. Hassocks have a superior goal difference of +26 comparted to YM’s +14, not that it matters as the league controversially does not use goal difference to decide positions.
It does suggest though that the North Division could be in for a two-horse title race between Hassocks and YM, although St Francis Rangers also have a 100 percent record having played a game less.
Hassocks should face a stern test of the credentials next Sunday when Billingshurst come to the Beacon – managed by one of the best players to have ever come through the Robins youth system, Eddie French.
Hassocks: Jayden Dunkley, Oscar De Janon Griph, Alex Crawford, Luke Marshall, Sam Geard, Kobe Dersley, Charlie Jones, Archie Russell, Beau Howard, Alfie Loversidge Lewis Beebee.
Subs: Fraser Mears, Daniel Llewellyn, Josh Sprigg, Archie Messent, Cody Craig (used).
