No prizes for guessing who was voted as Hassocks’ September 2020 Player of the Month.
The Robins played eight times in the first month of the 2020-21 season and in four of those matches, Charlie Pitcher was chosen as supporters’ Man of the Match.
That form unsurprisingly translated to him picking up the first Player of the Month award of the campaign, seeing off the challenges of Alfie Loversidge and Jack Troak who finished second and third respectively.
Pitcher topped his first matchday poll of the season when notching the consolation in the 3-1 defeat at Alfold which started our Premier Division campaign.
He was on target again against Lancing three days later, giving one of his former clubs a real test as Hassocks shocked the side who had been top of the table in 2019-20 before curtailment of the season struck by winning 3-2 at the Beacon.
The next Saturday Pitcher picked up his third successive Man of the Match away at Bedfont Sports in the FA Cup. He scored in that one too, showing his quality against Isthmian League opponents as the Robins lost 3-1.
An early injury against Steyning Town prevented Pitcher making it four in a row and his absence was keenly felt against Peacehaven & Telscombe in the FA Vase when Hassocks drew a blank in exiting the competition in a toothless 3-0 defeat.
Pitcher returned for the trip to Eastbourne Town but didn’t look entirely fit. 72 hours later however he single handedly put Pagham to the sword, scoring both the goals as the Robins tamed the Lions to win 2-1 and end Pagham’s unbeaten start to the campaign.
Whilst Pitcher has been writing most of the headlines, 17-year-old Loversidge has been creating a quiet buzz himself with a series of exciting cameos.
Loversidge showed no fear when coming on against Lancing, helping to turn the game in Hassocks’ favour and drawing praise for his talents from the Lancers’ management.
He was one of the few Hassocks players to threaten in the Vase tie with Peacehaven and notched his first senior goal for the club in the 6-2 defeat at Eastbourne Town.
Loversidge is having his game time carefully managed, but the glimpses that Hassocks fans have seen so far were enough to push him into second place in the poll – and point to a very bright future.
Troak meanwhile has benefited hugely from being moved into a more advanced role for 2020-21 from the left back berth he filled in the second half of last season.
The result has been four goals in eight appearances from left midfield and a blossoming relationship with both Pitcher and James Littlejohn.
Troak’s best match of the month came at Balham in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round where he was on target in the 90 minutes and then showed nerves of steel to convert the winning penalty in the shoot out.
