Hassocks hit the road for the first time since the Southern Combination League Premier Division campaign resumed this Saturday with a trip to the Oval to take on Eastbourne United.
Neither the Robins not United had the best of restarts in midweek. Whilst Hassocks were going down 1-0 to Broadbridge Heath at the Beacon, United lost 4-1 at home to Langney Wanderers in an Eastbourne derby.
It will be Hassocks’ first away match since October 20th when they won 3-1 at Horsham YMCA. The Robins will be hoping for a similar result, especially with two tough fixtures against Alfold and league leaders Saltdean United to come in the next fortnight.
Eastbourne United this season
It has been a difficult start to the campaign for United who are currently floating three points above the relegation zone with three wins, one draw and eight defeats from their 12 matches so far.
Matt Crabb resigned as manager just before lockdown after a little over a year in the job with his assistant Ray Collier taking over. Collier lost his first two games in charge 6-0 against Loxwood and by the same scoreline against Peacehaven & Telscombe, so the break came at just the right time in terms of giving the new boss a month to assess what needs to be done.
Hassocks’ record against Eastbourne United
Hassocks dominate the head-to-head with 18 wins to United’s 11 and 12 draws in the 41 previous meetings. That record is helped hugely by the fact that the Robins seem to love visiting the Oval for some reason.
They won six times in a row there between 2010 and 2019. What made this run all the more incredible is that only in two of those seasons did Hassocks end the campaign above United in the table.
It did not seem to matter how much better the United team of the time were, the Robins would always find a way to win on the Sunshine Coast. That was until last October at least, when that winning streak came to a shuddering halt…
Last time Hassocks met Eastbourne United
The sides faced off only once in 2019-20 before the season was declared null and void. That came at the Oval in the autumn. United were enjoying an excellent start to the campaign at the same time as Hassocks were in their most difficult period of a pretty difficult season.
Unsurprisingly given that contrasting form, it was an easy 4-1 victory for the hosts who wrapped the game up with three goals in five first half minutes.
Kane Penn scored in the 38th and 40th minutes with Nathan Crabb making it 3-0 on 42. James Littlejohn pulled one back midway through the second half before Nathan Crabb restored United’s three-goal advantage with 10 minutes left to play.
How to get to The Oval?
Take the A27 to Eastbourne, joining the A22 when you reach the Sunshine Coast. Follow that until you reach the second roundabout, turning left onto Lottbridge Drove.
Turn right onto the A259 when you hit the roundabout by Homebase, then turn right into Channel View Road with The Oval a little further down on the right.
