Winless Sundays have been few and far between for Hassocks Under 18s this season. For the second time since September, they suffered a morning in which they did not taste victory following an exciting 2-2 Supplementary Shield draw away at Horsham YMCA.
This was the first meeting for many years at youth team level between the Robins and YM. The regular season was curtailed before they got the chance to face off, Hassocks leading the way in the North Division having dropped just two points all season and YM not being far behind.
The Gorings Mead outfit had won four and lost one of their five matches, sitting seven points behind Hassocks but with two games in hand. In the post-lockdown competition, they had two wins from two games having beaten Saltdean United and St Francis Rangers.
Hassocks meanwhile had sat out the previous week, a five-team Group C meaning it was their turn to have a blank Sunday. That may have left the Robins a little rusty, although their previous outing in the first game of the Supplementary Shield had delivered their best result of the season when winning 3-1 away at Alfold, who had held a 100 percent record before lockdown.
There were two changes from the side who won at the Elliott Scott Group Stadium a fortnight ago. Sam Geard was rested to the bench after making his debut for the Under 23s on Thursday night and Charlie Jones was also absent. Their places were taken by Daniel Llewellyn and Archie Russell, both promoted from the roles they had filled as substitutes against Alfold.
Hassocks were also able to call upon first team regulars Jack Gardner and Alfie Loversidge for the second week running. Neither had started in the senior side’s 3-2 defeat at Lingfield the previous day – Gardner was a used substitute – and so Brad Sweetman took advantage by giving them both starts, making this one of the Robins’ strongest line ups of the season.
Both the Hassocks goals came from top scorer Lewis Beebee, who moved onto 12 for the season in the process. YM had to turn to their bench to find goals of their own, substitute Callum Chesworth joining Beebee in the brace club with a double to earn the hosts a share of the spoils.
The result leaves YM at the top of the pile with seven points from three matches. Hassocks are just behind with four from two ahead of another tough outing in their penultimate game next Sunday, a Mid Sussex Derby away at St Francis Rangers who were also going well in the North Division prior to the season’s premature finish. It is all to play for.
Hassocks: Jayden Dunkley, Jack Gardner, Alex Crawford, Luke Marshall, Daniel Llewellyn, Kobe Dersley, Archie Russell, Cody Craig, George Mitchell-Phillips, Alfie Loversidge Lewis Beebee.
Subs: Sam Geard, Beau Howard, Josh Sprigg, Archie Messent (used).
