Hassocks hammered at Horley to miss out on a big semi
Hassocks Under 23s went to the New Defence knowing that victory in their final Southern Combination League Supplementary Shield Group B game would allow them to leapfrog their hosts at the top of the table to qualify for the semi finals.
Sometimes in football, you just have to hold your hands up and say you were beaten by a better side. That is what happened on this occasion as a very strong Clarets outfit marched into the last four with a 5-1 victory over the Robins.
All six goals were in fact scored by Horley as they had the good grace to put through their own net five minutes before half time.
That made it 1-1 in what had been a closely fought opening 45 minutes but unfortunately, Hassocks could not quite hold on until the break and they went into the interval 2-1 behind. The floodgates then opened in the second half as Horley’s quality told.
Hassocks made five changes from the side who had lost 2-1 against Broadbridge Heath a week earlier with no shortage of first team experience injected into the starting XI.
Charlie Pugh, Dan Turner, Harvey Enticknap and Josh Short all made rare Under 23s appearances with George Galbraith-Gibbons returning after several weeks absence. Dropping out were Jayden Dunkley, Thomas Jupp, Connor Bradley, Sam Geard and Marshall Smith.
Horley for their part included several first team regulars of their own. Adam Grant, Mario Quiassaca, Josh Rapson and Matt Rapson had all featured for the Clarets when they beat Hassocks at senior level eight days earlier with Grant and Quiassaca plundering four of Horley’s goals in their 8-2 victory that evening.
It took Horley 26 minutes to take the lead, Sam Cranfield opening the scoring from close range after some neat build up play. That aforementioned own goal followed to put Hassocks back in the tie before Josh Rapson had the hosts back in the lead on the stroke of half time following a clever header down from Grant.
Conceding in the 44th minute rocked Hassocks and they were still at sea early in the second half, allowing Horley to make it 3-1 within four minutes of the restart. Josh Rapson was the scorer, adding his second of the night with a curling effort from the edge of the box which left Pugh with no chance.
Hassocks managed to stem the flow a little and it was another 30 minutes before Horley struck again through substitute George Branton who finished a Jonathan Kusaka cross from close range.
The fifth and final goal arrived via Quiassaca, extending his impressive scoring record against the Robins. It was almost a carbon copy of the fourth as the lively Kusaka was able to sweep a teasing low ball into the box which Quiassaca slid in to convert.
Horley will now go onto face Group C winners Chichester City in the semi finals. Hassocks meanwhile dropped to third behind St Francis Rangers, two defeats in the final two matches of the competition proving costly.
Not that anyone at the Beacon will mind. After a difficult season, the Under 23s produced much improved results and performances in the Supplementary Shield to win two, draw one and lose two of their group matches.
Especially pleasing to the Robins will be the fact that they relied on players from their Under 18s squad throughout much of the tournament, including when beating the North Division’s pre-curtailment leaders Horsham YMCA 5-2 at Gorings Mead.
All the goals that day came from youth team players, pointing to a bright future for those currently coming through the ranks with Hassocks.
Hassocks: Charlie Pugh, Kobe Dersley, Luke Marshall, Dan Turner, Harvey Ransome, Harvey Enticknap, Ben Hicks, Jay Hudson, Josh Short, Lewis Beebee, George Galbraith-Gibbons.
Subs: Archie Russell, Brad Sweetman (used).
