The magic of the cup comes to the Beacon against Roffey
The Peter Bentley League Cup second round draw has handed Hassocks a first ever meeting with Roffey in senior football. It surely will not be the last either given how upwardly mobile Roffey have been since 2008.
Back then, they were playing in Division Three of the Mid Sussex League. A remarkable rise saw them climb four divisions in four seasons, culminating in promotion to the Southern Combination League at the end of the 2011-12 campaign.
After establishing themselves in Division Two, 2018-19 saw Roffey win promotion into Division One to play senior football for the first time in their 100-year history.
Covid has meant that they are yet to complete a season at that level. Should 2021-22 not suffer any interruptions, then it appears as though their stay in Division One maybe brief based on the start they have made to the current campaign.
Roffey this season
Andy Lampard’s side have delivered seven wins out of seven so far to sit level on points with Midhurst & Easebourne but second on goal difference.
They have plundered 22 goals at an average better than three a game and if they carry on in this vein, then a first ever promotion to the Premier Division looks more than achievable.
The summer appointment of former Broadbridge Heath manager Steve Painter as general manager at Bartholomew Way has no doubt helped.
Painter knows exactly what it takes to lead sides to promotion through the Southern Combination having turned Heath from a struggling Division Two outfit into one capable of finishing in the top six of the Premier Division during a long association with the Bears.
Working alongside Lampard, the two have put together a squad full of names which will be familiar to Hassocks supporters for their exploits against the Robins in the top division in recent seasons.
Kelvin Lucas and Joao Tiago Andrade have played (and scored) for a host of Premier Division clubs in the past. In a sign of how deep Roffey’s squad is, those two do not even lead Roffey’s scoring charts – that honour goes to Josh Neathey, previously a goal machine at Oakwood.
Hassocks may be the Premier Division club coming into this tie, but this will be a stern examination for Brad Sweetman and his players tonight as the Robins look to bounce back from their 5-0 weekend hammering at the hands of Newhaven.
Hassocks v Roffey head-to-head
As already noted, this will be the first meeting at senior level between Hassocks and Roffey. The clubs have met at Under 18s before, including a couple of campaigns battling for the league title not-so-long ago.
Roffey came out on top in that particular contest in 2016-17. The Robins then took their crown in 2017-18 on their way to winning an historic treble of Central Division champions, Champions of Champions playoff winners and League Cup winners.
Hassocks’ record in the Peter Bentley League Cup
It is not great to be honest. Hassocks first played in the competition in 1985, since when there has been a solitary semi final appearance in the 1996-97 season.
That run included victories over Sidley, Mile Oak and an almighty upset against Saltdean United who were one of the strongest sides in the county at the time.
Unfortunately, the Robins met another giant in Wick in the semis and they ended that memorable run by hammering Hassocks 5-0.
There have been a handful of quarter final appearances in the intervening 25 years, most recently in the 2015-16 campaign when eventual winners Lancing eliminated the Robins.
Admission prices and matchday information
Admission prices are £6 adults, £3 concessions with under 16s going free. The Clubhouse will be open for supporters with the Robins Bar selling a wide range of beers from local breweries and beyond and and the T Bar catering for hot food and drink. Contactless payments are available on the gate and in the Clubhouse.
Although all Covid-19 restrictions have now been lifted, track and trace barcodes will still be available for those who wish to use them.
Masks are no longer mandatory inside but please wear one if you prefer and all two metre signage remains as a guide for those who wish to continue practicing social distancing. Hand sanitiser will also be provided around the ground.
