Robins head to the Shooting Field in penultimate home game of the season
The 2021-22 Southern Combination League Premier Division season enters its final week. Hassocks have three games left to play, starting with the short trip to the Shooting Field to take on Steyning Town.
Although both clubs have achieved their primary aims of avoiding relegation, there is still much to play for in terms of league position.
Just one point separates the Barrowmen in 16th with Hassocks in 17th with the Robins having a game in hand on their hosts.
A resurgent AFC Varndeanians are looking to haul themselves out of the bottom three at the expense of either Hassocks or Steyning, so whoever comes away from this Easter Saturday meeting with three points will be in the stronger position to avoid that fate.
There is also the intrigue of the Robins travelling to the Shooting Field. Covid-19 denied Hassocks the opportunity to visit one of their closest Southern Combination League clubs in either of the past two seasons, meaning this will be the Robins’ first league fixture away at Steyning since the 1994-95 campaign.
Steyning Town this season
The league table suggests that Steyning and Hassocks have had remarkably similar campaigns. The extent to which this is true goes beyond just results however and into approach.
Just like Hassocks, the Barrowmen have spent this season introducing young players into senior football. An excellent production line is in place at the Shooting Field, with Steyning having one of the best Under 18s setups in the county over recent years.
As the Robins know all too well, blooding young players can be difficult and lead to inconsistent results. Steyning then can be reasonably happy that although they have spent most of the campaign in the bottom seven, they have never been overly troubled by the relegation zone.
If they can hold onto their youthful talents and continue to help them develop, then the future looks bright for the Barrowmen.
Steyning Town v Hassocks head-to-head
Meetings between Hassocks and Steyning have been few and far between because of Town’s spell in the Wessex League throughout the 1990s.
12 times before the sides have faced off; three times in the Premier Division, four times in Division One, four times in the Sussex Senior Cup and once in the Sussex RUR Charity Cup.
Hassocks have won seven of those meetings. Three have been drawn with Steyning victorious on two occasions – including the last time the Robins went to the Shooting Field in the second round of the Sussex Senior Cup in the 2015-16 season.
Last time Hassocks played Steyning Town
Brad Sweetman earned his first win as Hassocks boss when the Barrowmen were beaten 2-0 at the Beacon in August.
Luke Marshall saw red inside of the opening 30 minutes but playing shorthanded did not have too much of an impact on the Robins as two second half goals from George Mitchell-Phillips won it.
How to get to the Shooting Field
Make your way to the A283 Steyning bypass and continue on it once you reach the roundabout with Bramber Castle. Take the second left off the bypass onto Canons Way followed by an immediate right onto Henderson Walk.
Following this road around to the right, turn right onto S Ash then left onto Farnefold Road. Follow this onto Middle Mead, turn left at the end onto the Shooting Field and you will find the ground a little way up on the right.
