Five star Hassocks hammer Heath to take Mid Sussex bragging rights
Local bragging rights went the way of Hassocks Under 18s and in some style too as the Robins hammered Haywards Heath Town 5-0 in the first Mid Sussex Derby of the season.
The first of many, we should say. With St Francis Rangers and Burgess Hill Town also entering the Southern Combination Under 18 Central Division, there will be plenty of tasty affairs to enjoy between the four clubs covered by the Mid Sussex Times’ patch over the course of the next nine months.
This was the first opportunity for the influx of new Hassocks players and their management team of Neil Parker and Glen Geard to impress in a competitive game at the Beacon and based on what those present witnessed, the Robins will be worth watching this season.
Hassocks made three changes from the side who had opened their campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Shoreham a week previously, those three points at Middle Road delivered by a Sam Geard penalty.
Debuts were given out to Abir Chowdhury, Oliver Parker-Williams and Joshua Trinick with the three new faces replacing Alfie Beck, Louis Thwaites and Jack Morris.
In Jayden Dunkley’s absence, Jake Palmer continued to deputise in goal, recording his second clean sheet in as many matches along the way. The defence in front of him remained rock solid.
Parker-Williams marked his first appearance with two goals and Geard was on target for the second game running, continuing an excellent start to the campaign which saw him make his first team debut earlier in August.
The other goals came from Beck, notching a brace from the bench to give food for thought to the management ahead of a trip to Steyning Town next week.
Hassocks last visited the Shooting Field in the semi final of the Supplementary Shield back in April, suffering a 7-1 defeat to the eventual winners of the competition.
Although only a handful of players remain from last season’s Under 18s squad, those that do will be hoping to gain a measure of revenge against the Barrowmen.
That is not the only thing on the line either; like the Robins, Steyning have made a flying start by winning two out of two, scoring nine times along the way.
It will be a real test of this Hassocks side’s credentials as they attempt to become the first title winning Robins since 2018.
Hassocks: Jake Palmer, Josh Trinick, Harry Bundy, Harry Carter, Jamie Douglass, Abir Chowdhury, Archie Hill, Sam Geard, Beau Howard, Oliver Parker-Williams, Archie Russell.
Subs: Alfie Beck, Louis Thwaites, Joseph Woodhouse, Owen Parker (used).
