Hassocks hit highest placing of the season after back-to-back wins on the road
Away wins were rather like London Buses for Hassocks between October 2020 and February 2022 – you waited 14 months for one, and then three came along at once.
Having got the three points on the road monkey off their backs at the start of January, the Robins picked up back-to-back victories on the road to kick start a February in which they began to put light between themselves and the bottom two.
A Tuesday night visit to Crawley Down Gatwick resulted in arguably the most impressive result of Hassocks’ season as they went and won 3-1 away against opponents nine placings and 20 points better off in the Premier Division table.
Proceedings started in keeping with the league standings when Down took the lead after 15 minutes via a goal conjured up by two former Robins.
Harvey Enticknap did well to get to the by-line and deliver a low cross to Charlie Pitcher. Bradley Tighe made an excellent tackle on Pitcher, only for the ball to rebound kindly to the Anvils’ top scorer for a snapshot on the turn which left Harvey Parker in the Hassocks goal with no chance.
The Robins equalised four minutes before half time. A ball into the Down box was hit downwards by a very obvious hand from Dan Turner.
Although clear as day from the sidelines, nobody on the pitch bar Turner nor the officials seemed to notice. James Westlake took full advantage to strike low and hard past Alex Bellingham to level the game.
Hassocks were the better side in the second half. They moved ahead on 78 minutes when a deft flick from Alfie Loversidge released Josh Short to accelerate clear and beat Bellingham.
Two minutes later and the Robins wrapped up the win with their third. Loversidge and Short combined in identical fashion, only this time Down scrambled clear at the expense of a corner.
Lewis Westlake delivered a dangerous ball into the box from the resulting set piece, leading to Arthur Rawlingson controlling on his chest and thumping home a volley for his first senior goal for the club.
It was another player breaking their Hassocks duck who secured three points for the Robins four days later from the trip to AFC Uckfield Town.
Charlie Broad scored the only goal of his full Hassocks debut with 34 minutes played at the Oaks, meeting a trademark Turner long throw with a looping header over Oakmen goalkeeper Jason Tibble.
It was a scrappy goal in keeping with a game devoid of too much entertainment. An uneven pitch balder than Phil Wickwar made playing on the ground impossible and a strong wind made taking the aerial route difficult.
Victory lifted Hassocks outside of the bottom four for the first time in the 2021-22 season. Their next February fixture was a trip to AFC Varndeanians, by now one of the form teams in the Premier Division having failed to win any of their opening 25 fixtures in all competitions.
Just like at Uckfield the previous week, this was a forgettable 90 minutes decided by a single goal. Unfortunately for Hassocks, it went the way of the hosts on the hour mark.
The Robins had been enjoying their best spell when Varndeanians broke quickly upfield, leading Kyle Woolven to play in Finley Bigg who beat Alex Harris with aplomb.
Storm Eunice put paid to both Hassocks’ midweek Sussex Principal RUR Charity Cup quarter final at home to Seaford Town and the weekend trip to Horsham YMCA.
With this being the second time that the Beacon had been unable to host the Seaford tie, competition rules denoted that the tie would be switched to the Crouch. Suddenly, the Robins’ task in reaching a first semi final for a decade looked a little harder.
After that fortnight off caused by the weather, Loxwood provided the final February opposition. It was a game Hassocks could not afford to lose with the Magpies only three points behind and Varndeanians now beginning to rapidly close on both.
A 0-0 draw could therefore be viewed as a useful point. The Robins though really should have won, squandering numerous chances in a decent team performance lacking a clinical edge.
Bradley Bant and Jack Troak saw efforts blocked on the line by fine defending from Tom Cousins. James Westlake, Lewis Westlake, Loversidge and Short all fired good opportunities off target whilst Loxwood goalkeeper Fraser Trigwell made solid stops from Westlake senior and Bradley Tighe.
With the Under 23s having already completed their North Division campaign, focus was now fully on the League Cup which provided their sole February fixture.
West Division outfit Arundel were the visitors to the Beacon for an extraordinary game which finished 4-4 after 90 minutes.
Lewis Beebee gave Hassocks the lead. Ollie Hawins equalised for Arundel. Jude Wallis put the Robins back ahead going into half time with Hawkins cancelling that out nine minutes after the restart.
Hawkins completed his hat-trick to put the Mullets into the lead for the first time on the night with 64 minutes played. On 66, Wallis levelled things again.
Bradley Stroud’s 77th minute strike then looked like it had won it for Arundel until Marshall Smith struck a last minute equaliser to take the game to penalties.
Wallis, Beebee, Harvey Ransome and expert penalty taking substitute Rawlingson all converted which combined with two superb Parker saves gave Hassocks a 4-2 shootout win and a place in the quarter finals.
The Veterans faced their toughest Mid Sussex League game of the season when travelling to Ardingly. In conditions so grim that they players showered fully kitted up afterwards to try and get warm, Paul Armstrong and Jonathan Bundy secured a 2-1 success for the Robins.
Having won just once all season, February proved to be an outstanding month for the Ladies as they picked up three wins from four, scored 17 goals and conceded just one.
Katherine Chappell bagged four in a 7-0 win at Woodingdean Wanderers. Tallie Bright, Jodie Johanson and Mia Pordage completed the scoring in the victory that kickstarted the Robins’ campaign.
Next came a 4-0 home win over Worthing Town. Chappell again netted along with Jess Craig, Kirstin Mair and Katie Read.
A potential banana skin in the Sussex County Women’s League Cup away at lower division Horsham Sparrows was navigated with ease as Hassocks booked a quarter final place via a 6-0 win. Mair and Craig both notched doubles alongside Pordage and Johanson.
Hassocks would go onto face Roffey in the last eight but before that, the sides met in Premier Division action at the Beacon in the final game of February.
It provided the Robins’ only defeat of the month, Roffey leaving Mid Sussex with a 1-0 victory. Hassocks though would have their revenge though just two weeks later.
