The meeting of the 2024-25 Sussex Transport Senior Cup winners and SCFL Premier champions remained scoreless at half-time.
But the game turned on 70 minutes when the Robins’ Dan Allen picked up a second yellow after dragging down Ola Ogunwamide.
The Hornets’ opener came just four minutes after Allen’s dismissal, substitute Greg Luer coolly firing home from Jake Elliott’s through ball.
Fellow replacement Gianluca Botti added Horsham’s second with six minutes of normal time remaining, smashing home from 20 yards after a flowing Hornets move.
The 2-0 win saw Horsham claim back-to-back Sussex FA Community Shields. The Hornets claimed their first-ever Community Shield last summer in a thumping 5-0 victory over Steyning Town.
The Hornets have the chance to claim their fourth piece of silverware in just over three months when they host Billericay Town in the Isthmian League Charity Shield this Saturday.
Hassocks, meanwhile, who are looking forward to their first-ever campaign at step four, entertain Southern League Division One Central outfit Rayners Lane in the FA Cup extra preliminary round on the same day.
See some of John Lines’ pictures from the game on this page and the ones linked.
You can read all the latest from Horsham FC in the West Sussex County Times, and Hassocks in the Mid Sussex Times, both publications out every Thursday.
1. Back-to-back Sussex Community Shields for Horsham FC as second half strikes sink tireless 10-man Hassocks – the match in pictures
Horsham FC left it late to secure victory against 10-man Hassocks as they claimed a second successive Sussex FA Community Shield to add to last season’s Isthmian Premier and Sussex Transport Senior Cup triumphs. Photo: John Lines
2. Back-to-back Sussex Community Shields for Horsham FC as second half strikes sink tireless 10-man Hassocks – the match in pictures
Horsham FC left it late to secure victory against 10-man Hassocks as they claimed a second successive Sussex FA Community Shield to add to last season’s Isthmian Premier and Sussex Transport Senior Cup triumphs. Photo: John Lines
3. Back-to-back Sussex Community Shields for Horsham FC as second half strikes sink tireless 10-man Hassocks – the match in pictures
Horsham FC left it late to secure victory against 10-man Hassocks as they claimed a second successive Sussex FA Community Shield to add to last season’s Isthmian Premier and Sussex Transport Senior Cup triumphs. Photo: John Lines
4. Back-to-back Sussex Community Shields for Horsham FC as second half strikes sink tireless 10-man Hassocks – the match in pictures
Horsham FC left it late to secure victory against 10-man Hassocks as they claimed a second successive Sussex FA Community Shield to add to last season’s Isthmian Premier and Sussex Transport Senior Cup triumphs. Photo: John Lines