Hassocks end SCFL season with win - but miss out on RUR Cup final

Alfold 0-1 Hassocks - SCFL premier

This has been a season of two halves for Hassocks. Their final Premier Division fixture of the campaign was in keeping with their improved form since the midway point as they won 1-0 away at Alfold to secure 16th spot in the table.

The target for the Robins as always was to preserve their cherished status as the top flight’s longest serving club.

For much of the opening three months, that appeared under serious threat. Hassocks won three and drew four of their opening 19 games, earning only 13 points.

It was worth waiting to get hands on trophy.

In contrast, they have lost just six matches in the second half of the season, winning six and drawing seven to finish nine points clear of the bottom two.

What makes the turnaround all the more remarkable is that Hassocks have played 12 of those 19 fixtures on the road.

Most would have expected Hassocks to flounder with so many tough assignments away from the Beacon, and yet if anything they have flourished.

There is also the prospect of the Robins making it to the Sussex Principal RUR Charity Cup final for the first time in their history.

Worthing and Pompey tests likely to await Bognor.

Newly crowned Southern Combination League champions Littlehampton Town visit Mid Sussex on Tuesday night in the semi final of the competition.

The Marigolds will be hot favourites having beaten Hassocks 6-2 earlier this month.

It would be an almighty shock for the Robins to eliminate a side aiming to end the season with four trophies, but this young Hassocks squad have developed a habit for proving people wrong this season.

That resilience and belief is why Robins fans can look to the future with optimism, presuming of course Hassocks can keep the group together.

Add a striker this summer to supplement the likes of Jack Troak, Josh Short and Alfie Loversidge—all have scored regularly but none are out-and-out centre forwards - and eyes should be wandering up the table in 2022-23 rather than down.

Central to Hassocks’ improvement as the campaign has worn on was bringing the Westlake brothers back to the club.

The spine of the team looks so much stronger with them in the engine room and Lewis’ dead-ball specialism has seen him create and score a number of important goals in the battle against the drop.

It was his sixth of the season which decided the tie at Alfold Recreation Ground, a trademark free kick curled around the wall with 22 minutes on the clock.

Hassocks could be particularly pleased with their clean sheet, given that two of the backline who shutout a dangerous Crawley Down Gatwick attack on Easter Monday were absent.

Young Luke Marshall was excellent in filling the sizable boots of Dan Turner, who has been colossal in recent weeks at centre half.

Alfie Edmeads being rested to the bench necessitated a bit of a positional merry-go-round as Bradley Bant took over at left back, Joe Bull came into the side wide on the right and Loversidge moved central to play off Short.

A young Alfold outfit were keen to keep the ball and pass out from the back. Hassocks pressed at the right moments, stealing possession in key areas and looking dangerous on the counter.

Chances were at a premium in a fairly even contest until a driving run from Short was halted illegally front and centre of the Alfold goal, giving the Robins a free kick in a hugely promising position.

Westlake made the most of the opportunity, leaving home goalkeeper Josh Page routed to the spot as the ball crashed into the back of the net.

Alford had a great chance to equalise just before half time. Kelvin Lucas shifted the ball well inside the area, only for Alex Harris to make a smart save down to his right which ensured Hassocks went into the break 1-0 to the good.

The second half continued in much the same vein, the Robins managing to turn over possession and play on the break whilst a strong defensive showing meant they were rarely troubled at the other end.

Alfold managed to break through only once. Harris though was alert to come off his line and make a one-on-one block from Ben Beazley.

Hassocks saw their best opportunity after of the second half fall to Troak. He went galloping clear with only Page to beat, opting for an attempted chip which screwed disappointingly wide.

Hassocks: Harris; Rawlingson, Marshall, B Tighe, Bant; Bull, J Westlake, L Westlake, Troak; Loversidge, Short. Subs: Edmeads, S Smith (used)

Hassocks 0-2 Littlehampton Town - RUR Cup semi

Hassocks were never likely to end their 120 year wait to reach a senior final when they were paired in semis of the Sussex Principal RUR Charity Cup with Southern Combination League champions Littlehampton Town.

The Robins though gave a good account of themselves even as they went down to a 2-0 defeat against opponents eyeing up four pieces of silverware this season.

Over the next few weeks, Littlehampton will meet Saltdean United in the RUR Cup final, Newhaven in the Peter Bentley League Cup final and Newport Pagnell Town at Wembley in the FA Vase final. The Premier Division trophy had been secured for the cabinet at St Flora Sportsfield on Saturday.

The Hassocks programme cheekily hoped that Littlehampton had celebrated their triumph a little too hard, with hangovers stretching out more than 72 hours to give the Robins half a chance against opponents who finished 15 places and 53 points ahead of Hassocks in the table.

No such luck. Whilst Marigolds fans were in party mood - they turned up with fireworks and flares and let them off before, during and after the game, - their players got the job done despite having to play for over an hour with 10 men.

Most in attendance amongst the biggest Beacon crowd for several years were probably expecting a cakewalk for the visitors, especially when Littlehampton took the lead with only 12 minutes on the clock.

Dan Tuner has been outstanding for the Robins this season, so it was a shame that he was at fault for the goal.

The sight of Turner striding around attackers with the ball at his feet has become a common one at the Beacon but it of course comes with risks.

On this occasion, Turner was dispossessed in the Hassocks box by George Gaskin, who was then fouled by Bradley Tighe.

Joe Benn converted the resulting penalty past Alex Harris, after which a flare was thrown on to the pitch towards the Hassocks goalkeeper by the visiting fans gathered on the bank behind the goal.

The Sussex FA will no doubt have something to about that. Hassocks officials also reported having to clear disused pyrotechnics, empty beer cans and broken glass from the children's’ play park behind the goal afterwards

Littlehampton fans were not the only ones in trouble either; on 28 minutes, Scott Kirkwood picked up a straight red card to put the Marigolds down to 10 and leave him facing the prospect of being suspended for the trip to Wembley for a tackle on Jack Troak from behind as the Robins tried to break.

Referee Barrie Small had no choice but to send the one-time Hassocks midfielder for an early bath.

The Marigolds nearly provided the perfect response to the red card, some lovely intricate passing creating an opening for Benn to rattle the bar.

Hassocks had set out to sit back, frustrate and pick their moments playing on the counter. The red card changed that slightly and the Robins became a bit more of an attacking force as the first half wore on.

A glorious chance to level the tie arrived seven minutes before the break. The Westlake brothers and Troak were involved, working the ball to Joe Bull to hit a fierce drive which James Binfield acrobatically kept out.

Without that save, the tie may well have taken a different turn. Instead, Littlehampton doubled their advantage three minutes after the interval with their 200th goal of the campaign.

Hassocks were their own worst enemy, leaving Gaskin free to head home a corner. Two preventable goals had Littlehampton with one foot in the final.

Still, the Robins kept battling. Other than Harris saving well from Benn and the woodwork being rattled again, Littlehampton found it hard to carve out many goal scoring opportunities despite having stuck 10 past Hassocks in the two league meetings between the sides.

Brad Sweetman switched things up on the hour mark, introducing Sam Smith in place of Bull to provide a focal point for the attack.

Nine minutes after his introduction and Smith had a great chance to pull one back, volleying over the bar from 15 yards after good work from Josh Short.

A goal at that point would have made things interesting. Unfortunately, it was not to be as the Robins found Littlehampton just a little too good.

There is no shame in that, of course. Littlehampton now have three cup finals to complete their season. Hassocks meanwhile can be pleased with a campaign in which they avoided relegation after a sticky start and gave their fans a memorable RUR Cup run.

Hassocks: Harris; Rawlingson, Turner, Tighe, Bant; Bull, J Westlake, L Westlake, Troak; Loversidge, Short. Subs: S Smith, Broad, Marshall (used), W Tighe, Baden (unused).