Why Hassocks, Haywards Heath Town and Burgess Hill Town all have reasons to be cheerful

Hassocks and Haywards Heath Town enter the final weeks of the Southern Combination premier division both with a chance of promotion to the Isthmian League.

And Burgess Hill Town, though too far off the Isthmian south east play-off places to have thoughts of promotion, have been totting up results which mean they are without the relegation worries that loomed large a year ago.

Hassocks sit fifth in the SCFL table – the final play-off spot – with three games to play, though are only three points behind second-placed Newhaven.

On Easter Saturday, James Westlake’s men won 1-0 at Horsham YMCA courtesy of a Matthew Gunn goal. Westlake said on X: “Wasn’t pretty, and scrappy throughout, but all about the points. Incredible effort from everyone to match the club’s points record for a season.”

On Monday the Robins lost 2-0 at Haywards Heath – leaving them with work to do to ensure a play-off spot, starting at home to Bexill on Saturday.

Naim Rouane’s Haywards Heath are sixth but have every chance of gatecrashing the play-offs by moving up a place.

Monday’s win over Hassocks came thanks to a goal in each half, Finn Daniels-Yeomans and Byron Napper on target. That came after Napper, Lewis Finney and Jacob Minty scored in a 3-0 win over Loxwood.

Heath have a game in hand over the two sides just above them – Hassocks and Eastbourne Town – and are away to Little Common on Saturday and at home to second-placed Newhaven on Tuesday.

In the Isthmian south east, Easter began for Gary Mansell’s Hillians with a 2-2 draw away to Erith & Belvedere, goals from Martyn Box and Noah Hoffman enabling them to fight back for a point after going 1-0 and 2-1 down.

On Monday they lost 3-2 at home to play-off hopefuls Three Bridges in front of a bumper crowd of 676.

After Bridges took a 2-0 lead, Tahjae Anderson and Jake Goodman pulled it back to 2-2 midway through the second half – only for Bridges to nab a late winner. Hill are 13th and visit leaders Cray Valley PM on Saturday.