Hassocks FC start 2023 with win over AFC Uckfield - Roffey wonder when first league win will come

The Robins ran out 3-0 victors at a windy Beacon, justifying a bold XI from James Westlake which screamed attack, attack, attack.

For the first time this season, Westlake named his three principal strikers in the same starting line up.

Liam Benson and Pat Harding were joined by the recalled Phil Johnson, who has spent the last three league matches on the bench.

Jack Troak was used in a more defensive role on the left but that did little to inhibit his natural inclination to get forward and the inclusion of JJ Minty offered a goal threat from midfield.

In fact, everywhere you looked there were goal threats. The Beacon faithful were certainly excited by the brashness of it all with a notable buzz amongst the crowd before kick off.

It took time however for the positive selection to bear the fruit. The opening 20 minutes were pretty uneventful with neither side managing to create a noteworthy opportunity.

And when the Robins did open the scoring with the first meaningful attack of the afternoon midway through the first half, it was via a goal made by a recalled defender rather than any of their attacking heavyweights.

Will Broomfield has had to wait patiently for playing time this season thanks to the form of Alex Bygraves and Bradley Tighe.

Indeed, his two most recent substitute appearances have come in goal after injuries to Alex Harris at Midhurst & Easebourne and Joe Southam in the Boxing Day defeat to Steyning Town.

Shipping three second half goals against the Barrowmen saw Broomfield come into side in place of Tighe and he made the most of the opportunity with a composed display alongside the equally excellent Bygraves.

Broomfield’s assist came when he was quickest to react after Uckfield goalkeeper Connor Manderson made a brave save at the feet of Minty, pushing the ball away to the right.

Having come forward to join the attack, Broomfield was faster than a whippet to latch onto the loose ball ahead of Manderson, sweeping a low cross back to the waiting Minty who fired into the empty net from a matter of yards.

Hassocks should have doubled the lead on 37 minutes. Harvey Blake embarked on a dancing run down the right followed by a pinpoint cross which Benson headed wide.

Uckfield had done little to trouble the home defence and you sensed that a second goal for the Robins would kill the tie.

After plenty of huffing and puffing at the start of the second half, it eventually arrived with 66 minutes played.

Mike Williamson sent a free kick into the box. Broomfield had been left totally unmarked but contrived to completely miss the ball at an admittedly awkward height between head and knee.

Not that it mattered. Sam Rogers had made a darting run to the far post and he was able to hook across the goal line for Benson to bundle home.

That moved Benson onto 13 for the season, pulling him level with Johnson at the top of the scoring charts.

There was no opportunity for Johnson to add to his own total as he made way for Phil Gault three minutes later, part of a double change which also saw Westlake introduce himself into midfield in place of Rogers.

A runout of over 20 minutes was the most game time assistant head coach Gault has enjoyed for over a year and he put it to good use by creating the Robins’ third and final goal in injury time.

Gault collected possession from a short throw routine near the Uckfield by-line, turned his man and delivered the perfect cross hung up towards the back post.

A darting run from Joe Bull saw him escape the attentions of Alfie Dennis to power home a header from eight yards.

It was Bull’s first goal of the season and came just 10 minutes after he had come off the bench to take over from Minty.

Uckfield defender George Cook saw red with seconds remaining to complete a busy day for referee Brendan Jones, who booked seven Hassocks players.

Johnson, Bygraves, Troak, Westlake, Rogers, Williamson and Broomfield were the guilty parties, leaving the Robins likely to find themselves in hot water with the Sussex County FA - the only negative on an otherwise super start to the new year.

Hassocks: Southam; Blake, Broomfield, Bygraves, Troak; Minty, Williamson, Rogers, Harding; Johnson, Benson. Subs: Gault (Johnson 69), J Westlake (Rogers 69), Bull (Minty 80), B Tighe (Harding 88), Harris (unused).

SCOTT McCARTHY

AFC Varndeanians 3-3 Roffey

SCFL premier

Jack Munday must wonder if he will ever be able to name an unchanged team as five of the team that drew at Horsham YMCA were absent for the visit to Withdean.

Keeper Jasper Sheik and all three centre backs from the YM game were unavailable, along with midfielder Rob Goodman and top scorer George Cousins.

If that were not enough Roffey went one down in the first couple of minutes to a controversial strike. As a corner was taken debut making under-18 goalkeeper Max Vallis was being held and the assistant referee immediately flagged. However, as players hesitated, the referee played on and Tommy Boyle smashed the ball home off the crossbar. The Roffey players eventually managed to persuade the referee to consult the linesman but only for him to overrule him.

Rather than feeling sorry for themselves Roffey showed great determination to get back into the game and with Jack Stafford, Ricardo Fernandes and Jahobi Maher providing the through balls, first Tiago Andrade wriggled past his man to poke the ball past the keeper and then Kelvin Lucas blasted home when put clean through to give Roffey the lead.

Fernandes was also put through but miscued his effort as did Andrade and Lucas slipped when in an identical position from which had scored. At the other end Vallis twice saved well with his feet and bravely dived at the feet of an onrushing striker to cleanly take the ball. After the bad start Roffey led 2-1 at half-time. They had though lost defender Alex Penfold to an ankle injury and he was replaced by Aaron Collins.

On 52 minutes Morgan Prill drove in field, played a neat one two with Andrade and slipped the ball through to Fernandes who chipped the ball over the keeper to extend the visitors’ lead. Unfortunately, not for the first time this season Roffey failed to hold on to a winning position.

Alfie Mitchell swung a free kick in on the strong wind and it found its way inside the far post to halve the lead. Then Vallis did well to get down to a cross shot but Kaine Stephens with a forward breathing down his neck could not avoid putting the ball into his own net.

Normally an away point against a mid-table side would be seen as a decent result but as Munday’s men play catch-up it felt like a good opportunity to close the gap by three points missed.

The next chance to get that elusive win is on 21 January with the visit of Steyning, who Roffey were also leading until the last five minutes before losing at the Shooting Field. This is a habit they must kick if they are to catch the teams above them in the next 16 games.

Roffey; Vallis, Stephens, Penfold(Collins), Kirkham, Jacques, Prill, Stafford, Ja Maher(Relleen), Fernandes, Andrade, Lucas. Subs: Jo Maher, Brown.

SAM CHAPMAN