Happy Hassocks: Robins win 2-1 at AFC Uckfield - then 3-0 at Alfold

And those two goals proved enough to give the Robins their first Southern Combination League win of the season, a 2-1 success achieved despite the difficult conditions at the Oaks.

Hassocks and Uckfield are both under new management for the current campaign. James Westlake and his opposite number Jonny Elwood have set their stalls out early into the reigns as wanting their sides to play passing football.

On a day like this, conserving energy by letting the ball do the work becomes doubly important. That was nigh-on impossible playing on a pitch suffering badly from the lack of rain.

It was dusty, bumpy and made controlling the football challenging. The game therefore became one decided by who adapted best to the conditions.

That turned out to be the Robins thanks to a willingness to be attritional, make the most of set pieces and clinically take the chances that came their way.

With tiredness and fatigue a guaranteed factor by the end thanks to the heat, Hassocks came flying out the traps.

The Robins’ intention was clearly to try and catch Uckfield cold – or as cold as one can be when temperatures in Sussex are hotter than Greece – and secure an early lead, leaving their hosts with the difficult task of chasing the game as energy levels became seriously depleted.

It was a game plan that worked to a tee. Just five minutes had elapsed when Harvey Blake and Tom Frankland combined down the right flank to earn Hassocks a corner.

Lewis Westlake sent over a pinpoint delivery into the penalty area, met by a downwards header from Mark Zydonik.

The ball crashed into the rock hard ground, bounced back up, hit the bottom of the cross bar and diverted downwards again to give former Broadbridge Heath defender Zydonik his first goal in Hassocks colours.

Things got even better for the Robins seven minutes later when Liam Benson showed real intelligence to double the advantage.

A defence splitting pass put Benson through. Rather than run towards the Uckfield goal and put his faith in the bobbly surface not conspiring to take the ball away from him, Benson cleverly took a shot on early.

Although former Hassocks number one James Broaadbent did well to get a hand onto the surprise effort, Benson’s strike had too much precision and power for the Oakmen captain to keep out of the bottom right corner of his goal.

The Robins were cruising but perhaps it had all been a little too easy. That would explain why they took their foot off the pedal and allowed Uckfield back into the game.

A nice passing move down the right resulted in a cross into the Hassocks box. Home midfielder James Pass produced an accomplished finish, making it very much game on after an action packed opening 25 minutes.

Things quietened down after that with neither side making many inroads until Benson had another opportunity just before half time.

The lively Jack Troak produced some of his trademark enterprising wing play, eventually crossing into the path of Benson. A solid stop was required from Broadbent to ensure the Robins led by only one going into the break.

Hassocks knew that Uckfield would throw the kitchen sink at them in the second half. It was back to the walls stuff for the most part.

To not concede despite being under so much pressure would have been a real positive for Westlake, and a sign of the progress the Robins are making after shipping 10 goals in their opening two matches.

Uckfield had two opportunities to take something from the tie. There was a defensive mix up which the Robins were fortunate their hosts could not capitalise on.

Then with five minutes remaining, Hassocks had an eagle eyed assistant referee to thank for ruling out an Oakmen equaliser.

Tyler Pearson’s cross from the right was met by a bullet header from George Cook. The flag was up though, decreeing that the ball had gone out of play for a goal kick before Pearson managed to deliver into the area.

That moment seemed to deflate Uckfield and things fizzled out in the closing stages, leaving Hassocks to reflect on an impressive win on the road against opponents suffering their first Premier Division defeat of the campaign.

Hassocks: Harris; Blake, Bygraves, Zydonik, Cash; L Westlake, J Westlake; Frankland, Bull, Troak; Benson. Subs: L Turner (Frankland 70).

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The long Tuesday night trip to deepest, darkest Surrey proved worth it for Hassocks as they came away from Alfold with all three points via a superb 3-0 win to make it three victories in a row.

There were three different scorers and had Leon Turner opened his Hassocks account 120 seconds earlier, we would also be talking about a goal after three minutes. Three was the magic number.

Fast starts have become the Robins’ calling card this week. They were 2-0 ahead inside of 12 minutes in their 2-1 win at AFC Uckfield Town on Saturday and found themselves with the same advantage after 15 minutes on a beautiful evening at the Elliot Scott Group Stadium.

The heavy rain of earlier in the day put some much needed zip onto the playing surface. It did not take the Robins long to take the lead via a really well worked passing move.

Lewis Westlake released Turner down the right. His low pass into the box was laid off to James Westlake by Liam Benson.

Turner had continued his run inside, head coach Westlake threaded the ball through a gap back to his winger who bent an effort in from a tight angle for his first Robins goal.

Alfold appealed for an offside but it was not remotely close. The hosts did benefit from several friendly flags from the assistant referee as the first half wore on however, with both Mark Zydonik and Benson seeing very tight calls go against them.

It was the in-form Benson who doubled the advantage with a quarter of an hour played. Joel Mann and Damien Fortune in the Alfold back line were having one of those evenings where everything that could go wrong, did go wrong.

The worst piece of misfortune was suffered by Fortune after he stumbled in possession when last man. Benson ruthlessly took advantage, running clear with the ball and clinically beating Sebastian Jacovides in the Alfold goal.

Mann was next to suffer a mishap, missing his header from a long Alex Bygraves pass forward. Benson again found himself clear but this time Fortune produced a magnificent saving block after covering a lot of ground.

Alfold came into the game more as an attacking force in the final 15 minutes of the first half. Charlie Martin managed to escape Bygraves to work the space for a sight of goal. Alex Harris did well to get down to his right quickly and hold Martin’s shot.

Kelvin Lucas then sped past Sam Cash and delivered a low cross into the Hassocks box. From six yards out, Martin fired over the goal, the fence and the trees in what was a major let off for the Robins.

Half time gave Hassocks the chance they needed to regroup, once they recovered from locking themselves out of their changing room.

The crowd making their way to the Clubhouse seemed to enjoy Robins assistant manager Tom Hughes appearing from the player’s tunnel and shouting at the Hassocks substitutes warming up on the pitch “Who’s got the key?!”

Benson had two good chances in the space of as many minutes early in the second half to score what would have been a killer third.

A strong save from Jacovides repelled a one-on-one from a difficult angle after Jack Troak had slipped Benson in.

Karim Elmellas became the latest Alfold player to produce a heavy touch under pressure from Benson. That enabled Benson to again race towards Jacovides but this time the Hassocks forward cleared the bar with his shot.

Rampaging Joe Bull was replaced by tall striker Jamie Wilkes on 63 as Hassocks sought to test the hosts with a different threat.

It did not take the rangy Wilkes long to get involved. He had strong penalty claims controversially dismissed by referee Ian Homewood after a clumsy Mann challenge in the area.

A series of decisions from Mr Homewood followed that frustrated Hassocks, culminating in Zydonik entering the sin bin.

The Hassocks defender was caught in the face by the flailing arm of Louie Rand. When Zydonik expressed his disappointment at there being no punishment for Rand, Mr Homewood sent him to the sidelines for 10 minutes.

Hassocks had to weather a bit of a storm playing a man short. Not long into the sin bin and Westlake sacrificed Turner for Bradley Tighe to bolster the back line.

Zydonik could not have asked for a better first touch following his return to action as it was he who headed home the Robins’ third.

Lewis Westlake delivered a corner which Zydonik rose highest to meet, powering home from inside the six yard box.

Alfold knew the game was up and Hassocks might have even added two more in the final five minutes. A Phil Johnson cross was inches away from the gangling leg of Wilkes and Harvey Blake then hit a volley into orbit in a piece of play he later claimed was a deliberate bit of time wasting.

Hassocks: Harris; Blake, Bygraves, Zydonik, Cash; L Westlake, J Westlake; L Turner, Bull, Troak; Benson.

Subs: Wilkes (Bull 63), Johnson (Benson 71), B Tighe (Turner 76), Rogers (J Westlake 91), Rawlingson (Zydonik 93).