Robins finally open their 2013 account

It came by exactly the same 5-0 scoreline as their previous victory on Boxing Day against local rivals St Francis Rangers.

As far as the Mavericks are concerned, they will no doubt be pleased to see the back of Mid Sussex’s senior sides for the season having gone down 8-1 away to Rangers just four days previously.

There was a rare thing as Robins named an unchanged starting line up for the first time since October and for only the second time so far in this campaign. They were rewarded by being out of sight of by half time.

James Westlake began what would be a profitable afternoon for him personally when he opened the scoring with 15 minutes on the clock.

Nathan Cooper had played 29 times for the front side without netting but that changed on 35 minutes when the combative midfielder had the simplest of tap-ins to double the Robins’ advantage.

The division’s top scorer Phil Gault duly got in on the act five minutes before the interval to make it 3-0.

With Spencer Slaughter’s departure to Ryman League South outfit Worthing, a vital source of goals from the centre of the park has been lost and so when a third goal of the afternoon came from midfield, it must have pleased fans and management alike.

It came from Westlake as the diminutive right winger helped himself to his second of the game on 50 minutes.

Gault rounded things off when he added No 5 with 30 minutes still to play for his 23rd of the season – leaving him just 11 goals shy of his tally for last season with at least 16 games still to play.

The manner of victory allowed the Robins to give significant game time to their subs. There was a first run out of the season for defender Sam Goodridge and welcome returns to action for Lee Bryant (a month out injured)and Chris Maynard (first appearance since September after ‘maternity leave’).

Hassocks: Lehkyj; South, Marsh, Faith, Butler; Westlake, Cooper, Hibbert, Weston; Miles, Gault. Used subs: Bryant, Maynard, Goodridge.