Steyning lead SCFL title race - Hassocks and Haywards Heath Town keep up promotion bids

Both sides were grateful for the Steyning 3G pitch as a downpour before kick-off absolutely drenched the gathering crowd and would have threatened a grass surface.

As it was the surface was superb, and both teams took to the pitch knowing that this was in every sense a six-pointer. Steyning looked to start with a bang, but United were organised and countered every threat with no real drama; indeed it didn’t take long for United to start threatening the Steyning goal, without either keeper being really tested too much.

On 20 minutes Broadbent had to be alert for a fine tip over to keep the scores level, but that was about the extent of the real threat. Just before half time Harvey Mapstone’s enthusiasm got the better of him and he went into the referee’s book.

The second half was much the same, with United this time having the upper hand until the hour mark, as an awkward bounce led to an uncharacteristic misjudgement from Broadbent and an unfortunate opening goal to Steyning.

Despite the mounting trepidation, United fans were cheered up on 75 minutes by the return of talisman Mason Creese from the bench after an extended period of injury.

United put the pressure on but to no avail as Steyning held on and United’s chances of a play-off place became much harder.

Steyning are top – a point ahead of Newhaven but having played a game more. Eastbourne United are seventh and eight points off the final play-off place.

Hassocks 3 Crawley Down Gatwick 1

SCFL premier

by Scott MaCarthy

Three second half goals all from substitutes gave Hassocks a 3-1 victory over Crawley Down Gatwick, ensuring that Non-League Day 2024 was as big a success on the pitch as it was off it at the Beacon

For the second season running, the Robins used the annual celebration of all things grassroots football to give something back to the community by offering half price admission in exchange for donations to the Hassocks Food Bank. Another crowd in excess of 300 responded by pouring through the turnstiles laden with tins, jars and boxes of cereal.

From the opening whistle Hassocks looked like they’d had their Weetabix as they dominated a game played through rain, hail and sunshine at various points. Yet a failure to make the most of their opportunities saw the Robins go into the break trailing to a header from Jamie Bahkit in first half injury time.

Liam Holden sent over a free kick from the right flank and slack marking allowed Bahkit to loop one over the helpless Fraser Trigwell. It was the first meaningful effort on goal Down had managed. They would not manage another either. To restrict opponents who had won their three previous outings scoring four goals in each to so little was testament to how Hassocks controlled proceedings.

Particularly impressive was Faris Khalloqui, who made the most of a very early introduction from the bench to give his best performance in a Robins shirt since joining from Broadbridge Heath in January. Khalloqui was heavily involved in the best Hassocks moment of the first half, a quite extraordinary 20 seconds in which the Robins hit the post twice and had three other shots blocked by desperate Down defending.

It was the young midfielder’s tenacity which gained possession for his team, leading Sean Stephenson to volley a pass over the top of the visiting defence. When Bakhit got his attempted back header to Alex Bellingham badly wrong and Jack Troak latched onto it, the fun and games began.

A clearance from ex-Robins defender Louis Pittock’s cannoned into the chest of Troak, rebounding past Bellingham and onto the upright. Khalloqui saw his follow up blocked by Pittock. The ball fell to Troak who hit the same post. Next it went back to Khalloqui for an effort blocked this time by the flying body of Jack Ryder.

Pittock blocked again when Josh Mundy arrived on the scene with a low and hard drive from outside the box. The increasingly despairing noise of the crowd as each shot was kept out was quite something. Just to complete the comedic sequence nicely, the danger was only cleared once Ryder produced a diving header with the ball no more than two yards off the ground.

Not so funny was the moment the Anvils took the lead, coming shortly after Troak and Khalloqui had both gone close with distance efforts. Hassocks to their credit emerged for the second half undeterred by the setback and within 10 minutes of the restart, they were level through Khalloqui.

Bakhit hooked a long Harvey Blake pass away and although it fell straight to Khalloqui, there seemed little danger with the ball 35 yards out and numerous yellow shirts blocking any route to goal. Khalloqui though found a way through, showing delightful footwork to glide past Holden. Once advanced to the edge of the box, Khalloqui fired in a shot which deceived Bellingham to haul the Robins level.

Bakhit was soon led on a merry dance by Khalloqui from a clever Pat Harding layoff, going onto draw a good one-on-one save from the legs of Bellingham. It was then the turn of Khalloqui’s fellow substitute Leon Turner to come to the fore with two goals to win it for Hassocks.

The first arrived on 77 via a blistering counter from an Anvils corner. Mundy started a break which swept through Turner, Troak, back to Mundy and finally laid into the path of Turner to apply a first time finish into the far corner.

There was a nice moment as Turner and his teammates celebrated with the watching Phil Johnson, who has not kicked a ball since getting injured on Non-League Day last year at the hands of Newhaven. A lovely passing move gave Troak a shooting chance superbly tipped onto the bar by Bellingham as Hassocks looked for a killer third.

Turner duly provided it with five minutes remaining, darting to the near post to meet a low Khalloqui cross with a ridiculously cheeky backheel leaving Bellingham totally flummoxed.

Hassocks: Trigwell; Blake, Gunn, Turner, Bull; Stephenson, Wilkes, Williamson, Harding; Fair; Troak. Subs: Khalloqui, Turner, Loversidge, Tighe (used).

Haywards Heath Town remain just outside the play-off places after a 2-0 win at Lingfield. They needed late goals by Lewis Finney and Ben Connolly to secure the win. See pictures by Ray Turner in the slideshow in the video player at the top of the article.

Heath host Loxwood on Saturday and – the big one – Hassocks on Easter Monday.

AFC Varndeaians 0 Little Common 1

SCFL premier

A Jamie Bunn goal thirteen minutes from time was enough to see Little Common leave the Withdean Stadium with three points on Saturday.

In a match with little goalmouth action, it was the hosts who went closest to opening the scoring in the first half when a ball across the box was fired wide of the target.

Common keeper Tommy Sceal did well to keep out an effort at his near post which zipped across the wet surface – while at the other end Jack Thoms had a penalty appeal waved away.

Common enjoyed good spells of possession in the second half without troubling the home keeper.

With 13 minutes remaining, Sam Ellis was brought down when through on goal and Bunn curled in the resultant free kick to give Common the victory.