Newhaven Town FC Men's season review 2021/22

 Close, but not quite close enough.

Words that adequately describe the Dockers’ 2021/22 campaign.

Despite being in contention for a treble right up until the last week of March, Newhaven ultimately ended the season empty handed.

Proof if it were ever needed that, in football, you don’t always get what you deserve.

It says much for the strength of the Southern Combination Football League (SCFL) Premier Division that, despite losing only four league games all season, the Dockers still ended up 11 points behind eventual champions Littlehampton Town, and seven behind runners-up Saltdean United.

It also says much for the spirit of the Newhaven squad that they were able to get this close to what were, it has to be said, two very good sides. Especially given the budgetary differences between the three teams!

Absences to important players at key stages of the season (not always through injuries) didn’t help the Dockers in their trophy chase. Nor did their, shall we say, rather inconsistent form from 12 yards.

Honestly, I’ve never seen a team miss so many penalties in one season! I tried to recall how many went begging before I started writing this blog, only to give up once I ran out of fingers. Don’t worry. I’m not going to name the guilty parties here. (It would add too significantly to the word count of this article).

It says all you need to know when the award of a spot kick was met with groans rather than cheers from the Newhaven faithful, while a free-kick awarded 25-yards away from goal was met with a clamour of optimism. Between Alfie Rogers and Lukas Franzen Jones, the Dockers easily boast two of the best set-piece specialists in the league. From outside the area, obviously.

Ultimately, though, it was too many draws that cost the Dockers their chance of league glory. In many instances, draws against teams that they would have expected to beat.

The signs that this could be a problem were there from the very first match of the season – a 1-1 draw away at East Preston; a team that would go on to finish bottom of the table with a goal difference of -130! Despite playing most of the second-half in East Preston’s 18-yard box, and forcing more corners than I’ve ever seen before in 45-minutes of football, Newhaven had to rely on a late equaliser from the soon-to-depart Callum Connor to snatch a share of the points.

It was a similar story in games against Uckfield (who finished 14th), Steyning (17th), Little Common (10th) and Hassocks (16th), whereby Newhaven had to come from behind to claim a point. With the greatest of respects to each of these teams, it’s unlikely that many people involved with Newhaven will have viewed any of these results as points gained rather than two dropped.

Yet, in spite of an occasional inability to turn dominance into goals, it wasn’t like Newhaven struggled to score. In fact, they were the third top scorers in the league, finding the net 94 times. What’s more, each of the team’s three main forwards – A. Rogers, Franzen-Jones and Lee Robinson – surpassed 20 goals for the season (in all competitions). Centre back Henry Watson also notched an impressive nine times (mainly headers).

The Dockers only failed to find the target in four out of 38 league games. Twice in goalless away draws at champions Littlehampton and fourth-placed Bexhill, and also in a surprise defeat at home to Broadbridge Heath (1-0) and an away mauling at Eastbourne Town (3-0), in what was arguably the team’s worst performance of the season. Suffice to say, it featured a missed penalty!

That Newhaven managed not to lose to Littlehampton in the league – their other meeting ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw, that the Dockers really should have won after recovering from 2-0 down to lead 3-2 – proved that the team had what it took to compete against the very best teams in the division.

Looking away from the league for the time being, Newhaven’s involvement in the FA competitions – the Vase and the Cup – ended early. A heavy defeat against Jersey Bulls saw the Dockers exit the FA Cup, while a disappointing 4-2 defeat away at Sutton Athletic in a quite frankly barmy encounter – the Dockers led 1-0 in the first minute, only to be 3-1 down after nine – ended their FA Vase run at the first hurdle.

Both matches featured the obligatory missed penalties. (Although, in fairness, Sutton Athletic also missed one that would have put them 4-1 up after 14 minutes!).

There was also to be no progress in the Sussex County Cup, where lower-division Billingshurst deservedly beat a youthful Dockers side 3-2.

However, there were significant cup runs in the other two competitions – the Peter Bentley Cup and RUR Cup – with Newhaven reaching the final of the former and semi-final of the latter.

Saltdean accounted for the Dockers in the RUR Cup (1-0), although Newhaven were unlucky and much improved from their league visit to Hill Park at the start of the season where the Tigers had brushed them aside 3-1.

Progress to the final of the Peter Bentley Cup was secured after a topsy-turvy match against Pagham finished 3-3 in normal-time. All Dockers’ fans knew that there was only ever going to be one team winning the penalty shoot-out… Pagham!

But, no, from out of nowhere, the Dockers banished their penalty curse, scored five out of five, and never really looking like missing, much to the watching supporters’ delight… and immense surprise.

The lifting of the penalty curse lasted until approximately 15 minutes into the next game where, with the score 0-0 away at Eastbourne United, we missed yet another one! The ensuing 2-1 defeat in that game effectively ended Newhaven’s chances of a top two finish and a shot of promotion.

Or so we thought.

With the league season over, and Newhaven nestled in a more than respectable third-place, news came through that Saltdean had failed their ground grading (amongst other alleged issues) meaning the Dockers would be in a one-match play-off against Lancing. Win and the Dockers would take Lancing’s place in the Isthmian League. A height the club has never reached before.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be. Despite taking the lead through Lee Robinson shortly after half-time, Lancing battled back to triumph 2-1; securing their spot at the higher level and confining Newhaven to at least another year in the Southern Combination Football League.

Still, as disappointing as that result was, the final of the Peter Bentley Cup meant there was still a chance for the Dockers to end their season on a high. 

Again, though, it wasn’t to be. After the game was rescheduled numerous times for various reasons, when it was finally played, Newhaven found themselves without a raft of key players (some on already pre-booked holidays, others injured). 

Up against an all-conquering, and near full-strength Littlehampton side, who ended the season with three trophies and a trip to Wembley in the FA Vase, the game was always going to be an uphill struggle for Newhaven. And so it proved. While a 3-0 reverse somewhat flattered Littlehampton, the Dockers failed to recover from two early goals and ultimately saw their last chance of silverware slip away from them.

It was a slightly deflating end to an otherwise hugely exciting season. One that everyone involved with the Dockers should be hugely proud of.

Fine margins often separate winners from losers, and there’s little doubt that with a little more luck (and a bit more composure from 12-yards) last season could have turned out very differently.

Still, the great thing about football is that, whatever happens, there’s always next year. There’s always a chance to right past wrongs.

And if the 2022/23 season proves to be anywhere near as exciting as the last one was, Newhaven fans are in for a real treat.

Support is always welcome so, whenever you can, get down to Fort Road and support the boys. You won’t regret it!

#COYD

Come On You Dockers