Much-changed Dockers cruise into second round

 Newhaven 7 Mile Oak 0, SCFA Senior Cup Round One

It’s probably fair to say that the SCFA Senior Cup isn’t too high on the list of Newhaven’s top priorities this season.

When it comes to what the club are hoping to achieve this year, there are undoubtedly far bigger fish to fry.

However, that’s not to say that it’s a competition they won’t want to progress in as far as possible.

After all, it provides a fantastic opportunity for the management team to provide valuable competitive playing minutes to new arrivals, young players and those on their way back from injuries. What's more, winning is a good habit to get into! 

Last night’s first round match at home to Mile Oak saw the Dockers make six changes from the side that had started Saturday’s disappointing loss to Broadbridge Heath (not all of them enforced).

Billy Barker and new Japanese signing Riota Nakamura both made their first appearances of the season, Ryan Blunt made only his second start, while Bailie Rogers and Harry Reed were both handed starts as they continue to work their way back to fitness following injuries.

Last season, a similar experiment went slightly awry when a much-changed Dockers side crashed out of the same competition, losing 3-2 away at Billingshurst despite at one point leading by two goals.

In fairness, a repeat of this never looked to be on the cards last night.

Although it took the rejigged Dockers a while to find their flow, they spent most of the evening on the ascendancy against a hard-working but ultimately outclassed Mile Oak side.

Having seen plenty of the ball in the opening exchanges, creating a few half-chances in the process, it took a set-piece to finally breach the visiting defence; Conor Sidwell heading home unmarked from a 20^th minute corner.

Mile Oak were struggling to lay a glove on Newhaven and, as the half progressed, the hosts were starting to create – and spurn – opportunities at fairly regular intervals.

It always felt as though it would only be a matter of time before a second goal arrived but, as more and more chances continued to go begging, it was becoming harder to work out quite where it would come from.

On 39 minutes, though, boy did we get our answer!

When Henry Watson rolled the ball into the path of young Ryan Blunt standing some 25 yards out, there appeared to be little danger to the Mile Oak goal. Blunt, though, had other ideas. Striding onto the rolling ball he unleashed a stunning first-time effort that flew into the top corner.

It was the sort of goal that most of us dream about scoring on FIFA, let alone in real life. Seriously, if you think I’m being hyperbolic take a look at the Newhaven FC Twitter feed and watch it for yourself. Not a bad way for a player still playing regularly for the under 18s to score their first goal in senior football!

Making the goal even better, at least in my humble opinion, was the Cantona-esque celebration – or rather non-celebration (another topical #COYD blog reference there!) that greeted the strike.

With half-time just a minute or so away, Mile Oak created their best chance of the match. 

Even now, sitting here typing this, I’m still trying to work out how they failed to score. Not that there was much wrong with the strike. The disbelief stems from the fact that Jake Buss somehow managed to stick a leg out and deflect the striker’s goal-bound strike round the post. Had it not been for Blunt’s earlier wonder strike it would have arguably been the highlight of the match. Another great save for the Docker’s custodian’s ever-growing collection.

To rub salt into Mile Oak’s wounds, from the ensuing corner Newhaven broke away, Lee Robinson got free inside the box, and shocked much of the watching crowd by finishing calmly on his LEFT foot!

At three goals up, the game was all but won. Memories of last season’s capitulation against Billingshurst could be forgotten.

Aside from another disappointing injury to Harry Reed, suffered midway through the half – up to which point he’d arguably been Newhaven’s liveliest player – it was 45 minutes that couldn’t have gone much better for the home side. Fingers crossed it’s nothing too serious as a fit Reed is a real asset for the Dockers.

It was felt by most fans at half-time that the second-half should be little more than a formality. And so it proved.

Ten minutes after the restart, a beautifully weighted Bailie Rogers through pass was latched onto by Demas Ramsis. The substitute did well to gather the ball, keep his composure, and slot the ball into the far corner from close-range.

A fifth goal arrived on the hour. This time Nakamura was the architect, dancing around a couple of challenges before firing a shot that the goalkeeper could only push into the path of Robinson who duly notched his second of the game.

Four minutes later, Ramsis joined Robinson in the race for a hat-trick, taking the ball around the Mile Oak ‘keeper before tapping home.

It was a race that was to have no winner. Robinson was subbed shortly afterwards while Ramsis, despite a couple of half-chances, was unable to add any further goals to his tally.

Newhaven did add another goal to theirs, though, this time through Don Street, who lashed home from just inside the area to open his account for the Dockers.

Seven up with just over 20 minutes to play, thoughts were once again turning to the double-digit victory over Canterbury earlier this season. We couldn’t do it again, could we?

No, was the answer. As had been the case when the Dockers had been in a similar position against AFC Varndeanians last month, the visitors battened down the hatches and ensured there would be no further damage to the scoreline.

So the Dockers progress into the next round of the Senior Cup, where it’s likely more players will be handed the opportunity to show what they can do. Let’s hope that whoever’s selected can take the opportunity to shine as emphatically as Blunt did. If they do, we may be in for some goal of the season competition!

Newhaven travel to Lingfield on Saturday, hoping to get their league campaign back on track following a draw and a defeat in their previous two outings.

They’re back at Fort Road next Tuesday evening in the Peter Bentley Cup against Bexhill, before hosting Alfold in a rearranged league game on the 22^nd October.

We hope to see you there for both encounters!

Come On You Dockers!

My MOM (aka, the controversial part): Ryan Blunt. Everyone played their part in a good team performance, but Blunt’s goal, and his composure on the ball, belies his tender age. If he keeps developing, then he is going to be some player. Oh, and he appears to have something of a shot on him too!