Newhaven survive nervous finale

 Lingfield 2 Newhaven 3, SCFL Premier Division match #12

The Dockers headed to Surrey this afternoon for one of their longer away trips in the league, shorn of a number of key players.

A mixture of injuries, suspensions and other absences have bitten hard in recent weeks, meaning Newhaven’s squad depth is currently being tested to the absolute max.

However, with Lingfield on a run of four straight defeats it was hoped (by those of a Newhaven persuasion, obviously) that even a patched together Dockers would still possess too much for their hosts.

Given the unfamiliar Newhaven line-up, it should probably come as no surprise to discover that the early stages of the match were a tad disjointed.

Neither team started particularly brightly, with not much quality on show in the opening ten minutes.

Then, with literally the first meaningful attack of the match, Newhaven took the lead.

Demas Ramsis, whose speed and direct running caused his marker problems all afternoon, drove into the box and shaped to shoot, before spotting Lee Robinson unmarked inside the six-yard box. Showing good awareness, Ramsis instead laid the ball into the path of his teammate, leaving the striker with the simplest of tap-ins.

The goal failed to ignite the Dockers, though, who continued to struggle to get any attacking consistency going.

Fortunately (again, for those of a Newhaven, persuasion) the same could also be said for Lingfield, who were making even fewer inroads in the Docker’s backline.

Their only real chance of the half came from a free-kick, which was well saved by Jake Buss; albeit it was a save that you’d expect a goalkeeper of his quality to make.

Lingfield felt aggrieved that the award of the foul hadn’t led to a harsher punishment for Max Vardy, who had committed it. While their claims that Vardy was the last man were wide-of-the-mark – Bailie Rogers was covering round, while Jack Meeres was also in close attendance – it’s fair to say that it was surprising to see Vardy escape a booking. Still, after being on the wrong side of quite a few decisions lately, we’ll take it!

In a half of few clear chances, Newhaven almost scored a second ten-minutes before half-time. New signing Marcell Powell unleashed a powerful shot from just outside the area which cannoned off the underside of the bar and can’t have been far away from crossing the line.

At half-time it appeared that if Newhaven were indeed going to win this one then they were going to have to do it the ugly way; by grinding out a result. Something they haven’t had to do too often this season. In fact, if there is one criticism that can be levelled at the team, it is that on the few occasions that they’ve been below-par they have tended to drop points.

Yet, as has become a recurring theme this season, the Dockers started the second-half very much in the ascendancy.

Just two minutes after the restart, Robinsion did well to keep the ball alive from a corner, acrobatically hooking the ball over his head into the path of Meeres who flicked in from close range.

The goal instantly changed the flow of the game (not the last time in this match that this was to prove to be the case). Suddenly, the Dockers were dominant, pushing their hosts back and attacking with the sort of swashbuckling flair that often proves too much for their opposition to cope with.

On the hour mark, Newhaven appeared to have put the game to bed. When Robinson decided against taking a quick throw-in to set up the unmarked Powell, the chance of a goal seemed to have gone. Instead, though, a clever run from Alfie Rogers was not tracked by a single Lingers’ defender, and he wandered into the area completely unopposed. Robinson threw him the ball, and Rogers did the rest, finishing brilliantly from an acute angle. It wasn’t the finest defending I’d ever seen!  

With that, the game seemed to be won. Surely it was now merely a question of how many Newhaven would score. The pattern of the game was barely recognisable from that of the first-half.

Then, with 18 minutes left, from out of nowhere, Lingfield got what most people assumed was little more than a consolation goal. A moment of hesitation in the Docker’s defence left Buss exposed, and the Lingfield forward took full advantage, perfectly lobbing his effort over the stranded ‘keeper’s head to reduce the arrears.

Newhaven should have restored their two-goal advantage almost immediately. A brilliant slide-rule pass from Alfie Rogers perfectly set up his younger brother, Herbie, just inside the area. However, the youngest of the three Rogers’ brothers could only clear the crossbar with his first touch of the match. It would have been some introduction to the game!

However, this chance aside, Newhaven’s attacking threat had diminished somewhat since the host’s goal and Lingfield were increasingly starting to find themselves in dangerous positions.

With just six minutes remaining, Newhaven carelessly gave the ball away inside their own half and the home-side took full advantage when a cross from the left was met by an unmarked header at the back post. 3-2 – and the nerves were now jangling. On pitch and off.

Again, Newhaven had a great opportunity to respond within seconds of conceding. Robinson skilfully turned on a sixpence (I’m not overly sure what this expression actually means… or what a sixpence is, come to that!) taking out three defenders with one move. However, with the goal gaping, the normally lethal striker could only send his effort the wrong side of the post. Lingfield were still in the game. Just.

The last five minutes seemed to drag on for an eternity, but despite Lingfield looking to get the ball forward as quickly as possible, and Newhaven clearly rocking, the Dockers just about managed to hang on for a vital three points.

As I’d thought they’d have to at half-time, they’d won ugly. Although with 20 minutes left it really hadn’t looked like they would need to. Three points are three points, though, and after only taking a solitary point from their previous two matches, they’re most welcome!

There are two home games coming up over the next seven days. Bexhill visit Fort Road on Tuesday night in the Peter Bentley Cup, ahead of a rearranged league meeting with Alfold next Saturday.

As ever, your support will be greatly appreciated.

Come On You Dockers

My MOM (aka, the controversial part): Lee Robinson. A goal and two very different assists see Robinson get the nod just ahead of Demas Ramsis, who looked dangerous every time he got the ball.

Actually sponsored by Andy Piper!

After the game, Reuben spoke to young midfielder Ryan Blunt, who once again had a solid game in the centre of the park. Despite forgetting to ask him one of the questions he had planned (no wages/pocket money for him this week!) he did remember to quiz the 17-year-old about his midweek wonder strike. Check it out on the Newhaven Twitter page if you’ve still not seen it. It’s a belter! https://twitter.com/NewhavenFC/status/1580094161889374208