Ten-man Dockers secure vital three points

Newhaven 2 Hassocks 0, SCFL Premier Division match #14

A run of four consecutive home games ended this afternoon with the visit of in-form Hassocks to Fort Road.

Sitting sixth in the table at the start of play, and on a seven-game unbeaten run – including draws with high-flying Eastbourne United and top-of-the-table Broadbridge Heath – the Robins are enjoying one of their best seasons for many a year.

The Dockers were under no illusions that a tough afternoon likely lie ahead. 

This view was reinforced in an opening 20 minutes that offered very little to shout about. There was literally nothing between the two sides. There were no real chances and equally little entertainment. Just two sides feeling each other out.

The complexion of the match completely changed in the 25^th minute when what had been a largely uneventful encounter suddenly exploded into life in highly contentious and controversial circumstances.

A Hassocks break away was swiftly broken up by a crunching Bailie Rogers tackle just short of the halfway line. It was an undoubted foul. The type you see in nearly every game where a player performs a ‘tactical’ foul to stop a dangerous situation arising.

It’s often referred to as ‘taking one for the team’. In nine out of 10 incidents – maybe even 9.5 – this type of incident results in a booking for the perpetrator. This was one of the one – or 0.5 – times that it didn’t.

Instead, Rogers received a straight red card. It was a decision that looked hugely harsh and surprised pretty much everyone. That said, I did speak to a few people who felt it was a red – including some Newhaven fans. At the same time, I spoke to plenty more who strongly felt it wasn't; including some Hassocks players and a couple of members of their coaching staff.

From my point of view, it was a clear foul. A booking almost certainly. No arguments at all.

But was Bailie out of control? No. Were both feet off the floor? No. Studs showing? No. Was he preventing a clear goalscoring opportunity? Also no.

Nevertheless, the referee made up his mind instantly – he couldn’t have pulled the red card from his pocket any quicker. It was like he'd been waiting for the opportunity to whip it out. There was going to be no change to the outcome. The Dockers were down to ten men.

An already tricky match had suddenly become infinitely tricker.

Or so you would have thought.

It certainly appeared to have at first.

Within minutes of the red card, Hassocks had the game’s first clear opening; Jack Meeres hacking Jack Troak’s goalbound effort off the line.

It was to be the last time Hassocks would pose a serious threat to the Newhaven goal until pretty much the 90^th minute.

In fact, just a few minutes after this chance, Newhaven took the lead. Alfie Rogers, clearly still feeling aggrieved regarding the fate of his elder brother, retrieved the ball in midfield, drove past a couple of challenges, then unleased a fierce effort from outside the area that the Hassocks goalkeeper didn’t even bother to move for.

Surely this would spark a reaction from the 11-men.

It didn’t. Far from it.

In fact, for much of the last 10 minutes of the half, Newhaven proceeded to pass the ball around the backline completely unpressured. 

It was bizarre to watch. One can only hazard a guess at how many completed passes Meeres, his centre-back partner Henry Watson and goalkeeper Jake Buss made during this period. Any latecomer turning up to the game would have been hard-pressed to tell which team was down to ten men.

The expected Hassocks onslaught never really materialised after the break either. Whether the visitors were put off their stride somewhat by Newhaven’s decision to stick to playing three men up-front and a left winger at left-back (it certainly surprised me), it’s hard to say.

Sure, Hassocks had a few attacks. There were some dangerous crosses that came into the box – all of which were brilliantly dealt with by the Dockers defence – but there was never any real concerted spell of pressure applied to Newhaven’s goal. For the most part, Buss remained a spectator.

It was the Dockers who carried more threat going forward, with the front-three of Rogers, Lee Robinson and Lukas Franzen-Jones each working their socks off to make life difficult for the Robins' defenders.

Robinson twice went close to doubling the host's lead in the opening 15 minutes of the second-half. First he beat the onrushing Hassocks goalkeeper to a loose ball but couldn’t quite squeeze his shot into the net from the tightest of angles. That the ball ultimately rolled all the way across the goal and went off for a throw-in makes it sound like the effort was miles away, but it really was only centimetres away from rolling in.

Hi second effort wasn’t so close, as the forward lobbed the ball high over the crossbar from close-range.

Yet, as all good strikers should, Robinson kept going and with 25 minutes remaining, he finally got his reward, expertly controlling a lofted pass forward before exquisitely lobbing the ball over the Hassocks keeper. Two-nil to the ten-men and it was hard to argue it was any less than the hosts deserved.

Hassocks seemed shell-shocked by the way the match was transpiring. Newhaven, suddenly full of confidence, continued to throw men forward looking for more. A high-risk strategy that at times looked like it would pay off with the reward of more goals; at others looked like it would allow Hassocks in on the break.

The Robins continued to try and create opportunities. But no matter what they tried there was just no real end product. The clock had just ticked past the ninety-minute mark before Hassocks mustered their first effort on target of the half and forced Buss into his first real save of the match. It just wasn't their day. Thankfully for us.

The full-time whistle was met with much delight by a visibly tired Dockers side, all of whom had worked tirelessly to make light of the man disadvantage that they’d had for more than an hour – even if it’s fair to say very late sub Alex Plummer will have more taxing Saturday afternoons!

After the early disappointment of Bailie Rogers’ unfortunate red card, it turned out to be a really good afternoon for the Dockers. Newhaven haven’t tended to win too many close-fought games this season. It has tended to be rather boom or bust at times. So a hard-earned three points is more than welcome.

After four home games on the spin, it’s two consecutive weeks on the road for Newhaven, with trips to Horsham YMCA and Loxwood taking up the next two Saturdays.

The Dockers are next at home on Saturday 19^th November when Eastbourne Town are the visitors to Fort Road. Having already lost to Town in the FA Vase this season, you can be sure Newhaven will be looking to ensure lightning doesn’t strike twice.

As ever, your support would be much appreciated.

Com On You Dockers.

My MOM (aka, the controversial part): Lee Robinson and Alfie Rogers. The second game in a row where I’ve found it impossible to split two candidates. In fairness, there were many more who were also worthy of the award this week with every single player putting in a real shift and the defence looking solid throughout. But… Rogers’ workrate was unreal, while Robinson enjoyed arguably his best match of the season, not giving the Hassocks defence a moment’s rest.

After the match, Reuben spoke to centre back Jack Meeres – another player who was in the running for the much coveted #COYD blog man of the match award.