Dockers start New Year as they mean to go on

Saltdean United 0 Newhaven 7, SCFL Premier Division match #21

After last week’s thrilling Boxing Day victory over Peacehaven, Newhaven started the New Year with another local derby, this time away at Saltdean.

As mentioned in the report of the previous match between these two teams back in August, The Tigers are a very different proposition this season from the ones they have been in recent years.

Without a win since 29^th October, this was a match the Dockers should clearly have been expecting to win. But, as we’ve seen with Newhaven at times this season, expecting to win and winning doesn’t always go hand-in-hand.

Having spent much of the weekend confidently insisting to my sons that there was no chance the game would go ahead due to the weather, I was surprised (and needless to say very happy) to note the early-morning Tweet on Saltdean’s Twitter feed confirming that the game was on.

So before I get started on the match report, a quick doff of the hat to all the Saltdean volunteers who worked hard to produce a pitch that was as good as you could possibly expect it to be given the near persistent rain that fell on Friday and Saturday. Well done guys.

Despite being the away side, the sizeable Monday morning Hill Park crowd was dominated by Newhaven fans hoping (and in all honesty expecting) to see their team get 2023 underway with a bang.

It so nearly couldn’t have started much worse.

After a confident start that had seen wingers Ian Robinson and Tom Cooklin get beyond their respective full-backs on a couple of occasions, the Dockers were nearly guilty of giving the hosts a belated Christmas present (an even bigger one than they’d given Peacehaven seven days ago).

From a long clearance forward, Jake Buss tried to let the ball roll into his area, got his feet into a mess, slipped over, and presented their number nine with the easiest of finishes, cue a huge collective groan from the Docker’s faithful.

The groans soon turned to cheers (then laughter) as the Saltdean striker somehow proceeded to miss a completely open goal. Honestly, words can’t do it justice. No matter how bad you imagine it to be, it was far worse. The ball finishing well wide of the gaping goal.

Even had it gone in, it’s unlikely that the Tigers would have been able to repel the barrage of Newhaven attacks that followed. Missing such an easy chance, though, certainly didn’t help their cause.

After near constant pressure, Newhaven took the lead just before the 20-minute mark. In fairness, there was an element of fortune about the goal as, first, the hosts failed to deal with a high swirling ball in the box and, second, a scuffed shot from just outside the area landed fortuitously at the feet of Alfie Rogers who turned the ball home from close range.

Newhaven continued to pour forward, constantly getting into dangerous positions with Robinson and Cooklin repeatedly giving their markers twisted blood as they turned them inside and out.

The second goal arrived with half-an-hour on the clock. It was a brilliant team goal. Rogers took control of the ball in midfield, played it out wide to Cooklin whose precise cross was headed home by a completely unmarked Robinson at the far post.

Even at 2-0 it seemed unlikely that Saltdean would find a route back into the game, but any hopes of a comeback were effectively ended five minutes before the interval, when Henry Watson brilliantly looped a header into the net from a corner.

Saltdean’s players looked utterly deflated and things soon got worse just after half-time when a neat one-two between Bennett and A. Rogers sent the former through on goal, and the central midfielder made no mistake with his finish.

The confidence was flowing through the Newhaven player’s veins now, with all their little tricks and skills starting to come off, much to the delight of the majority of the crowd. They were clearly enjoying themselves. Some Tiger’s players, on the other hand, already seemed to be waiting for the final whistle.

Alfie Rogers scored his second of the game (his 30^th of the season) on the hour, heading in Ian Robinson’s deflected shot/cross as Newhaven threatened to run riot.

In truth, had some of the Docker’s players had their shooting boots on, the score-line could easily have been even more of a cricket score than it ended up being.

Saltdean’s insistence of playing out from the back certainly wasn’t helping them, as time and time again they ceded possession in dangerous areas allowing Newhaven to constantly put them under pressure.

Some will see it as commendable to see a team sticking to their principles even when they’re clearly not working. I, however, tend to share the Einstein view (I think it was him, I haven’t checked, I’m lazy) of “insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” (See, it’s educational this blog).

Anyway, I digress, back to the match. With the game won, thoughts turned to Saturday’s big home match against Crawley Down Gatwick (more of that in a bit) with the management making all five changes.

One of these changes saw the introduction of yet another player from the Docker’s seemingly never-ending Youth Conveyor Belt of Talent, 17-year-old Alex Patching (who’d been given a brief cameo on Boxing Day).

With 20 minutes or so to shine here, the youngster took his opportunity superbly, notching his first senior goal with a ridiculously composed finish, dummying the goalkeeper when through one on one and having the presence of mind to tap into an empty net under pressure. It’s harder than it sounds, just ask Saltdean’s number nine!

Patching, like a few of the other Newhaven players, could have had more, as a succession of chances came and went.

To give credit to Saltdean, they also had an opportunity to score late on, only to be denied by a good save from Buss, while from the follow-up, calls for what looked to be a penalty were waved away by the ref.

With the match having entered injury time, Charlie Bennett added a deserved seventh direct from a free-kick on the edge of the area; an outcome which I’m sure would have produced a wry smile from the recently substituted, and usual free-kick taker, A. Rogers.

So Newhaven get the New Year off and running in fine style, boosting their goal difference to a frankly ridiculous +48 in the process.

With today's games involving fellow title rivals Crawley Down and Broadbridge Heath having fallen foul of the weather, this result means that Newhaven are now within striking distance – three points – of the table’s summit (albeit having played a game or two more that their nearest competitors).

And who are next up at Fort Road? Crawley Down Gatwick on Saturday.

Win that and, because of their superior goal difference, Newhaven will find themselves back at the top of the table for the first time since September.

It’s sure to be a huge game and your support will be much appreciated. 

A number of players have told me in recent weeks that a big crowd really does make a difference so, if you can, get down to the Trafalgar Ground and get behind the lads! It’s going to be a close game, one that could set the Docker's up for a title charge!

Happy New Year!

Come On You Dockers!

My MOM (aka, the controversial part): Ian Robinson. Another game where there were a number of contenders for the award (Charlie Bennett and Tom Cooklin among them), but Little Robbo gets the nod for an energetic performance (especially in the first-half) that showed the influential winger is quickly regaining his form after a lengthy injury lay-off.

After the match, Reuben caught up with Charlie Bennett to ask for his thoughts about the game, and to discover if he’ll be moving up the set-piece pecking order going forward.