100-up as Dockers take top-spot

AFC Varndeanians 0 Newhaven 3, SCFL Premier Division match #29

Just over 48-hours on from their mauling of Roffey, Newhaven were back in action last night, knowing that a win would put them back on top-of-the-table; albeit having played more games than the teams around them.

What’s more, a victory with at least three-goals scored would also lead to the Dockers notching their one-hundredth league goal of the season in just their 29^th game. A landmark they would become the first Step Five team in the entire country to reach. A double incentive for a big victory if ever there was one.

In mid-table AFC Varndeanians, Newhaven were facing a team who have acquitted themselves well in their second season in the SCFL Premier Division. 

While consistency remains a problem for the Brighton-based team, they have recorded some impressive results against some of the top sides this season, having drawn with Steyning and Eastbourne United, and beaten Crowborough Athletic.

Complacency for the Dockers was simply not an option. Nor can it ever be as we reach the business-end of the season.

If there were any early nerves in the Newhaven camp, then they were swiftly settled in the seventh minute, when from the game’s first meaningful attack they took the lead.

Ian Robinson drove down the left wing before cutting inside and delivering a great cross that was brilliantly directed into the net by the head of Lukas Franzen-Jones. Not what you’d call a typical Franzen-Jones goal, but one that was warmly welcomed by the large contingent of Newhaven fans present at the Withdean Stadium. A great turn-out for an away Monday night fixture, it has to be said.

Fifteen minutes later it was two, although it has to be said there was an air of controversy surrounding the goal. 

Lee Robinson outpaced his marker who then slipped and inadvertently tripped-up the Newhaven winger what appeared to be just outside the area. After conferring with his assistant, though, the referee surprised everyone (at least those in the stands) by pointing to the spot.

In fairness, as anyone who has ever visited the Withdean Stadium will know, spectators aren’t exactly granted the best of views courtesy of the athletics track that runs around the pitch – I’m not moaning; it is primarily an athletics venue, after all. It may well be that the infringement did in fact take place in the area. However, when even us Newhaven fans feel a degree of sympathy with a decision that’s been given our way, you can bet it must have been slightly fortunate!

Rightly or wrongly, a spot-kick was given, and Charlie Bennett once again showed his coolness from 12-yards to score for a fifth game running (not all penalties, I hasten to add).

At 2-0 up with only a smattering over 20-minutes played, it seemed only a matter of time before Newhaven grabbed a third and brought up the 100 for a season. Some of the fans started debating who the scorer of the prestigious goal would be, such was the confidence that it would surely arrive soon.

However, AFC Varndeanians reacted well to their early setbacks and started to create problems of their own. 

On 25 minutes, a shot from a tight angle cannoned off the post (it may have been touched onto it by Jake Buss; I couldn’t see from my vantage point – pesky athletics track!) before rebounding into the shins of an onrushing V’s attacker and bouncing inches the wrong side of the post (at least from his perspective).

The remainder of the half was fairly scrappy, with both sides struggling to get to grips with a bobbly pitch, and no doubt feeling the effects of a second game in just three days.

On the stroke of half-time, Franzen-Jones went close to capping off a great team-move with a thunderous strike from the edge of the area which sailed just over. It would have been a fine way to reach the 100-goal mark.

The early stages of the second-half followed a similar pattern to the closing stages of the first. The hosts were pressing and seeing a surprising amount of the ball, but without ever really threatening to test Buss. At the other end, Newhaven were struggling to find their normally fluent attacking rhythm, with a number of passes being rushed or going astray; probably due to the aforementioned reasons.

There was a slight moment of concern with just under half-an-hour remaining when one of the corner floodlights went out. Although the pitch still seemed to be well enough lit, the officials decided to wait for it to be fixed, sending a slight surge of anxiety running through the minds of the Newhaven faithful. The last thing we wanted was an abandoned game. Especially at 2-0 up.

Thankfully, the ref’s decision proved to be the right one. Within ten minutes, the issue was sorted, the ground was fully lit again and the threat of abandonment averted.

The break did, however, seem to further steal the flow away from the game with more unforced errors being committed by both sets of players.

With the game entering its final 20 minutes, the Dockers once again began to rediscover their attacking verve and started to ask more and more questions of the home defence.

With 80-minutes on the clock, Lee Robinson – by now playing through the middle – superbly controlled a clever ball over the top (sorry, didn’t see who provided the pass – pesky athletics track!) before sublimely looping the ball over the advancing keeper and into the back of the net. 100 up for Newhaven and, perhaps, the identity of the scorer shouldn’t have been too much of a surprise. It was always going to be him, wasn’t it?

With the game all but won, Newhaven introduced yet another product of the seemingly never-ending conveyor belt of talent that is their youth system, by bringing on Alex Maclean for his debut. This meant the Dockers finished the match with two players who still qualify to play for the under 18s – him and Ryan Blunt – playing in centre midfield. The future is bright, the future is… red and yellow.

When the final whistle blew at just before 10pm (pesky temporary floodlight failure) the Dockers could be more than satisfied with a good night’s work. True, it didn’t necessarily feel like a 3-0 game, but there could be little doubt that the better team won.

Thoughts now turn to Saturday and an away trip to Midhurst and Easebourne. With Crawley Down not playing this midweek, the Dockers know that a win in West Sussex this weekend will keep them on top of the table for another week at least (unless Crawley Down happen to better their goal difference by 40 in one game, that is).

There’s sure to be plenty of twists and turns to come as we enter the final stages of the season. Reaching the summit looked a long way off just a few weeks ago, but we’re now where we need (and want) to be. Hitting the top has been hard work. Staying there will be harder!

Your continued support in helping us do it, is essential.

Come On You Dockers!

My man of the match (aka, the controversial part): Ryan Blunt. It was another game where it was hard to pick out an outstanding individual performance, but young Blunt was as busy as ever in the centre of the park, constantly winning back possession for the Dockers and as tidy as always with his passing on what looked a difficult surface.