Alfold 1 Newhaven 5, SCFL Premier Division match #27
Football. It’s a funny old game, as Jimmy Greaves – and probably
countless others – have often pointed out.
Just two weeks ago, it seemed as though the Docker’s title
ambitions had well and truly sailed, as defeat to Bexhill left them facing a –
potential – 12-point deficit to the league leaders.
Just two weeks later, though, and a couple of favourable
results (from Newhaven’s perspective) affecting the teams directly surrounding
them at the top of the table, means that the potential gap is now down to (at
most) a far more manageable six. Game on!
We’ve reached that stage of the season where unexpected
results can – and indeed do – start to happen. Results that, in the blink of an
eye, can change the complexion of a league table.
One such result occurred in midweek, when struggling Alfold
held high-flying Broadbridge Heath to a 1-1 draw. A fantastic result from
Alfold’s – and Newhaven’s – perspective.
It was also, though, a result that proved that yesterday
afternoon’s game should not be taken for granted. Yes, the league table
suggests the result was only going one way. As did the meeting between the two sides earlier in the season, which the Dockers won at a canter.
But Alfold have welcomed a plethora of new players and improved a lot since then, so a positive result was far from a foregone conclusion.
Now, I know most of you who have seen the above scoreline will
be wondering what I’m banging on about. A 5-1 victory away from home is just about
as convincing as it comes, surely. Especially when you take into account that Alfold
didn’t score their goal until stoppage time.
But those who saw the match, will I’m sure agree, that this
was a slightly flattering scoreline for the visitors. Alfold were much more competitive
than the full-time result showed.
In fact, after half-an-hour, it wouldn’t be too hard to make
a case to say that the hosts had actually been the better side. The ball was
certainly spending plenty of time in Newhaven’s defensive third. Certainly more so than at the other end.
However, Alfold's problem was a staggering inability
to defend properly.
Yes, they may have been the better side for 30 minutes, but
they still contrived to find themselves 2-0 down in that period. A head-start
you just can’t afford to give the often free-scoring Dockers.
In fairness, there was little they could do about the first
goal just four minutes in. Following a well worked move down the right, Billy
Barker’s sumptuous cross was met perfectly by the head of Callum Connor who
subsequently guided his header brilliantly past the goalkeeper.
For the next five minutes, Alfold went at Newhaven, pushing
the visitors backwards and forcing Henry Watson into a sublime last-ditch
tackle to deny Fold’s lively left-winger a clear shot at goal.
But on the 11th minute, the Alfold defence
pressed the self-destruct button – and not for the last time in the match.
Josh Gould (in for his first start in place of the absent
Ian Robinson) did will to dispossess the number six (the first of a number of
error-strewn contributions he made during the game) before racing through on goal.
A combination of goalkeeper and defender kept out Gould’s effort, before Lee
Robinson prodded the ball back across the goal where Lukas Franzen-Jones
reacted quickest to stretch out a leg and poke Newhaven into a two-goal lead.
Despite the two-goal cushion, the pattern of the game didn’t alter.
Alfold spent most of the next 20 minutes on the front-foot, with Newhaven’s
defence enduring some shaky moments but just about managing to keep their hosts
at arm’s length.
With ten-minutes to half-time, Alfold would have probably
felt aggrieved to have been behind. By the interval, they must have been well
and truly stumped by what was happening.
On the 38th minute, the home defence once again contributed
to giving Newhaven a third. A low Franzen-Jones free-kick should have been
dealt with multiple times by the defence and goalkeeper, only for the ball to roll to the back
post where Watson managed to divert it into the net from close range –
despite two Alfold defenders being arguably better positioned to reach it ahead of him.
By half-time it was four. A brilliant piece of improvised
skill in the area by Connor led to him flicking the ball over the hapless number
six’s head. All the defender could do to compensate was to drag the striker to
the ground for the most stonewall penalty you’ll ever see.
Should he have been sent off for denying a clear
goal-scoring opportunity? I’m not sure. The so-called double jeopardy rule when
it comes to sending offs and penalties is yet another rule that no-one seems to
truly understand. You’ve got to hand it to the FA, they do like to find ways to
make a fairly simple sport unnecessarily confusing!
From the spot, Charlie Bennett made no mistake to fire
Newhaven into a scarcely believable 4-0 first-half lead, and all but ensure the
three-points would be heading back to Fort Road.
If I’m being kind, I’ll describe the second-half as a bit
of a non-event. Newhaven were understandably more than happy with the score and were seemingly content to see the game out with the minimum of fuss. Alfold,
meanwhile, knew the game was up and lost some of (lots of) the attacking verve that they’d had for
lengthy spells in the first-half.
As a result, goalmouth action was at a premium, with very
few shots on goal from either side.
One of the brightest aspects of the second-half for Newhaven was the return
to action of long-term absentees Harry Reed and Tyler Scrafton, who both got a
run-out and seemed to make it through the game unscathed. It’s good to have them
back!
With just under ten minutes left, the Dockers did grab a
fifth. Once again Alfold’s defending left plenty to be desired. A high ball
into the box wasn’t dealt with by any one of three defenders, allowing
Franzen-Jones to bring the ball down (which he did brilliantly by the way),
turn and fire a low shot into the net.
Alfold got the goal they deserved deep into injury time. A
neat one-two sent Tyrese Sutherland through on goal, and he netted a
consolation.
From Newhaven’s perspective (okay, my perspective),
conceding this goal was slightly annoying. it’s not the first time this season
the Dockers have shipped a late goal when they’ve been on the way to a clean
sheet. And, yes, I get the goal doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things,
but a few more clean sheets would be welcomed. That’s definitely the moany defender
in me coming out there!
Ultimately, though, this was definitely a potential banana
skin averted. And while it may not have been as comfortable as the scoreline
suggests (for the first 35 minutes at least), it was good to see a clinical
team performance against a side that will probably (fingers-crossed) cause other teams around the
top of the table a few problems over the coming weeks.
Thoughts now turn to Tuesday night, when Newhaven travel to
Broadbridge Heath for a quarter-final clash in the Peter Bentley Cup. A huge
game that could see either side strike a psychological blow to the other ahead
of what is sure to be a vital league meeting between the two sides in March.
The Dockers are back at Fort Road next Saturday (18th
February) when bottom-side Roffey are the visitors. A home-banker on paper –
but Roffey also drew with Broadbridge Heath a couple of weeks ago, which
suggests this might well provide another slippery step in the title run-in. As
ever, your support will be much appreciated.
Come On You Dockers!
My man of the match (aka, the controversial part): Lukas Franzen-Jones. Despite the scoreline, this wasn’t a match where any player particularly stood out. No one played brilliantly but, more importantly, no one played badly either. However, Lukas was involved in most of Newhaven’s best attacking moments and grabbed himself a couple of goals to boot.
After the game, Reuben caught up with the man-of-the-match
(and Everton fan) to ask for his thoughts on this game and Monday night’s Merseyside
derby…
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