Dockers held to leave title looking highly unlikely

Newhaven 0 Eastbourne United 0, SCFL Premier Division match #35

The fat lady – sorry, you probably can’t say that these days; let’s go with rotund lady, actually I’m not sure that’s not any better, anyway you know what I’m trying to say – may not be singing quite yet, but she’s sure getting close.

Following yesterday’s home match against Eastbourne United, the Dockers’ title dream finally appears to have run its course.

With Broadbridge Heath now requiring just one win from their remaining three games to make winning the title an impossibility – and that’s assuming Newhaven win all three of theirs – a runners-up spot, and the lottery of a play-off seems Newhaven’s only likely route to promotion.

However, with Crawley Down Gatwick just a point behind, and with a game in hand (which, of course, only matters if they win it), you get the sense that the battle for second is going right down to the wire.

In fairness, yesterday’s game was never going to be easy. For the players to play in or for the spectators to watch.

Having already played Eastbourne United twice this season – winning narrowly in the league; losing narrowly in the RUR Cup – the Dockers knew exactly what they would be up against. A tough, well-organised, niggly side, who would do their utmost to make life as difficult as they could for Newhaven for the duration of the match.

For anyone who was at yesterday’s game, it will probably come as no great surprise to learn that United have the second-best defensive record in the league, while at the same time being one of the lowest scoring teams in the division. Only six teams have scored fewer goals than them this season.

Eastbourne United is a team built very much on being solid and hard to break-down.

The first-half went much the same way many people probably expected it to. It was a scrappy, stop-start affair, punctuated by lots of foul and even more moaning.

Newhaven created a couple of half chances. Jack Meeres sent a half-volley just wide, while Charlie Bennett had a shot from the edge of the area that was comfortable for the United keeper to save.

It was United who went closest to opening the scoring, though. A delightful curling free-kick from Aaron Hopkinson looked destined for the top corner, only to strike the angle of post and bar, before Newhaven just about managed to scramble the rebound away from danger.

Ten-minutes before half-time, United were temporarily reduced to ten-men when Bailo Camara was sent to the sin-bin, but the Dockers were unable to make the extra man advantage count, and the visitors managed to see out the period with the minimum of fuss.

In fairness, parity at the break was probably a fair reflection of the game. Neither team having done enough to deserve being ahead.

In the second-half, however, Newhaven were much improved, especially out wide, where both Harry Reed and Ian Robinson were able to get more involved in the game than they had been previously.

After an early scare where a ball flashed across the Newhaven penalty area, just about evading an onrushing attacker, the Dockers began to take control.

Without ever feeling like they were peppering the United goal with chances, opportunities came and went at fairly regular intervals.

Demas Ramsis headed against the post from just inside the six-yard box, Lukas Franzen-Jones could only head straight at the goalkeeper when well placed, Bennett screwed a chance wide from the edge of the area, before the same player struck the bar with a well-hit shot from just outside the area. The third-time the woodwork/metalwork had been struck in the match.

At the other end, United were offering up hardly anything in an attacking sense. That said, on one of their increasingly rare forays forward, they did go close with another ball that skidded low across the area without anyone in the middle able to get a decisive touch on the ball.

In what has to be one of the unluckiest substitute cameos of this – or any other – season, Bailie Rogers was then booked for simulation as Dockers fans screamed for a penalty, before moments later being taken to hospital after accidentally getting kicked in the face while stooping to head a ball.

The reaction of both sets of players was enough to alert everyone watching that this was an extremely nasty injury, with a broken nose a near certainty. Hopefully it’s not as bad as feared. We hope to see Bailie back in action sooner rather than later!

With time running out, the Dockers continued to push forward in search of that elusive goal, albeit without ever really putting the United backline under a constant spell of concerted pressure. The absences of injured forwards Lee Robinson and Callum Connor were being keenly felt.

In injury time, Bennett had what looked to be a solid shout for a penalty turned down, when a flick over the head of a United defender seemed to clearly strike a hand, only for the ref to wave it away.

In the end, though, it wasn’t to be.

A point was far from a bad result. United are a good team. Under the circumstances, however, it wasn’t the result that was needed. Far from it.

Not that you could fault the effort of the players, who each to a man gave everything they had to try and maintain the pressure on Broadbridge Heath. In fact, the second-half was probably the best I’d seen the team play for quite a while.

Not that there will be any time to dwell on the missed opportunities. 

Newhaven are back in action tomorrow morning, with yet another huge match – the local derby away at Peacehaven (11am kick-off). It’s going to be another tough game in front of what is sure to be a massive crowd, but it’s one the Dockers are more than capable of winning. Especially if they can perform like they did in the second-half yesterday.

Following the Peacehaven match, only two more league games remain – away at Eastbourne Town next Saturday (15^th April), home to Loxwood the following week.

Then there’s still the small matter of a cup final against Crowborough Athletic at Hassocks on Bank Holiday Monday (1^st May) to play. And, fingers very tightly crossed, maybe even a promotion play-off, too.

The title may have all but gone, but there’s still plenty to play for over the coming weeks. This could still be a season to remember.

Come On You Dockers!

My man of the match (aka, the controversial part): Charlie Bennett. No one played badly, to be fair, while at the same time no one was absolutely outstanding either. But from the off, Bennett looked sharp and was the man constantly driving the team forward. Very unlucky not to score with a rasping drive from just outside the area.