Pressure maintained as season moves towards its climax

Horsham YMCA 1 Newhaven FC 3, SCFL Premier Division Match #34

With the great British weather continuing to play havoc with fixtures across Sussex even though we’re now, supposedly, heading towards the middle of Spring, a decision was taken earlier in the week to switch Newhaven’s scheduled away fixture against Horsham YMCA to Fort Road.

It was a wise decision. With games featuring Newhaven’s two title rivals – Broadbridge Heath and Crawley Down Gatwick – both falling foul of the prevailing wet weather, the switch of venue gave the Dockers a chance to exert a little bit of extra pressure in the title race.

It’s been a while since I can honestly say I’ve really enjoyed watching a Newhaven game. Or, to be more accurate, felt relaxed whilst watching one.

They’re still enjoyable, I suppose. Kind of. 

But ever since the Dockers smashed 11 past Roffey back in mid-February, every following match seems to have been fraught with peril.

It’s no surprise really. As the season moves steadily towards its climax, there is increasingly little room for error. Even more so following last week’s draw at Hassocks.

In Horsham YMCA, the Dockers were facing a team who had already picked up a point at Fort Road earlier in the season. I wasn’t actually at that game but my understanding is that there was a fair amount of controversy involved (to put it mildly).

On paper, the trip to/visit of YM probably represented one of Newhaven’s easier remaining matches. Up until Tuesday, the Horsham side had been woefully out of form, having failed to pick up a win since 28^th January. Then, on Tuesday night, they played themselves back into a modicum of form by beating AFC Varndeanians 2-1. Go figure!

Firmly ensconced in midtable, YM have little to play for save pride. 

Yet, the chance for teams to get one over on the title challengers – coupled with an increased nervousness in Newhaven’s own performances in recent weeks – means that opponents seem to be rising to the challenge of playing the Dockers at the moment. Unfortunately for us!

In fairness, the opening exchanges were, on the whole, positive for Newhaven. The YM keeper was forced into action early on to tip over a curling Marcin Ruda effort from the edge of the area.

Without particularly dominating, it did seem to be the Dockers who carried the early threat. When recent signing Tarun Rohilla, making his first start for the Dockers, headed Newhaven in front in the 18^th minute (another goal for the more than productive Newhaven centre back union) it came as no great surprise.

The YM goalkeeper then made another tidy to save to deny Lukas Franzen-Jones when through on goal as Newhaven pushed for a second.

However, in the 23^rd minute, the visitors/hosts – you know what I mean – were level. Jack Meeres was left with two players to mark at the back post and, although he won the initial header, the clearance fell only as far as Luke Roberts who had all the time in the world to pick his spot and equalise.

The goal, which came from out of nowhere, seemed to instantly knock Newhaven’s rhythm – and their confidence.

With the game becoming increasingly niggly; featuring a number of off the ball incidents, YM began to take a stranglehold on the game.

They went close to taking the lead when a glancing header bounced off the post, while Jake Buss twice had to be alert to keep the scores level.

The Dockers seemed to be lacking some cohesion, sloppily giving away possession on numerous occasions and allowing YM to come at them over and over again.

The Dockers’ cause wasn’t helped when the influential Henry Watson failed to shake off the effects of a somewhat robust tackle – to put it lightly – and had to be subbed shortly before half-time. A sight no one involved with the Dockers wanted to see. Fingers crossed it’s nothing too serious.

The start of the second-half continued in its scrappy vein. Newhaven were still struggling to find their early fluency, but they had at least started to stop Horsham YMCA from looking such a threat.

After ten minutes of not very much happening, the Docker’s management team made a couple of changes. Ones that would very quickly swing the match back in their favour.

Within two-minutes of his introduction, Harry Reed latched onto a superb Franzen-Jones through ball, raced away from the chasing defenders, and kept his nerve to fire a low finish past the YM goalkeeper.

The goal did seem to settle Newhaven's nerves, but YM still carried enough of a threat to suggest that a one-goal lead wouldn’t be enough. Indeed, Newhaven were forced to endure more than one or two nervy moments as the Horsham side pushed for an equaliser.

As time ticked away, it was impossible to stop thoughts from turning to recent matches at Broadbridge Heath and Hassocks, where late goals had turned what would have been three huge points into a rather more unhelpful solitary one.

The game was being played on a knife’s edge. 

Newhaven knowing that one slip could spell curtains for their title – and maybe even promotion – dreams. 

YM playing with the freedom that comes with having no real pressure on the game.

Those fears seemed to have been alleviated as the game reached its final minute. Newhaven turned the ball over in a dangerous position and got plenty of men forward. The ball was played through to Charlie Bennett – who’d come on at the same time as Harry Reed. Played onside by the YM left back, the midfielder made no mistake, calmly passing the ball into the back of the net to surely wrap up three vital points for the Dockers.

Yet, as we should have known, nothing is ever that simple when it comes to Newhaven. Well, not for the past five or six games at least.

Less than a minute after what should have been the killer third goal, YM were handed a lifeline with the award of a penalty. In fairness, it looked harsh from where I was standing, the ball striking Reed’s (I think) hand from close distance. 

However, having given a similar decision for a free-kick a few minutes earlier, the ensuing decision came as no great surprise. At least it was consistent!

Fortunately, Buss produced a magnificent save from the spot-kick, diving full-length to his right to maintain his side’s two goal advantage.

With the referee finding around six minutes of additional injury time from somewhere, this save could well prove to be a pivotal moment in Newhaven’s season. I’m not sure anyone of a Newhaven persuasion would have fancied seeing out the time that remained hanging onto only a one-goal lead.

So after two consecutive league draws, it’s a much needed win for the Dockers. One that pulls them to within a point of Broadbridge Heath and four clear of Crawley Down. 

Yes, both of those sides have game in hand, but at this stage of the season all Newhaven can do is keep winning, and hope that the pressure takes its toll on one of their rivals (hopefully both).

Next weekend, Easter weekend, is simply huge for Newhaven; with two tricky matches taking place within a 48-hour period. First we host Eastbourne United – a team who have already won at Fort Road in the Cup this season – on Saturday, before we travel to local rivals Peacehaven on Easter Monday for an 11am kick-off.

Six points from these two games could be a real game-changer for Newhaven’s title ambitions. Your support really could be the difference between the lads making that dream of six points a reality.

Come along and cheer on the boys. I can’t promise it will be enjoyable – but it’ll certainly be exciting – not to mention nerve-wracking and extremely tense. 

But when it comes to the final few games of the season, there’s no other way you’d really want it! Honest.

Come On You Dockers!

My man of the match (aka, the controversial part): Ryan Blunt and Jake Buss. The young midfielder was sensational in the second-half, constantly breaking up YM attacks and showing plenty of attacking endeavour; including one surging run that nearly took him through the whole Horsham defence. Buss, meanwhile, as he so often does, stood tall when his teammates needed him most. Without that late penalty save, there’s no telling what could have transpired in injury time!

After the match, Reuben caught up with Newhaven skipper, and penalty hero, Jake Buss to ask him for his thoughts on another tense afternoon.