Dockers edge scrappy encounter

AFC Uckfield 0 Newhaven 1, SCFL Premier Division match #10

Momentum has been steadily building at Fort Road in recent weeks, and it was hoped that yesterday’s trip to Uckfield would see it continue to do so.

The Uckers haven’t recorded a victory (or even a draw) since a 2-1 win over Saltdean in the Peter Bentley Cup on the 19^th August. A run stretching back nine games.

With Newhaven on a run of five consecutive victories, it would have taken a brave person to have put money on anything other than a comfortable away win.

Ultimately, of course, Newhaven did pick up the win. But comfortable it was now, with the Dockers riding their luck at times on the way to extending their winning run.

It was a much-changed Newhaven side that took their place on the famously ‘tricky’ Oaks pitch yesterday, with four players who had started the impressive midweek victory over Eastbourne Town missing from the starting 11: Jake Buss, Josh Tuck, Rob Malila and Callum Edwards.

Yet, nevertheless, as has been the case in the past few matches, Newhaven started on the front foot, looking for an early goal against an Uckfield defence that looked decidedly nervy in the early stages.

However, it was the hosts who created the first clear chance of the match, with Newhaven getting into a mess from a corner and stand-in ‘keeper Paul Woods (Bussy is currently in Italy shouting abuse at Americans, presumably) made his first good save of the afternoon.

Newhaven’s first real shot on target came in the 17^th minute when Ezra Roeg swivelled in the area but couldn’t generate enough power in his low shot to beat the Uckfield keeper.

As the half continued, and Newhaven failed to make the most of the many dangerous areas they were getting themselves into, the Uckers’ started to settle and their defence began to look far more solid than it had in the early exchanges.

Newhaven were finding it hard to break their opponents down and, despite seeing plenty of the ball, were starting to get a tiny bit frustrated as Uckfield kept them at arm’s length.

What turned out to be the winning goal came just after the half-hour mark.

A delightfully curled free-kick from Ryan Warwick was met by the head of Robbie Keith who steered the ball into the top corner. The defender’s fourth goal already this season.

Rather bafflingly, the Uckfield tannoy announcer gave it as an own goal which, having seen it back on Veo this morning, I can categorically confirm was not the case. Not sure what he was watching?

Having taken the lead, many of those watching (at least from a Newhaven persuasion) expected the Dockers to take full control of the game.

For a while, it looked as though this is exactly what would happen. The Uckfield goalie again had to be alert to keep out Roeg following a glorious outside of the boot pass from Alfie Rogers

In the second minute of stoppage time at the end of the first-half we got what turned out to be a game-defining moment.

Keith was adjudged to have fouled Uckfield’s striker in the area – despite many of those close by, including (apparently) the ref’s assistant, insisting the offence was outside the area.

Uckfield were awarded a penalty and Keith was sent to the sin-bin for being too vociferous in his objections to the decision.

Not only did the hosts have a golden opportunity to equalise, but Newhaven would be down to ten men for the remaining minute or so of the half, and the opening nine of the next.

It was a golden opportunity, though, that Uckfield squandered with their number 11 horribly skewering his penalty wide of the post.

With the Dockers down to ten men for the early exchanges of the second-half, Uckfield did their best to try and make the most of their numerical advantage. But Newhaven sat in, absorbed the pressure and came through the period unscathed.

However, even once Keith had returned to action, Newhaven found it tough to get going again. Suddenly Uckfield carried the greater threat with the Dockers reduced to largely playing on the break.

Woods survived a couple of nervy moments before pulling off his second fantastic save of the match to deny Uckfield from a free-kick that appeared to be heading into the top corner.

With just under 15 minutes left, Newhaven almost snatched a second, again through Keith, but his header was hacked off the line to keep the hosts in the game.

With time marching on, you could almost feel the tension in the Newhaven ranks as time and time again they sloppily conceded possession allowing Uckfield to come onto them.

However, although the home side saw plenty of the ball in the closing stages, it was hard to remember them creating too many opportunities and the Dockers managed to see the game out for their sixth win on the trot – and their fourth successive clean sheet.

It wasn’t flowing, it wasn’t comfortable, it certainly wasn’t pretty… But it was three points. And, ultimately, that’s all that mattered from the type of game that we probably would have been pegged back in last season.

It’s another away trip on Wednesday – yes, Wednesday – as we travel to Bexhill United for another league fixture. Kick-off is at the slightly earlier to usual time of 19:30.

We’re then back at Fort Road next Saturday, when Pagham are our visitors.

We hope to see you at both!

Come On You Dockers!

My man of the match (aka, the controversial part): Robbie Keith. It was an eventful afternoon for the goalscoring centre-back who could have easily gone from hero to villain had Uckfield taken advantage of the penalty and his subsequent sin-bin. Aside from that, though, Keith was as solid as ever, winning most of his many aerial duels and proving a calming presence in the heart of the Docker’s defence.

After the match, Reuben caught up with Robbie to reflect on his eventful 90-minutes.