Newhaven continue good league form

Newhaven 3 Horsham YMCA 0, SCFL Premier Division match #16

After last week’s disappointing FA Vase exit, the Dockers were back on home soil (well, 3G) yesterday for their seventh consecutive home match.

Despite last week’s defeat, Newhaven’s league form remains good, having lost just once this season, and that all the way back on 5^th September.

However, with two huge league matches coming up in the next two weeks there was absolutely no room for error yesterday.

Having started the season with a 1-1 draw against yesterday’s visitors, Horsham YMCA (albeit we only had ten men for a large portion of that match), Newhaven knew that three-points were far from a foregone conclusion against a solid mid-table outfit.

Newhaven started the match well, looking lively in the opening few minutes without ever really managing to fashion any clear-cut chances.

Yet, just as it looked like a comfortable afternoon’s viewing may be on the cards, YM served notice that they wouldn’t be beaten without a fight (quite literally at times).

Between the 10-and-15-minute mark, the visitors created a flurry of chances that could – and maybe should – have seen them take the lead.

The Dockers, though, came through this period of uncertainty and soon began to re-establish their dominance in the game, albeit still without managing to create much in the way of presentable opportunities.

Their first real opportunity came the way of Ian Robinson in the 29^th minute, with the lively left winger was unfortunate to see a header from brother Lee’s hooked cross sail just wide.

However, within two minutes the Dockers hit the lead, with the same two players combining. A neat one-two between the Robinson brothers led to Lee playing through Ian who duly finished calmly into the bottom corner with his left foot.

Horsham YMCA tried to respond, with their direct style causing the Dockers a few nervy moments in defence, but Newhaven held firm.

With half-time approaching, the visitors were extremely fortunate to still have 11 men on the park, with their number six receiving only a booking for a two-footed lunge at Max Vardy, after goalkeeper Paul Woods already had the ball in his hands. 

It wasn’t the first – or last – over-the-top challenge that we were to see during the course of the afternoon, with Newhaven resembling the walking wounded come full-time.

With the interval having been reached with Newhaven largely in control – but far from certain of victory – fans hoped a couple of early second-half goals could settle the nerves around Fort Road.

It was YM, though, who had the first clear opportunity of the second-half, with Woods making a good stop to maintain parity. 

More worryingly for the Dockers, having taken a knock, influential centre back Robbie Keith then seemed about to be taken off, only to convince the managers to keep him on right at the last second. 

With a couple of key players – Josh Tuck and Ryan Warwick – already missing from the squad, the last thing Newhaven needed was an injury to Keith.

Within a few minutes, an even more worrying sight greeted the Dockers fans with three Newhaven players all lying prone on the pitch at the same time – both Rogers brothers and Ian Robinson. Bailie was swiftly replaced by Luca Page.

With the game still in the balance, Newhaven stepped up the intensity and Rob Malila forced the YM keeper into good save with a fierce shot from just outside the area.

The Dockers were starting to see plenty of the ball in dangerous areas but couldn’t get the second they needed to put a cushion between them and their visitors.

YMCA served notice that they were still in the game when, with 20 minutes remaining, Woods again had to be alert to turn away a rising effort at his near post.

Five minutes later, YM were temporarily reduced to ten men when one of their players was sin-binned. The Dockers almost capitalised immediately, with Lee Robinson seeing his close-range effort smothered by the YM goalie.

Not to be denied, though, Robbo got himself on the scoresheet five minutes later, prodding in a brilliant outside of the boot cross from Alfie Rogers.

Finally, Newhaven were looking comfortable, and when a third goal arrived shortly before full-time it was no real surprise.

What may be a surprise is the scorer of that third goal. Ryan Blunt who, for the first time since his home debut more than a year earlier, finally found the back of the net again.

And, just like his first strike for the club, this one wasn’t too bad either (understatement alert), with Blunt winning the ball in midfield, striding forward, and smashing it into the top corner from 25 yards.

Keep your eye on our social media channels for this one. Ryan Warwick may well have serious competition for this month’s goal of the month award.

By full-time it was very much a case of job done for the Dockers. They’d managed to win comfortably enough, albeit without ever really being at their flowing best.

Next week, the Dockers travel west (yes, we actually have an away game!) to Steyning, currently sitting in fifth place. That said, the Barrowmen have four games in hand over us and are separated by just six points. They’ll also be buzzing following a midweek win over Brighton and Hove Albion in the Sussex Senior Cup.

If that fixture doesn’t look difficult enough, the following week we play host to a Crowborough side currently sitting six points clear at the top of the table

Fixtures don’t come much harder than these two, and we’ll undoubtedly need all your support to get something from either game.

Come On You Dockers.

My man of the match (aka, the controversial part): Ian Robinson. An excellent performance from Little Robbo who, whether at left-wing or left-back, was a constant source of energy down the left, and thoroughly deserved his goal.

After the match, Reuben caught up with the stand-in skipper to hear about his thoughts on a bruising afternoon and to ask if he can stay ahead of his brother in the goalscoring stakes.