Stunning second-half sees Dockers open up four-point gap

Newhaven 6 AFC Uckfield 1, SCFL Premier Division match #25

With the winter weather once again taking its toll on the SCFL Premier Division fixture list, Newhaven went into their match against Uckfield knowing that a win would see them open up a four-point gap at the top of the table.

Yes, Crowborough still have two games in hand, but the chance to get points on the board, and perhaps put some increased pressure on those said games in hand, was an opportunity that simply had to be taken.

With Uckfield near the foot of the table, and winless in the league since August, surely there was only one way this game was going to go.

Indeed, it did go the way that most will have expected, but for long periods of the first-half the outcome was far from a formality.

As has been the case on a number of occasions this season, the Dockers took a while to get going and it was the visitors who created the first real chance of the match.

Zac Bignell cut inside from the right, but could only curl his shot wide of the post from inside the area.

The Oaks didn’t have to wait too much longer to take the lead, though. With 26 minutes gone, Billy Barker was caught on the ball by Kieran Dimelow and he finished well past Paul Woods, in for the injured Jake Buss. The long wait for a clean sheet continues.

At this point, any neutral watching would have been hard-pressed to tell which team were title contenders and which ones were battling relegation.

Fortunately, the setback seemed to wake the lethargic Dockers up a little. Within five minutes they were level. Harry Reed burst into the area and was adjudged to have been bundled over, maybe softly, to give Newhaven a penalty. It’s been a while since we last had one, right?

From the spot, Alfie Rogers did what he does most weeks and found the back of the net. The ninth consecutive game he’s scored in! Long may the run continue!

From that moment on, the Dockers began to assume control.

Two chances in the space of a couple of minutes came Newhaven’s way as they looked to reach half-time ahead. First, Callum Edwards’ dangerous ball into the area somehow failed to find any of the numerous waiting men, before Alfie was denied by Uckfield’s impressive young shot-stopper.

However, in fairness to Uckfield, parity at the break was a fair reflection of the game

The interval brought with it a change in personnel and a change in shape. Bailie Rogers replaced the unfortunate Harry Reed as Newhaven moved to a back four.

It was to prove to be a match-winning tactical switch, with Newhaven’s new shape – and Bailie’s own individual performance – very much swinging the game in the Docker’s favour.

The change almost paid dividends within five minutes of the restart. Alfie Rogers played his marauding elder brother through on goal, only for the Uckfield keeper to deny him. Alfie’s follow-up was then blocked behind, before Newhaven somehow failed to score from the resulting corner.

The early warning wasn’t heeded by Uckfield, though. A minute later the Dockers got the goal they needed. 

Debutant Luke Donaldson – recently signed from Horsham YMCA – sent Lee Robinson away down the left. From there Robbo looked set to shoot but instead squared the ball to Alfie, who was left with the simple task of tapping the ball home from six-yards out. His 30th of the season. It's January! Ridiculous!

With Newhaven suddenly looking rampant, a third goal quickly followed. And some goal it was.

Bailie Rogers, channelling his inner Iniesta (try saying that after a few pints!) sprayed a glorious 60-yard pass across the field into the path of Edwards. There was still plenty for the winger do but, my, he did it well, curling a sumptuous effort into the far corner. Check it out on our social media channels.

Shortly after, Alfie Rogers was then once again denied by the Uckfield keeper as he looked for a hat-trick.

In fairness to Uckfield, with the Dockers threatening to run away with it, they did have a couple of very decent chances to get themselves back into the game; more down to defensive lapses than anything else, it has to be said.

The game was put to bed with 15 minutes remaining. While Woods’ long clearance forward may not have possessed the panache of Bailie’s earlier pass, it proved to be just as effective, sending Donaldson clear of the defence. The new signing showed pace, skill and composure to round the visiting keeper and stroke in what we hope will be the first of many for the club.

Still Uckfield pushed for goals, and Bailie Rogers was forced into a brilliant last-ditch block to stop the visitors grabbing what surely would have only been a consolation.

With the game all but won, the Dockers made a raft of changes with all three goal-scorers, along with Robbo, heading off for a deserved rest.

With the new arrivals desperate to show what they have to offer, the Dockers continued to pour forward, and with four minutes of normal time remaining they got a fifth. A quick short corner allowed the once-again hugely impressive Ryan Warwick the time and space to pick out teenager Toby Reeder, who glanced home his first senior goal for the club.

In injury-time, the Dockers got a sixth. Two substitutes combined, with Demas Ramsis racing down the right before pulling the ball back to the waiting Fin Agnihotri (another teenager), who tapped home to also score his first senior goal for the club.

So the Dockers pull four points clear at the top of the table, thanks to a stunning second-half performance. Sure, it would sometimes (always) be nice to start games a little bit faster, and maybe (definitely) stop going behind quite so much… but this is the fourth time in the past eight games that we’ve scored more than five goals in a game; so it’s hard to be too critical!

Next Saturday, we’re back at Fort Road, as we host Eastbourne United; a team who would enjoy nothing more that throwing a spanner into our title charge.

It’s going to be a tough game (it always is against them) and your amazing support (we’ve had crowds of 300+ at our last two home games, which is simply brilliant, thank you) will be essential it getting the lads over the line.

Come On You Dockers!

My man of the match (aka, the controversial part): Bailie Rogers. He may have only played half a game, but Bailie was simply brilliant in the half he played; a constant source of attacking threat down the left, without ever negating his defensive responsibilities.

After the match, Bailie spoke to Reuben about the match and his own performance.