Second-half showing keeps Dockers on track

Newhaven 4 Loxwood 0, SCFL Premier Division match #30

For what seems to be the thirtieth time this season, the Dockers went into a match knowing that dropping points could ultimately prove fatal in what is becoming one of the closest SCFL Premier Division title races in years.

While Loxwood’s lowly league position may have pointed towards a routine’s afternoon work, a closer look at some of their score-lines suggested that a rather trickier 90-minutes may lay ahead.

Just last month, The Magpies had made current league leaders Steyning work extremely hard for a 1-0 victory, while in January they beat Eastbourne Town; a team that we were ourselves tonked by just by a few weeks ago.

It’s fair to say that the first-half of this encounter won’t live long in the memory. It kicked-off… then just over 45-minutes later it came to an end. There’s not a lot more to say about it, to be honest. It happened. That was it.

Thankfully, the second-half was rather more action-packed; especially if you are of a Dockers persuasion.

Within ten minutes of the restart, Newhaven had laid down more attacking intent than they had for much of (the entirety?) of the first.

Callum Edwards was the first to try his luck, with an effort that flew just over the cross-bar, before Alfie Rogers forced the Magpies’ keeper into his first serious save of the afternoon with a well struck free-kick.

Bailie Rogers then saw what appeared to be a goal-bound effort inadvertently blocked by Lee Robinson; although Robbo swears to me that the ball was going well wide and he was actually trying to divert it into the net.

With pressure really starting build, Robinson then broke free of the visiting defence but instead of shooting he opted to play in Alfie, overhit the pass, and the chance was good.

Just as some of the Fort Road faithful were starting to fear that this could be one of those days, with 25 minutes remaining Newhaven took the lead.

Callum Edwards’ corner from the right was only half-cleared by Loxwood, Robbie Keith headed the ball into Rob Malila’s path, and the midfielder took a touch before producing a classy finish that bypassed a crowded penalty area and found the corner of the net.

With many expecting the floodgates to now open, Loxwood continued to plug away and stay in the game, albeit without ever really threatening Jake Buss’ goal.

With ten minutes left, recently-arrived right-back Jacob Thompson went close to making it two goals in his first two games for the Dockers with a fiercely struck shot that rebounded off the post, bounced against the back of the beaten goalkeeper’s head and rolled inches the wrong side of the post.

Ultimately it was to be two substitutes who were to take the game away from Loxwood and offer a more realistic appraisal of the Dockers second-half dominance.

Five minutes from time, Lewis Croal was clipped by a tired-looking challenge in the area. With Alfie Rogers and Lee Robinson both off the pitch, it was left to Croal to pick himself up and tuck away a coolly-taken penalty to open his Newhaven account.

With Loxwood’s resolve now having been broken, the Dockers added two more in injury time, both scored by Fin Agnihotri.

Edwards was the provider of the third, twisting and turning down the left before producing a fine right-footed cross that was headed home by Agnihotri.

Another cross from the left provided the fourth. Bailie Rogers was the man with the assist this time, with Agnihotri side-footing home his low cross.

An, eventually, comfortable victory and a first clean sheet since November to boot; a great afternoon’s work all-round.

The result leaves Newhaven two points behind Steyning in the table, with two games in hand. Results elsewhere also mean that the destiny of the title is now very much back in Newhaven’s hands, as Crowborough and Hassocks both dropped points.

There are eight games to go. Eight cup finals. Win them all and Newhaven will be champions.

That, of course, will be a tough ask. We still have to play three of the four other teams currently occupying the top five and pay a visit to play-off hopefuls Haywards Heath Town. 

Still, had you offered anyone at the club this position at the start of the season, you can be sure we would have snapped your hands off!

There’s no game next weekend, but we do have a midweek match the following week as we travel to Lingfield (or Horley; that’s where they play) on 19^th March, before we face another lengthy away trip to Pagham on Saturday 23^rd March.

We’re back at home on 30^th March when Bexhill United are the visitors.

We hope to see as many of you at these games as possible. Three more wins heading into the final month of the season would set us up nicely for a very, very tough run-in!

Come On You Dockers!

My man of the match (aka, the controversial part): Rob Malila. Not only did he grab the all-important first goal, but it was only in the second-half when he and midfield partner Ryan Blunt took charge of the game that the Dockers really began to dominate.