Champions – league title secured, but there’s more to play for yet

Newhaven Ladies secured the London and South East Regional Division One South league title on Sunday following a 5-0 win at Bexhill.

The dominant Dockers took their league record to an astonishing 20 wins from 21 games as they put the seal on a fantastic league campaign, that will see them promoted to the league above.

Goals from Katie Franks, Charlotte Markham, Jamie Quinn and a Lucy Collinson brace gave Newhaven the win they needed to ensure that they can no longer be caught by closest challengers Bromley, regardless of what happens when the two teams meet on 1^st May.

It has been a quite remarkable season for the Dockers, who have lost just once in the league, and have racked up a brilliant 76 goals in just 21 games, conceding just 14. The team has also kept 13 clean sheets from those 20 games, and haven’t conceded a league goal in their past five matches.

Their only reverse came away at Herne Bay back in November, but this was to prove to be only a mere blip in a campaign in which they have swept most teams aside.

And things could yet get even better for Newhaven.

Tonight (24^th April) they travel to Lancing to take on Saltdean United in the Sussex County Cup Final.

With Saltdean fifth in the league above, with games in hand to move fourth, this is going to prove a huge challenge to the team, but with confidence high following Sunday’s victory, there’s every hope that the Dockers can cause an upset.

What’s more, the team is still in the Eastbourne FA Cup – a competition they won last year – offering yet another opportunity to add further silverware to an already brilliant campaign.

No matter, though, what happens in these remaining competitions, the league title win is a true measure of success and everyone at the club is proud of the entire squad of players and the management for their amazing achievement.

Fingers crossed they can cap the season off with another trophy.

Come On You Dockers!

Newhaven Ladies league results 2023/24

20^th August: Hastings United (A) won 4-1;

Carter, Collinson, Evans, Mead;

27^th August: Bexhill United (H) won 4-0;

Carter, Empringham, Collinson, G. Cook;

3^rd September: Bognor Regis Town (H) won 2-0;

Collinson, Evans;

17^th September: Herne Bay (H) won 2-0;

Carter, Ripley;

24^th September: Welling United (H) won 4-0;

Collinson, G. Cook, Evans Franks;

1^st October: Bognor Regis Town (A) won 3-1;

Franks (2), Ripley;

8^th October: Dartford Reserves (H) won 4-2;

Collinson, G. Cook, Franks, Evans;

11^th October: Eastbourne United (H) won 3-0;

G. Cook, Evans, Collinson;

22^nd October: Steyning Town (H) won 4-3;

Carter, Collinson (2), Empringham;

29^th October: Hassocks (H) won 4-0;

Collinson, Franks, Ripley, Quinn;

12^th November: Welling United (A) won 7-0;

Collinson (2), Evans, Franks (2), McKellar, Ripley;

26^th November: Herne Bay (A) lost 3-1;

Coade;

10^th December: Bromley (H) won 3-1

Collinson (2), Franks;

17^th December: Montpelier Villa (A) won 5-1;

Collinson (3), Mead, McKellar;

14^th January: Hassocks (A) won 4-0;

Coade, Evans (3);

28^th January: Dartford Reserves (A) won 3-2;

Carter, Franks (2);

11^th February: Montpelier Villa (H) won 3-0;

Collinson, Evans, G. Cook;

17^th March: Hastings United (H) won 4-0;

Empringham, Franks (2), Evans;

20^th March: Eastbourne United (A) won 4-0;

Franks, Markham (2), Ripley;

7^th April: Steyning Town (A) won 4-0;

Carter, Empringham, Markham, Ripley;

21^st April: Bexhill United (A) won 5-0;

Collinson (2), Franks, Markham, Quinn

1^st May: Bromley (A) ??