Defeat means it’s definitely play-offs for the Dockers

Newhaven 0 Steyning 4, SCFL Premier Division Match #37

All the signs were there for a classic.

First vs second in the penultimate game of the season. Both teams (mathematically speaking at least) still in with a chance of winning the title.

Both sides boasting a win apiece from their two meetings earlier in the season (Newhaven in the league; Steyning in the Peter Bentley Cup).

A large crowd of just over 500 spectators (our second-highest gate of the season).

Unfortunately, a classic encounter was far from what played out at Fort Road yesterday afternoon.

Put simply, it was a walk in the park for Steyning who were by far the superior team over the 90 minutes and deservedly strolled their way to three points.

It would be fair to say that, despite the fact that a win for Newhaven would have taken their title hopes to the last game of the season, the belief that this would give us a realistic shot of winning the title was slim. It’s almost unimaginable that Steyning won’t beat Uckfield, while Crowborough winning their  remaining three matches wouldn’t come as a huge surprise, either.  

The fact that top-scorer Alfie Rogers was rested for such a huge game (a booking would have rendered him unavailable for the play-offs) gave a strong hint that the Docker’s management had already pencilled in the play-offs as being the route most likely for promotion, regardless of yesterday’s result.

Rogers’ absence, alongside that of the likes of Josh Tuck, Max Vardy and Ryan Warwick, (not to mention longer-term absentees like Luca Page and Ian Robinson – to name a couple), was always going to make a hard task considerably harder.

Once Steyning took the lead 23 minutes into yesterday’s match, following an even opening period, there only ever looked like there was going to be one winner.

There was an element of luck to the opening goal, as a ball in midfield rebounded off a Newhaven player and landed kindly at the feet of Harry Shooman who finished calmly into the corner.

By that point, the Dockers had already created what would prove to be their only real opening of the half. Lee Robinson racing through on goal early on, but choosing to square a pass to Luke Donaldson rather than go for goal himself.

With Newhaven looking decidedly flat (not all that surprising given their exertions at Haywards Heath and Crowborough in the past seven days), Steyning took full advantage.

The Barrowmen added two goals in the final 15-minutes of the half to all-but seal the game and take a sizable step towards the league title. A major frustration for the Dockers was that both goals were sloppy, with the Newhaven defence missing multiple chances to get the ball away before being punished.

First, Charlie Meehan’s pace got him in down the right. His shot was only parried by Jake Buss, Robbie Keith’s goal-line clearance was straight at Mark Goldson and Steyning were two-up.

The third goal, right on half-time, was even more scrappy, as the Dockers got themselves into sixes and sevens at the back, failing on more than one occasion to clear their lines, before Shooman eventually poked home his second of the game from close-range.

At half-time, there was little conviction among the sizable Newhaven contingent that a comeback was likely.

There was similarly little evidence that there would be on the pitch, either. Despite seeing plenty of the ball in the second-half, Steyning’s defence never looked unduly threatened (another injury early in the second-half – this time to Tarun Rohilla – didn’t exactly help matters!).

Aside from a couple of half-chances in quick succession, from Robinson and Callum Edwards, Steyning were the very definition of comfortable.

Despite the second-half being a rather lacklustre affair, to say the least, Steyning did mark it with a moment of pure quality just under 20 minutes from time when full-back Charlie Weller blasted home an absolute rocket from fully 25 yards out, giving Buss absolutely no chance.

Newhaven had another couple of half-chances as time ticked on, a Robinson header from an extremely tight angle that went wide, a John Lucero shot from the edge of the box which cleared the fence, but a consolation goal rarely appeared to be on the cards.

So a disappointing way for us to end our home league campaign (regular season at least), but there will be few complaints about the result. The better team on the day won – and now look extremely likely to win the league.

We now have a week’s break (which could be crucial as we look to get players back) before we travel to Hassocks for our final regular game of the season on the 27^th April.

With a play-off place having been confirmed following Tuesday’s win at Haywards Heath, there is still no hint as to who our opponents will be or what the venue will be, with plenty still to be decided. Hassocks themselves will be only too aware that a result against us in their final game will guarantee them a spot.

The title may be gone, but there’s still plenty to play for. Potentially three-games of a memorable season left. Let’s make some more memories.

Come On You Dockers!

My man of the match (aka, the controversial part): Cop-out time, but can’t give it to anyone. This was an all-round flat performance with no one doing enough to get the nod.