#COYD - Come on You Dockers

Newhaven 1 Peacehaven 3; Eastbourne United 4 Newhaven 1; SCFL matches #20 and #21 It was a festive period to forget for the Dockers, as they endured two bad defeats in the space of just over 48 hours. First up on Boxing Day, the local derby brought with it a bumper crowd, with more than 740 people packing inside Fort Road.  What it didn’t bring with it, though, was the three points that Newhaven fans have become so accustomed to in this fixture over the past few years. It was an opening half-hour of few chances. Lee Robinson and Ryan Warwick (twice) sent efforts off target for the hosts – while a brilliant Billy Barker challenge thwarted a dangerous Peacehaven attack. Unfortunately, it also left Billy with a fractured tibia! Get well soon, Billy! With the match low on quality, the opening goal came completely out of the blue; but it’s doubtful you’ll witness a better strike this season. A stunning Mo Kahdum effort from way outside the area, swerved in the air before nestling ...

Bexhill United 2 Newhaven 1, SCFL Premier Division Match #19 Following last Saturday’s postponement at Horsham YMCA, Newhaven travelled east to Bexhill yesterday afternoon, looking to extend their winning run to five. Bexhill United, though, are themselves one of the division’s form teams, coming into the match with just one defeat in their last 11 games. On a bobbly uneven surface, this was never likely to be a game for the purists and after a dull opening 15 minutes, during which neither keeper was tested (or even cam close to being tested), a long dreary 90-minutes looked to be on the cards. Then, out of nowhere, the hosts took the lead. The Dockers carelessly gave possession away from their own throw-in, and one ball over the top found Jack Shonk – who, of course, had started the season at Newhaven, before returning to Bexhill – in acres of space. Shonk kept his composure to fire the Pirates in-front with the game’s very first attempt. It was a blow for Newhaven, but one ...

Wick 2 Newhaven 4, SCFL Premier Division match #18 The first in a run of four straight away games saw Newhaven head west to Wick yesterday afternoon, hoping to keep their recent upturn in form going. Yet doing so would be far from a formality. Newly-promoted Wick have more than held their own since their return to the SCFL top flight, sitting firmly in mid-table and holding pre-season title-favourites Haywards Heath to a draw in their last outing. While things have certainly settled down at Fort Road in the past few weeks following a tumultuous early few months that left fans having no idea as to what starting 11 would take to the field from week-to-week, new goalkeeper Jack Webb-Olley (son of club stalwart Chris Webb) became the 47 th different first team player used this season yesterday (and around the 20 th to have donned the gloves; okay, that may be a slight exaggeration, but there’s certainly been a few). On a bobbly pitch typical of those seen the length and breadth of ...