Dockers grind their way to three points

Pagham 1 Newhaven 2, SCFL Premier Division match #31

The sequence is over. Finally.

Our last 15 league games had produced a run of three wins, three losses, three wins, three losses and three wins. 

Meaning that yesterday’s visit to Pagham was surely to be the first in the latest series of three losses, right?

Well, no, thankfully.

The Dockers emerged from their long trip to Pagham with three points and an unprecedented (this season anyway) fourth consecutive league win. 

And all without the absent trio of Jake Robinson, Ian Robinson, and Ryan Warwick. Impressive indeed.

Okay, so it may not have been a vintage performance. Far from it, in fact. 

But for the first time in quite a while yesterday afternoon, Newhaven won a match in which they were second-best for much of the game, showing a grit and determination that has been absent all too often throughout this season.

After a non-eventful and instantly forgettable opening ten minutes, it was the Dockers who actually created the first chance of the afternoon. Alfie Rogers being denied by a good diving save from the Pagham keeper.

From there, the hosts began to slowly turn the screw, and while they weren’t exactly hammering on the door to score the opening goal, they were certainly knocking firmly enough.

When the Lions ended up taking the lead in the 25^th minute, it didn’t come as a massive surprise.

Newhaven appealed in vain for an offside flag (he did look on-side to me, to be fair) and Jarden Rance got just enough on his lofted effort to beat Jonny Barnes-Galloway, despite the young keeper’s best efforts to keep it out.

Newhaven’s response was laboured, with both teams struggling to get to grips with the tricky, bobbly surface, making the game far from an intriguing spectacle.

Just three-minutes before half-time, though, the Dockers were level. Alfie Rogers firing a low free-kick from just outside the area past the Pagham keeper.

Moments later, things could have got even better for Newhaven as Rogers threaded the ball through to Lee Robinson, who couldn’t get enough power on his first-time effort.

The hosts almost made the perfect start to the second-half when they forced the ball in from a corner, only to be denied by, presumably, the off-side flag. It was impossible to tell from my vantage point. (Although the Pagham keeper – who was stood even further away than I was – was adamant it wasn’t off-side, so it can’t have been, I guess).

Things were to get even worse for the increasingly angry Pagham custodian ten minutes later, when he was beaten in a foot-race to a loose ball by Alfie Rogers, who neatly sidestepped the keeper before calmly tapping the ball in the net from outside the area.

Newhaven were far from being at their best. But they were ahead.

What followed in the remaining just over half-an-hour was largely as one-sided a contest as you are likely to see this season, with Pagham throwing everything they had at Newhaven.

That said, they were rarely able to really call Barnes-Galloway into serious action. One effort that he did well to claw away from under his cross-bar aside, and one shot that struck the inside of the post, the Newhaven goal led something of a charmed life.

The Dockers created a couple of chances of their own. Lee Robinson forced the Pagham keeper into a save outside the area, which appeared to strike a hand, but not according to the referee.

Alfie Rogers then almost got lucky as he closed down the keeper and managed to block a clearance which rebounded just over the bar.

That aside, though, it was Pagham who were very much in the ascendancy. Newhaven were hanging on and hanging on. But hang on they did.

While the entire team were defending for their lives, it’s worth highlighting the efforts of Conor Sidwell here who was making his first start since… well, I’m not sure, but it’s bloody ages… and he along with Henry Watson won ball after ball that was flung into the box. I'm sure he would have been feeling it this morning!

The final whistle brought more of a feeling of relief than celebration to the small but loyal Dockers contingent.

Yes, there was more than an element of smash and grab about the result, but sometimes they end up being the most enjoyable wins, right? After the game, obviously. They’re blooming horrible to watch (and play in).

Next weekend, Newhaven go in search of (whisper it) their fifth consecutive victory, as Wick visit Fort Road, before we round off the month with a trip to Little Common.

Your support at either game – or, even better, both – would be much appreciated.

Come On You Dockers!

My man of the match (aka, the controversial part): Alfie Rogers and Charlie Connell. Joint award this week. Alfie for his two well-taken goals which ultimately propelled us to victory, and Charlie for yet another sterling display in protecting the back four. Honourable mention also goes to the entire back four, who more than played their part in grinding out a victory.