Determination, grit and three points

Little Common 1 Newhaven 3, SCFL Premier Division Match #3, Tuesday 19^th August 2025

Another Tuesday evening away game saw Newhaven head east to face Little Common last night.

With Newhaven’s young squad having picked up a creditable four points from their first two fixtures, it was hoped they could keep the positive start going against a team that pulled off a remarkable great escape last season to maintain their SCFL Premier Division status.

Common have been slow out of the blocks once again this term, having entered this fixture still pointless.

However, it was us who the hosts got their first win against last season (albeit in their 14^th game on that occasion) so they do have precedent for breaking their winless starts to the season against the Dockers.

Indeed, it was the hosts who created the game’s first opportunity (in fact the only opportunity of any type in the opening 20-minutes) when Richmond Osei had to be alert to block behind what looked to be a certain goal on the edge of his own six-yard box.

Having struggled to get to grips with Little Common’s direct approach (that’s putting it mildly; I’ve never seen a ball spend so long in the air at a single match), the Dockers had to wait until the 23^rd minute for their first sight of goal. But boy did they make it count.

Pacey Bean found Lee Robinson inside the area, and Robbo crossed for the unmarked Corey Smart to head home inside the six-yard box. His first goal in senior football.

Roman Chiosa then made a good save from a free-kick to keep us ahead, before Common’s number one made a decent stop to foil the lively Ezra Roeg, but as far as first-half chances went, that was pretty much all there was.

Much of the entertainment was being served-up off the pitch, where Little Common’s small but loyal band of young fans were creating a decent atmosphere with their seemingly never-ending repertoire of songs. Fair play to them for supporting their team throughout. Great to see.

The second-half spectacle was much the same as the first – albeit with the hosts going even more direct (and physical) that they had in the opening 45 minutes.

Newhaven had the ball in the net for the second time on 50 minutes, only for the goal to be quickly chalked out for a foul on the keeper, while Little Common had a couple of half chances without really ever testing Chiosa.

Credit here must go to the Dockers fledgling team who stood up to a bombardment of long balls and physicality without ever really looking like they would be breached.

Given how well they defended from front to back, it's hard to believe that the vast majority of Newhaven’s team was under the age of 21, such was the way they stood up to the challenge being presented to them. It was with a grit and determination that belied their young years.

With 15 minutes of normal time remaining, Little Common were temporarily reduced to 10 men via a sin bin. In truth, they were fortunate to not be a permanent man down by this point, with their number 4 twice avoiding a second yellow for an obvious bookable offence. It was no surprise when he was swiftly subbed mere seconds after surviving the second scare.

With the Dockers still playing very much on the counter, you always felt chances would come the more the game progressed, with the speed and power of Roeg causing their backline trouble, and newly-signed Teddy Wood looking dangerous on debut after being introduced early in the second-half.

Indeed, it was these two players that were to have the game’s defining say late on.

With two minutes remaining, Wood played Roeg clean though on goal, and with a whole half to run into, the striker made no mistake, firing the ball into the roof of the net. Cue scenes of mass celebration among the Newhaven faithful.

Still the young band of Common fans kept singing. Albeit, not for much longer.

Three minutes later, Wood picked up the ball just inside his own half, raced up-field, toyed with two Little Common defenders, and then hammered the ball into the corner of the net from the edge of the 18-yard-box. He’d been close to replicating the same trick a little earlier, only to be tackled as he was about to shoot. This was just reward from what was a promising cameo from the diminutive winger.

Ironically, just as Common’s youthful fans had packed up and started making their way to the exit, the hosts scored through James White. It was a (very) slight blemish on what had been a good evening overall for the Dockers. Yet with the game deep into injury time, there was never any sense that Little Common would pull off an unlikely comeback, with the final whistle sounding soon after the restart.

It's a break from league action this weekend (again) as we travel to SCFL Division One new boys AFC Walcountians on Sunday afternoon in the FA Vase. Let’s hope this rare Sunday outing ends up better than our last one, when Tooting Bec somehow forgot to turn up with their kit 12-months ago!! 

If you are planning to travel, please note that Walcountians play at Cobham FC.

We then face AFC Varndeanians at Fort Road next Tuesday as we look to keep our encouraging start to the season going.

There’s still a long time to go, but one can’t help but be impressed by how the youthful Dockers have started the season. Long may it continue.

Come On You Dockers!

My man of the match (aka, the controversial part): Ezra Roeg. All of the starting 11 (+ Teddy Wood) could have been in with a shout, but Roeg’s strength, direct running, and ability to hold onto the ball in tight areas, really helped to relieve pressure on our defence at key moments. Also took his goal really well to all but seal the game.