Dockers avoid opening round cupset

AFC Walcountians 1 Newhaven 2, FA Vase First Qualifying Round, Sunday 24^th August 2025

Newhaven’s (second and more realistic) road to Wembley started with a coach trip to Surrey on Sunday to take on newly promoted SCFL Division 1 side AFC Walcountians.

Playing at Step Six for the first time in their history, AFC Walcountians have adapted well to life at a higher level, having won two and drawn the other of their opening three games.

This was their first ever appearance in the FA Vase, and the Dockers would have been fully aware that their opponents were going to be well and truly up for the occasion.

Indeed, it was the hosts, who play at Cobham, who enjoyed the better of the early running, hassling and harrying the Dockers at every opportunity and not giving us a chance to settle.

They created the game's first clear opportunity in the 15th minute when their striker latched on to an under-hit back pass, but stumbled as he was about to shoot, allowing Jonny Barnes-Galloway to smother the ball.

Moments later Teddy Wood, making his first start following a fine cameo appearance off the bench on Tuesday evening, had a decent chance for us when he raced through on goal, only to send his shot across the goal and wide.

The Counts then took the lead in fine style, when the ball fell to Matt Aluetta just outside the area, who took a touch before superbly curling the ball into the top corner, giving Barnes-Galloway no chance.

It was no more than the hosts deserved for their high-energy opening 20 minutes. The youthful Dockers looked more than a little rattled.

There was no immediate response from Newhaven who were struggling to find their flow against their hard-working opponents.

However, with half-time approaching, you could already see the Walcountians players starting to tire, having expended a lot of energy on what was a very hot afternoon.

The hosts’ cause was not helped by introduction of the rested Ezra Roeg in the 37^th minutes, on in place of the injured Tommy Jupp.

Roeg immediately set about tormenting the Counts defence. Within minutes of coming on we’d twice gone close to finding an equaliser, with Roeg involved in both chances. First Ryan Blunt side-footed wide from the edge of the area, before a cross from the left narrowly evaded Billy Oliver.

On the stroke of half-time, though, the Dockers did get themselves back on level terms. Roeg kept the ball alive and managed hook it back into the danger zone where Oliver was waiting to score his first senior goal for the club. 

It was a great time to score. You could almost see the Counts players visibly deflate having conceded so close to the break.

For the most part, the second-half was about as one-way traffic as you are likely to see, with the hard-working hosts unable to summon the energy levels that had made them such a threat in the opening stages of the game.

Newhaven thought they’d scored within a minute of the restart, only for an offside flag to deny Bailie Rogers on his first appearance of the season.

What followed was chance after chance after chance, as the Dockers did everything but score, only to find the Counts goalkeeper in particularly inspired form.

Corey Smart and Blunt were both denied by brilliant saves, before Wood again squeezed a shot just wide.

It was then Billy Oliver’s turn to see a shot saved, before Blunt once again went close only for the keeper to deny him.

There were other chances, too, with the Counts defenders putting their bodies on the line to keep Newhaven out.

With the game entering its last 15 minutes, Smart was twice thwarted by a couple more good saves by the keeper.

This was definitely starting to have the feel of one of those games. AFC Walcountians hadn’t really been much of an attacking threat in the second-half, but I don’t think anyone watching would have been overly surprised were they to break away and score. Either that or hold on for penalties; which was an outcome no one of a Newhaven persuasion was relishing.

Step forward Lee Robinson. Having started on the bench with one eye on Tuesday night’s game against AFC Varndeanians, as so often it was the veteran striker who was to have the game’s decisive say.

With ten minutes remaining, the keeper could only parry the ball into the path of Robbo, and he made no mistake from six yards to dispatch goal number 495 for the Dockers. I doubt he will have had many easier than this amongst those.

With AFC Walcountians brave rear-guard having finally been breached, the smart money was surely on Newhaven now adding another couple as the Counts chased the game.

However, it was the hosts who next went close when mere seconds after the restart, they found themselves one-on-one with Barnes-Galloway only for the young stopper, who had been a virtual spectator for much of the second-half, to make a fine save.

With a couple of minutes of normal time remaining, Smart thought he had made the game safe, heading into the roof of the net, only to once again be denied by the off-side flag; slightly bafflingly on this occasion it has to be said, before in injury-time Robinson once again forced the Counts keeper into action.

Ultimately, though, the second goal was enough as Newhaven booked their passage into the next round of the Vase.

It could have been more. It should have been more. But cup football is all about the result, and after a slow start the Dockers were more than worthy of their victory.

The result certainly made for an entertaining coach trip home… but I’m not allowed to talk about that. What happens on the coach, stays on the coach. Let’s just say that the team spirit amongst this group of lads is very good.

We now return to league action, with a Tuesday night (26^th August) home match against AFC Varndeanians, before taking to the road again on Saturday for the lengthy trip to Midhurst and Easebourne. Let’s hope the youthful Dockers can keep their impressive start to the season going.

Come On You Dockers!

My man of the match (aka, the controversial part): Ryan Blunt. Newhaven’s very own metronome. He dictated the tempo of the match, particularly in the second-half, and was unlucky not to get himself on the score sheet. His range of passing was on full display, with some of his cross-field switches to the equally impressive Roeg a joy to behold.