Dockers cruise into semi-finals

Godalming Town 1 Newhaven 7, Peter Bentley Cup Quarter-Final, Tuesday 20^th January 2026

Newhaven made a long Tuesday night away trip to Surrey last night, to take on Godalming Town in the quarter-finals of the Peter Bentley Cup.

With Godalming currently sitting top of SCFL Division 1, having lost just once in the league to date (and that defeat coming way back in October), all the signs pointed to this being a hugely tricky tie. Our route through to another semi-final in a competition that’s been kind to us in recent years was far from a formality.

Ultimately, though, it was only the weather that really came close to halting our progress.

With the heavens having well and truly opened shortly before kick-off, and the game played in a non-stop torrent of torrential rain, it was something of a minor miracle that this game managed to reach its conclusion.

The as ever loyal Dockers contingent that made the long trip to Surrey were certainly glad it did.

After a fairly even start which saw decent early chances for both teams, Ryan Blunt missing ours when he poked wide from close-range, it was Newhaven who eventually drew first blood in the 16^th minute. Lee Robinson bundling home Billy Oliver’s low cross at the far post.

For the next 20-minutes, Godalming enjoyed what was to easily be their best spell of the match, forcing us increasingly further back. But for some more composed finishing in this period they could easily have drawn level; maybe even gone ahead.

They failed to take their chances, though, and the Dockers duly punished them.

Ten minutes before half-time, a miss-kick from the Godalming goalkeeper (he struggled with his kicks throughout the first-half) was pounced upon by Oliver, and he raced through to double our advantage.

Within a couple of minutes, Robbo grabbed his second of the game when he ran on to a clever flick from Ezra Roeg and finished comfortably into the corner.

Godalming suddenly looked defeated. The weather, and worsening pitch condition, appeared to be the only thing that could halt our progress now.

Newhaven still had time to go close twice more before the interval through the lively Oliver.

A half-time goalkeeper change for the hosts, which saw an outfield player take the gloves, did little to improve their chances.

Just two minutes after the restart, Robbo took full advantage of a catalogue of errors in the home defence to fire home his hat-trick.

Godalming pulled one back soon after, taking advantage of a lapse of concentration in the visiting defence, but the comeback simply never looked on. The weather was still our main opponent by this point.

Indeed, our four-goal advantage was restored just 90-seconds after the hosts had reduced the arrears. The industrious Shay Tobin tried his luck from range, didn’t really make contact with the ball, but still somehow managed to score with a shot that hadn’t initially looked like it would even reach the goal.

Understandably, getting hammered, soaking wet, cold, and playing on an increasingly boggy pitch, Godalming’s players suddenly looked like they’d rather be anyone else but there.

The Docker’s boys on the other hand, were clearly enjoying themselves. So were their fans, in spite of the growing concerns that the match may be abandoned before we reached full-time.

In fairness, though, the ball was continuing to roll, and while players were starting to slip, with every minute that passed, the game reaching its conclusion started to look increasingly likely.

There was no respite for Godalming. Newhaven continued to pour forward in search of goals. A sixth finally arrived ten minutes from time. Substitutes Noah Hoffman and Teddy Wood combined well in the centre of the pitch, and the ball finally made its way through to Oliver, who smashed it into the top corner.

A stirring rendition of ‘we’re singing in the rain’ broke out amongst the Newhaven faithful, who clearly hadn’t expected to be enjoying such a comfortable (or wet) evening.

With five minutes remaining, and the game won, Newhaven were able to bring on hot youth prospect Ryan Walton for a five-minute cameo.

With the small but loyal band of ultras boisterously chanting ‘if Walton scores we’re on the beers’ (possibly the most ‘Newhaven’ chant you’ll ever hear from a bunch of pre-teen kids), we duly added a seventh. Unfortunately, the beers would have to stay behind the bar, as it was Wood who scored it, firing in off the crossbar from just inside the area.

So ultimately (weather aside) it was an unexpectedly comfortable evening for the Dockers, who progress to the semi-final with the minimal of fuss. Steyning now await. Full details regarding the venue and date of that fixture will be announced in due course.

Full credit has to go to Godalming for getting the game finished. I’m sure the last thing anyone involved with Newhaven would have wanted was another long midweek journey (especially with the game poised as it was).

It’s a return to league action on Saturday, as we welcome fellow play-off chasers Guernsey to Fort Road. Please note the 14:00 kick-off time for that game.

We then end January with another home game the following Saturday, as Wick are our visitors. Back to 15:00 for that one.

Your support in hopefully cheering the boys on to some more much-needed points, would be hugely appreciated.

Come On You Dockers!

My man of the match (aka, the controversial part): Lee Robinson. I’m old school; hat-trick = man of the match. Special mentions to Billy Oliver and Shay Tobin, though, who were also both very good in tricky conditions.