#COYD - Come on You Dockers

Newhaven 5 Midhurst and Easebourne 0, SCFL Premier Division Match #17 Just two weeks on from co-managers Sean Breach and Andy Cook celebrating their 400th game for the club, this afternoon’s match against Midhurst saw another Docker reach a significant milestone. Ten years ago to this very day, a young Jake Buss made his first appearance between the sticks for Newhaven. A decade later and much has changed at Fort Road. However, skipper Buss (now a little older and, hopefully, wiser) has been a consistent figure behind the Docker’s steady rise to becoming annual title contenders. Of the current players, only Lee Robinson has been here longer. A short presentation ahead of the match (albeit not just before kick-off due to someone being a bit of a spoilsport) recognised Buss’ achievement, with players, managers, officials and fans getting the chance to show their appreciation to Newhaven’s long-standing keeper. As had been the case at Loxwood a couple of weeks ago , all that remai...

Newhaven 1 Eastbourne Town 1, SCFL Premier Division match #16 With no Premier League or Championship matches due to take place for the next few weeks because of the upcoming World Cup (something I still can’t quite get my head around), has there ever been a better time for non-league football to enjoy the Saturday afternoon limelight? Probably not is the answer to that somewhat rhetorical question. With that in mind, we’ve been keeping our fingers loosely crossed that all our home games over the next few weeks might draw slightly larger crowds that usual.  And, with more than 300 turning up for this afternoon’s league encounter with Eastbourne Town, it would seem that this hope is well-founded. Hopefully a similar number can be replicated at next week's encounter against Midhurst and Easebourne. In fairness, Eastbourne Town are well known for having a loyal following, enjoying one of the best supports in the division. Even when, as like this season, results have not necessa...

Newhaven Ladies 3 Steyning Town Women 2, London & South East Women’s Football League Division 1 South, Match #10 Following two trips to Kent in the past two weeks, Newhaven were back on home (artificial) turf this afternoon, entertaining fellow Sussex side Steyning in a LSEWFL Division 1 South match. Like the Dockers, Steyning have endured something of a mixed start to the season. Having picked up seven points from their opening seven games, they went into the game knowing a win would move them level on points with their hosts, and with a couple of games in hand. This was undoubtedly a game that both sides will have had designs on winning. With Newhaven manager Andy Cook serving a stadium ban following a dismissal in a cup match away at Brentford a few weeks ago (seems a tad excessive, but there you have it), it was left to Martin McLaughlan to be the voice in the dug-out. Something I’m sure he will have relished! Shorn of their influential gaffa, you could have been forgiv...

Loxwood 1 Newhaven 6, SCFL Premier Division match #15 The Dockers headed north for one of their longest league away trips of the season this afternoon, visiting lowly Loxwood in the SCFL Premier Division. The match marked a significant milestone for the Dockers managerial duo of Sean Breach and Andy Cook, who were taking charge of Newhaven for an almost unprecedented 400th time. A phenomenal achievement for both managers. I’m sure I speak for most Docker’s fans, officials and players when I say that hopefully there will be many, many more games to come from the hardworking – and hugely popular – gaffas! Unfortunately, despite the significance of the occasion, Cook was sadly absent from the ground, serving a ban following a recent dismissal at a women’s game (he pulls double-duty managing the women’s team as well - selfless). Good to see that sentiment is, as always, alive and well at the good old FA! In a quirk of fate, the man in the opposing dugout for the co-manager’s 400 th...

Newhaven 2 Hassocks 0, SCFL Premier Division match #14 A run of four consecutive home games ended this afternoon with the visit of in-form Hassocks to Fort Road. Sitting sixth in the table at the start of play, and on a seven-game unbeaten run – including draws with high-flying Eastbourne United and top-of-the-table Broadbridge Heath – the Robins are enjoying one of their best seasons for many a year. The Dockers were under no illusions that a tough afternoon likely lie ahead.  This view was reinforced in an opening 20 minutes that offered very little to shout about. There was literally nothing between the two sides. There were no real chances and equally little entertainment. Just two sides feeling each other out. The complexion of the match completely changed in the 25 th minute when what had been a largely uneventful encounter suddenly exploded into life in highly contentious and controversial circumstances. A Hassocks break away was swiftly broken up by a crunching Bai...

N ewhaven 2 Eastbourne United 3, RUR Cup Second Round A third home game in just seven days brought Eastbourne United to Fort Road in the second round of the RUR Cup. Following a fiery, hard-fought league encounter between the two sides earlier in the season, it was hard to imagine seeing anything different this time around.  These are two teams who have serious title aspirations and, while there may have been no points on offer last night, a win would surely offer the victors a serious morale boost going forward. In fairness, after 20 minutes a hard-fought encounter was far from what we were seeing. There was only one team in it. Unfortunately for the Dockers, that team was Eastbourne United. Newhaven had actually gone close to opening the scoring inside a couple of minutes; Marcell Powell curling just wide from the corner of the 18-yard-box. That would be as good as it would get for the hosts for quite a while. With less than five minutes on the clock, United took the lea...

Newhaven Ladies 0 Bromley FC Women 0, London & South East Women’s Football League Division 1 South, Match #7 The fixture Goddesses have not been kind to Newhaven Ladies so far this October. Tough cup matches against Fulham and Brentford was followed by what proved to be an arduous home league match against all-conquering Hastings last week. The visit of high-flying Bromley to Fort Road this weekend was unlikely to be much easier. Having tasted defeat just once in their opening six league games – winning the other five – Bromley were sure to prove another tough test for Newhaven. Especially with a number of key players missing for the Dockers for a variety of different reasons. After just five minutes, it seemed like the Dockers would be facing a long afternoon. Bromley could – and perhaps should – have been two-up before Newhaven had settled, missing two presentable opportunities from close range. Newhaven were finding it hard to get to grips with a confident-looking Broml...