Report: Newhaven 3-0 Midhurst & Easebourne
Newhaven hosted Midhurst and Easebourne yesterday afternoon, hoping to build on their impressive win at Forest Row last time out.
Having won the reverse fixture back in late August courtesy of a Harry Hammond goal, completing a league double over our visitors would see us cement our position in the play-offs at the halfway point of the season.
The Stags came into this match without a league win since late September so expectations were certainly high for a home win.
On a blustery afternoon, both teams initially struggled to get to grips with the tricky conditions, with neither side really able to get a foothold in the game.
That being said, there were chances for both teams in the opening 20-minutes, with the best arguably falling to the visitors when one of their players got through on goal only to drag his shot just the wrong side of the post (or the right side from our perspective).
Our best chance in the early exchanges came from Ryan Blunt, who bustled his way through a few challenges before getting away a shot that took a deflection which could have gone anywhere, but fortunately for Midhurst went straight to the keeper.
There was a feeling that if a football match did break out eventually, this would definitely suit Newhaven who ultimately looked more comfortable on the ball throughout.
But with half-an-hour on the clock, neither side could really claim to have been holding the upper hand in what had been a largely scrappy affair.
It was a game that always felt like the opening goal would be crucial.
Luckily, that opening goal went our way ten minutes before the interval.
The visitors could only half clear their lines from a corner; Blunt clipped a sublime first-time cross back into the area, where Arthur Rawlingson to head home his second goal for the Dockers with a tidy finish.
Midhurst almost responded immediately with a shot direct from the kick-off which nearly succeeded in catching Roman Chiosa out.
The visitors then had to survive a scare from a swirling corner which caused mayhem, but ended up with Shay Tobin making a good block.
That was to be as close as Midhurst would get for the remainder of the game.
On the stroke of half-time, Newhaven added some daylight to the scoreline, having only moments earlier been denied a penalty when Noah Hoffman looked to have been bundled over in the area.
Lee Robinson brilliantly brought down a hoisted ball forward, held off the attentions of a couple of Midhurst defenders, before laying it into the path of the onrushing Blunt who made no mistake with his finish.
Having reached half-time two goals to the good, Newhaven started the second-half full of confidence.
Robbo had an immediate opportunity to grab a third moments after the restart, but couldn’t get enough height on his attempted chip to get it over the keeper.
Corey Smart was then denied by a good sprawling save after being set free by a sublime Hoffman reverse pass.
Midhurst had a rare opportunity from a corner which went wide, but it appeared that if anyone was going to score another goal it would be the Dockers.
Just past the hour-mark, a mistake in the Stag’s defence set Robbo through one-on-one, but he was denied by the fingertips of the Midhurst keeper, who was certainly starting to earn his keep.
From the ensuing corner, though, Newhaven did add third.
Once again, Midhurst found themselves all over the place while defending a corner, and the ball eventually found its way to Rawlingson who prodded home his second despite the fact he was laying on the floor.
With the game all but over as a contest, the question was could Newhaven see the game out whilst securing a rare clean sheet.
The answer was a resounding yes!
On the few instances Midhurst did come forward, their shots were repeatedly repelled by a backline seemingly intent on securing a clean-sheet bonus (aka a free drink at the bar).
This was a really good committed, disciplined team defensive performance. Great to see. Long may it continue.
It was the Dockers who went closest to adding to the scoreline in the closing stages when substitute Ezra Roeg clipped the top of the bar, but will probably think he should have done better, after Midhurst’s keeper had spilled a routine effort.
Roeg was then denied again in injury time by another save, but it was to prove immaterial as the Dockers claimed yet another three points.
So exactly halfway through the league campaign and we’re fourth. A position very few people would have deemed likely back in pre-season. Including even the most ardent of Newhaven supporters.
Yes, we’ve played more games than all the teams around us, but even allowing for those games in hand, we would still be in the play-offs (assuming that my maths is correct. It may not be; maths isn’t a strong point of mine).
Next week, we travel to bottom side AFC Varndeanians hoping to make it three wins from three and keep our unlikely play-off push going; before we finish our pre-Christmas program with a home match against Crawley Down Gatwick.
Then comes the big one on the 27th December, as we travel to Peacehaven for the second time this season, hoping to avenge our penalty shoot-out defeat there earlier this season. With both sides very much in the play-off picture, it should be a great spectacle.
Your support at all of these matches would be very much appreciated.
Come On You Dockers!
My man of the match (aka, the controversial part): Ryan Blunt. Blunty just pips two-goal Arthur Rawlingson for me. The energetic midfielder was at the heart of most of our best moves, and fully deserved his goal and assist.