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Newhaven FC at home to Bexhill United FC in the SCFL Premier League at Fort Road |
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The Dockers ⚓host the Pirates 🏴☠️ in the much re-arranged and now moved fixture. It was due to be held at Bexhill on Wednesday, then Tuesday and suddenly it was moved to Fort Road on Saturday. Who know what's going on but we don't care as it means we can walk down on a sunny afternoon by the River Ouse🔆. The Dockers have had a patchy start to the season having not won since the opening day and drawn after going behind against YM at home last week. The Pirates have had a worse start and have lost their last four. Neither team is setting the league table alight with both in the bottom half. There is no sign of Bussy and Josh James, new name to us, is in goal. The backline is one we've seen before maybe wish we hadn't. Max and Harry are out wide with Tom and Billy in the middle. No sign of Bailey or Robbie. Blunty and Charlie are in the midfield with Warwick and Cal out wide. Warwick is better as a number 8 but we seem to be a bit short of wingers while Little is out. Short of short wingers then!😂 🧥➡🚪. He is still working with the coaches so hope he is back soon. No sign of Luca either. Up front are Shonk and Lee. There is a new name on the bench in the shape of a left back Etienne Frimpong. Tarum Rohilla is also on the bench. This is the first time we have seen him this season but he was around last season. Good player, hope he hangs around. It looks like the Pirates might only have two subs. Let's see how we get on.
The Dockers get couple of early half chances as they attack the skate park end. No-one is surprised when we don't score as our early game form is non-existent at the moment. Our defence is looking ropey. No surprise there either, we are not sure who is in midfield and who in central defence. Looks like Tom and Charlie are interchanging. It's a good plan but not sure it's working. Or it might not be a plan at all and it's just a bit chaotic in front of goal. The defending is at fault when the Pirates get down the left wing and are allowed to run through everyone from wide left, deep into the box. The resulting low cross is put into the net on 21. A well deserved lead. Can we hang on until the break without conceding again? Against the run of play, the Dockers break and a deep cross is headed in at the back post by Tom. It's off-side and the lino got it spot on this time. The Dockers are still putting themselves under pressure and but helped out by Josh Jones who makes a great double save on 30. Warwick is decisive at the edge of the box but his shot is blasted well over. Max tries an overhead kick from a corner. It's very tame and not very overhead. Wayne Rooney it wasn't. Highlight of the first half is when a couple of Spitfires do a flypast on their way home from Eastbourne Airbourne✈️✈️. Excitement over, Cal goes down injured in the middle under a nasty challenge and the ref waves to play-on. Play continues until the ball goes out a minute or so later. Cal is still down and when his treatment is finished, the ref pulls the play back to point of the foul. Probably the longest advantage we have ever seen played that was then pulled back when no advantage was gained👀. We don't make anything of the freekick and the half is over thankfully. 1-0 to the visitors.
The Pirates and the officials are ready to kick off on time but there is no sign of the Dockers. Have they decided not to come back out? They eventually arrive and the reason for the delay is obvious. There have been 3 changes with Tom, Max and Billy being replaced by Koby, Tarun and Etienne. Big change to swap out most of the defence in one go. First half defending could have been worse. And for about 10 minutes it is worse. It's very nervy at the back. We do start to settle a little with the occasional attack being the best form of defence. Lee gets clear but stumbles as he runs into the box and the chance is gone. Koby is booked for a very late challenge and then Shonk is replaced by Jake on 57. Straight swap. Cal is dogged on the right wing and somehow wins a corner. He takes it himself and his inswinger goes straight into the net ⚽. Is it deflected?, maybe, who cares. The Dockers are level on 58. He strikes again 2 minutes later as he curls a long range left footed shot in from the right corner of the penalty box on 60 ⚽. 2-1 to the Dockers. The keeper might have a couple of assists, we can't be sure but he isn't claiming either goal😶. He gets a bit of stick from the crowd (sorry😔) but it doesn't seem to put him off any more than before😂. There is a drink break as it warm and the Dockers seem to improve a little. Not sure what they were drinking 🍹. There is a nasty foul on Reedy on 80 as he gets an elbow in the head. The play carries on regardless but is eventually stopped. Harry is subbed off to be replaced by Mo. Charlie goes into Reedy's right back position and Mo goes up front. At least one player is smiling. The Pirates press in the remaining minutes and they get the inevitable late equaliser on 90+1. We will have to hang on for about another 5 minutes before the whistle goes. The last bit of entertainment comes on 90+3 when the Pirates no.3 has to walk the plank as he gets a straight red for dissent. Opps. He gets a round of applause (that's our excuse👏) on his way back to the tunnel. Too late to make any difference to the game. It's all over and the Dockers snatch a draw from the jaws of victory in the late minutes yet again 🤷♂️.
That's another point for the Dockers and it could be said that they were unlucky to concede the late goal. They were lucky to score 2 goals from almost nowhere thanks to the fantastic skills of Calum Edwards. Poor, or complete lack of, decision making and sloppy play making it far too easy for the visitors who for some reason looked happy with a draw. They will look back and be disappointed that they didn't put the floundering Dockers to the sword ⚔ early on and claimed all the booty 💰 for themselves. There is lots of work for the Reds to do with the three changes at halftime being a big statement that then didn't work. There are some players still to come back and it's peak holibobs season so players will be sitting on the beach 🏖 instead of the bench. It will settle down and improve, meanwhile the wonder goals are papering over the cracks. If we wanted to watch football this bad we could have stayed in and watched Tranmere on Sky+. Except we don't have Sky Sports! Thinking a few more trips to the mighty Dripping Pan might be coming up. But, the sun is shining and there was a lovely breeze walking home along the cliff top. Stunning views too.
The ref was good. Got the big things right although definitely had his own style. Liking the "refs with loads of tats" thing too. Don't see that very often. If ever, although we suspect that Mike Dean has a discreet LFC tattoo somewhere😶. Line keeping was it's usual hit and miss self but the disallowed goal was spot on. A good half a yard off. 45.7cms to those that are metricated. Is football ever going metric?
POTM: Goes to Cal 🏅 for proving the wallpaper, paste, pasting brushes, pasting table and everything else required to paper over the cracks. The jury is still out on whether the keeper provided an assist or two by footing the ladder for Cal. Inverted wingers rule.
Ferry watch: The ferry ⛴ was in when we arrived and still there when we left. Can't keep up with this timetable any more.
See you soon.
Love Tranmerekat 🐾
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| Sunny afternoon at Fort Road |
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| Today's teams |
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| Scenic route home |
