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Newhaven FC at home to Saltdean United FC in the SCFL Premier League at Fort Road |
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The Dockers ⚓host local rivals, the Tigers 🐯, on a warm late summer 🌇 evening by the Ouse. We can't remember playing the Tigers without the weather being horrific but maybe it's always like that at Hill Park. It's nice at here Fort Road but the nights are drawing in earlier. You know what that means, Winter in Coming! But not yet as it's still shorts weather. The Dockers have been struggling since the start of the season and we don't expect tonight to be any different. Kieron will have the Tigers purring, well organised and motivated. The Dockers have had a weekend off, kind of. Their game in the FA Vase 1st round was abandoned without kicking off. Tooting Bec, who were the home team, forgot their kit. The game has been deemed to be an Away Walkover so we are through to the 2nd Round . That could be considered a cup run in the Dockers current form. This is non-league football so we won't mock the very embarrassed club and it's hard working volunteers. Instead we will have another laugh at the time that Arsenal Women had to buy socks in the Chelsea Club Shop before the game could start due to a sock clash. Time for some team news. The BIG news is that Josh Tuck is back. Not sure if it's for long but we hope so. We had heard he signed for Lancing and we were missing him badly. His arrival may be in some way connected to the departure of Max Vardy who has signed for Seaford. Good luck Max. Bussy is back which is very good news. Across the back line is Reedy, Josh, Bailie and Etienne. Charlie, Tom and Warwick are in the midfield. Up front are Lee on the left, Shonk on the right and Jake in the middle. There are some familiar names in the Tigers squad. Old favourite and ex Docker, Aaron Windsor, is at left back, No doubt that he will be covering a few miles up and down the wing from there. Herbie Rogers is up front having signed from Seaford. Badger 🦡becoming a Tiger🐅. Both have stripes but that's about it. On the bench are ex-Docker under 23's Alex 'Patch' Patching and Toby Reeder. Hoping that they are still on the bench at 90 minutes. The Tigers form, hasn't been great and they only have a single point from the first 4 games. Hoping that's 1 from 5 games after today. We are back to 2 Rogers and 2 Robinsons on the pitch today, just not all the same ones are before. This is our 200th game watching football, both good (rarely) and not so good (Mostly, I'm looking at you Tranmere). Wonder in which camp this game will fall.
The Dockers make a good start with an early goal. It's great through ball by Shock to Lee who rounds the keeper then plays a reverse pass into the opposite corner beating the last defender on 5 ⚽. Lee looks to be playing really well tonight with some great early touches of the ball. Reedy gets clear on the overlap down the right but is tripped from behind. Free kick but no card!. Ref maybe forgotten his pencil ✏️ today. Or is this one of those that uses crayons 🖍️. The Dockers extend their lead on 20 ⚽ when Jake fires in a rocket form outside the box🚀. Jake scores again on 22 but the lino rules it out for off-side. Lee tells the ref where to stick his crayons now that he appears to have found them and heads off to the sinbin for a 10 minute nap😴. The lines person weathers the storm of abuse (sorry😶) for a while then eventually explains that Jake bad been off-side but moved back on side after the ball is played. Why he couldn't have indicated that at the time only he knows. Warwick is all over the pitch tonight and gets his reward when he rounds the keeper to find the net from an impossibly tight angle on 24⚽. It's almost 4 as Josh heads just wide on 31. Lee returns to the pitch after his lie down to get the Dockers back up to 11. However, it's not long before the Tigers get a goal. The Dockers fail to deal with a long ball and it's dispatched past Bussy into the net on 35. 3-1. Tom Vickers goes in for a thumping 50:50 tackle in the centre circle. His opponent doesn't get up but play continues. The ref eventually stops play so the poor dying player can be read the last rights or maybe get some treatment. The Tigers swarm round the ref trying to get Tom booked for stamping. Really🙄. The whistle goes with no further drama.
The second half starts well with the arrival of the ferry 🚢 at 8.52. Eight minutes early, top marks Captain. The Dockers are less fluid since the break. Jake comes close on 57 but hits it just wide. The changes start on 58 as Jack Shonk makes way for defender Jacob Thomson. Reedy moves up to right wing. The Tigers are playing the ref well and getting all the decisions. The Dockers defence is caught out again and Patch makes no mistake on 65. 3-2. It's going to be a nervy last 25 for the Reds. Be a miracle if we can hang on to the lead that long. There is a big cheer 📣 on 73 as the ref finally blows his whistle😮💨 for a foul on a Dockers player. Not sure if he meant it. Wherever he did or not, it's probably the last time. The Tigers get a good chance on 74 but it goes wide. A minute later and it's in the net or is it? No it's just wide again. Still 3-2. Dockers are clinging on here. Josh is injured and gets treatment on the pitch. Ref makes him go off to get it bandaged. Down to 10 men again. Dockers are awarded a throw deep in the attacking half. They look like they preparing for a corner and nobody goes to take the throw. Etienne eventually goes over but before he gets a chance is booked for time wasting 🤷♀️. Josh eventually rejoins the field with a very blue bandage round his head. He is promptly booked for something🖍️. Harry Reed is replaced on 85 by Cai Pritchard who is new to us. The Dockers manage to hang on to the lead despite their own, the refs and the Tigers best efforts. 3-2 the Reds 👏.
That was great at the beginning and nervy at the end. The Dockers dominated to start with and probably thought they had finished it off in 25 minutes with 3 goals. The Tigers thought otherwise and never gave up. There are few missing for the Dockers today although they looked like their old selves to start. They slipped back to being their new selves as the game progressed. Josh Tuck being back made a big difference and we can't wait until he in teamed up with Robbie Keith again. Soon please 🙏. Our favourite young Docker from a couple of years ago , Aaron Windsor had a really good game. Their second goal was scored by ex-U23 Docker, Patch. Looks like they are flourishing under Kieron who was their U23 coach until taking up the role at Saltdean. Looks like he is starting to stabilise the team as it all went a bit Pete Tong after the money dried up and they went from 2nd in the league to battling relegation. Judging by tonight's spirited performance, they are going to give every team a hard scrap. Dockers are up to 8th so looking better although still a bit flaky at the back. Tonight was our 200th game and 200th match report. Hope the next 200 are just as much fun.
POTM: Tough one today as there were some good performances all over the pitch. The award goes to Ryan Warwick for his influence throughout the game and a great goal 🏅. Special mention goes to Aaron AAAZZZZAA Winsor for a fantastic performance having a big impact on the game for a left back. Well done.
The ref had a bad day at the office. The first sinbin we've seen in over a year despite refs putting up with much worst abuse than Lee's expletive that didn't seem aimed at anyone in particular. More than once he let play continue despite a player down on the floor with a head injury. So, in summary , inconsistent and ineffective. Good banter with the crowd though. Not. We are left wondering if he uses FA approved crayons or brings his own. #crayola
Ferry watch: The Seven Sisters was early today with the 9pm arrival docking at 8:52. Good driving.
See you soon.
Love Tranmerekat 🐾
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| A nice evening at Fort Road |
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| Confused of BN9 |
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| Millpond |
