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Newhaven FC away to Crawley Down Gatwick FC in the SCFL Premier Division at Haven Sportsfield |
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The Dockers are away to the Anvils at Hophurst Lane on a warm and humid evening in darkest Mid Sussex. It’s our first competitive game with the Dockers this season. They were knocked out of the FA cup away to South Park but then beat Roffey at home in the first league game. Lots of new faces that we can put some names to now the season is underway. Lee is ever present up front with Ezra and new boy Dexter Lambert. Some familiar faces in the back line too with Richmond Osei alongside Tarrun Rohilla and another new face, Elliot Bresciani as the covering 6 in front. Retainee Ash Wadhams and new starter Harry Hammond are our wide defenders. In the middle is Ryan Blunt and Corey Smart. Roman is in goal. The grass on the pitch is, well, it’s not a bowling green, but there are no bald patches. It is a nice setting, surrounded by trees behind the community centre. There are planes taking off from Gatwick going past every couple of minutes. It’s a bit more frequent and noisier than the ferry. It’s time to get on with it. Come on you Dockers.
The Dockers get the first chance but Lee heads just over. It’s all the Anvils for a while. Roman makes a good save but is beaten soon after. The Anvils get a free kick at about 30 years out. It hits the one man wall. The next free kick from the same range hit the one man wall again. How did they manage that once, let alone twice. A shot from the edge of the area hits the back of the net and the hosts are 1-0 up going into the drinks break. It’s still quite warm here. I don’t know what the Dockers were drinking but it works and we start to come into the game. There are a host of chances as Lee hits the post, Lee heads over and Dexter sees his shot saved only for Lee to put the rebound just wide. The Anvil do get a 3rd go at trying to get a free kick past the wall. This time, it loops way over the one man wall and everyone else. Dockers are in control and it’s Dexter's turn to put it wide now. Lee is fouled as he runs into the box on 44. The ref doesn’t hesitate to give a pen. Lee steps up to take it but it’s low and is well saved. How are we not 3 or 4 goals up now? Bonkers. The equaliser eventually comes on 45+1 after a scramble in the Anvil’s box. Lees’s shot is saved but the ball finds Dexter in space and he hits the target at last ⚽. The whistle goes and we’re off for a quick drinks break of our own. And maybe a quick lie down after that.
There’s a Dockers change at the break as Charlie Gibson replaced Elliot Bresciani in defence. The Anvils come out a better side. They start to bully the Dockers who are second to the ball and can’t keep hold of it when they do get it. The pressure leads to a couple of Anvils corners. The second is headed in at the near post on 48. 2-1. Dockers trailing again. Tarun is booked on 58 for having the audacity to get fouled. It’s a nasty one too and he goes off to be replaced by Leo Charman. The Dockers first chance since the break comes on 57. Ezra takes the free kick. He hits the target but it’s saved. A second Dockers change on 65 as goal scorer Dexter Lambert is replaced by Tariq Vincent. The Anvils come so close to extending their lead but it rolls just wide. Phew. The Anvils seem stronger and more determined, out muscling the Dockers all over the pitch. The Dockers need to be better to be able to play around them but it’s not happening at the moment. In the first Dockers move for ages, two passes out from the back and Lee runs onto the through ball, rounds the keeper and slots home on 75 ⚽. At last he is on the score sheet. 2-2. All to play for in the last 15 . Some hope. The Dockers find themselves under siege and only some desperate defending keeps the ball out. Ezra gets a good chance down the other end as Lee turns provider but he drags his shot wide. The refereeing is starting to impact the game with the Anvils starting to roll around like they have been shot and getting free kicks from nothing. The ref falls for it so badly, that we are tempted to see if he wants to buy a bridge. We think better of it, mostly because he might actually take us up on the offer and we don’t actually have a bridge to sell him ๐. Blunty becomes a beneficiary of the ref's wisdom as stands his ground and the attacker runs into him. He should clearly have got out of the way and is booked for not doing so. We make a last change on 90+1 as Tommy Jupp replaced Ash Wadhams. There is one more chance for the hosts but the desperate Dockers hang on desperately. 2-2. The points shared and a fair result in a game of 2 halves. Downs were very unlucky not to have won it at the end but inherited Docker's bad luck from early in the first half.
The new look Dockers struggled tonight against a team with a much more settled line up. There were huge holes in the defence especially after the break. Without Lee, there would have been very little threat. But they had enough chances to put it to bed in the first half. How they didn't score 3 or 4 is a mystery. Some good play down the wings from Ezra and Dexter. The fighting spirit on display despite being second best was good to see. The Dockers 2.0, or are we up to 3 0, is a work in progress that shows some promise. It was our first time here tonight and it's a nice little ground and great for a bit of plane spotting. Thankfully, we didn't have to keep an eye on the Tranmere score tonight as it was called off due to a power cut across much of CH32. The Dockers have no game at the weekend, it’s FA Cup week and we’re not in that any more. Next up is a trip to Bexhill to visit Little Common.
POTM: Richmond gets the award ๐ for some great one on one defending and becoming the long throw specialist.
The officials did well for much of the game but got less “consistent” later in the game. Anyone know where we can get a cheap bridge, we may have a buyer?
The Scran’O’meter thought the hot chocolate needed a bit of work so gave it 6/10 but they redeemed themselves by keeping the chocolate in the fridge๐ง. Genius. Thank you.
See you soon.
Love Tranmerekat ๐พ
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