Newhaven Little v Common

Win, Ouse or Draw Newhaven FC host to Little Common FC in the SCFL Premier Division at Fort Road

Where are we and What’s going on?

The Dockers host the Common on a freezing afternoon by the Ouse. It’s about 2℃ but the wind is bringing it back well below zero 🥶. There are a number of games frozen off today so we might pick up a few fans from elsewhere. The Dockers need to bring a reaction today after the awful display last Saturday at the Tye. The away leg was played on a breezy but warm August evening. The Dockers won 3-1 that night. A result that would go down very nicely today. An early goal to set the scene and warm us up would do nicely. Please🙏.

Fort Road sunshine

The lineup is largely unchanged except at the back where Oesi and Harry Hammond are back in defence. Shay Tobin and Dan Allen making way. Shay is on the bench. Tarun stays in the 11 but moves up to midfield.

The Common look a little less physical than some so hopefully some good football will be served up for us today.

Today's Teams

The Ultra’s of both teams are behind their goals. Flags are out and drums are ready to cheer on their teams. We’re ready to go too. We’re in the stand keeping out of the wind. There may be a rattle nearby. 🎵Come on you Dockers by the Sea🎵.

Come on you Dockers

Off we go..

The Dockers are straight on the offensive. It’s a good quick start but Blunt’s shot is just wide. Promising. The Dockers are keeping the ball well and attacking the Common’s final ⅓.

It’s not all one way though as the Common are quick on the break and force Roman into a save.

There is a good period of possession again. Blunt hits wide in another chance. Tom gets a booking to go with his one from last week. There is some trading of chances with Tarum, wide, and Teddy, saved, coming close either side of a good save from Roman.

The Dockers Ultra’s are quiet but the Common kids haven’t stopped. A bit of Posnan going on at one point. And more player songs than some EFL clubs.

The Dockers get a couple of free kicks that are too close to go over the wall. Tom takes them and both do go over the wall and the bar. Are you Alfie in disguise?

There is one more chance with the Common forcing another save and Ezra putting his shot wide.

It’s been a good half from the Dockers but they have been inefficient in front of goal. Need to push on or that could come back to bite them.

Sunset watching

The second half starts like the first except it has got colder and thicker gloves are required. The Dockers come close, first through Roobo who forces a save from a Blunty corner. The keeper needs to make another save before Blunt hits just wide again.

The Dockers are getting good possession and Ezra and Harry are working really well together to get forward down the left. They are probably exploiting the rotational inertia of the no. 4. He could easily be a Tuck relative.

The Docker’s Ultras have changed ends so both groups are now in the Surf’n’Skate stand. Or should that be the North Stand.

Fort Road sunset

The moon is coming up over Firle Beacon. It’s a stunning huge Wolf Moon. It's a bit distracting, big and gold in front of us. Wow!

Teddy is bundled over in a crowd of bodies in the box. The ref points straight to the spot. After a lengthy conversation with the lino, he overrules himself and it’s a drop ball for the Common. It looked like a good initial decision to us. There is a continuing discussion around the ref and Robbo is booked for telling him something he didn’t want to hear. The assistant is the recipient of some feedback as he reaches the home dugout 😶.

Robbo breaks clear and gets 1 on 1 with the keeper who manages to block the shot. He creates another chance for Teddy. It’s not going in is it.

Little Common are awarded a penalty on 63 after a handball on 65. It comes off Oesi’s chest on to his hand. It’s in the grey areas of the hand ball rules as it comes off another part of him first but his hand is raised. It doesn’t matter in the end because Roman makes a great low save to tip it round the post. Get in and ha ha.

It’s not long before Newhaven get another penalty after a clear but soft trip on Tarun. Ezra steps up and makes it count. on 72 ⚽. Finally a goal after all that teasing.

The changes start on 74 as Tom Howard-Bold is replaced by Shay Tobin. It’s uneventful until 83 when Teddy Woods is replaced by Dexter Lambert. Fingers crossed that some fresh legs can help us extend the lead.

In a great move down the left, Ezra squares to Robbo who passes to Blunty. It’s a fantastic chance but he skies it from inside the box 👀.

The Common have looked threatening on the break all game and finally get their reward with an equaliser on 85 after a great run down the right by the speedy No. 3. Can’t say it wasn’t on the cards. Bum!

It’s nearly the winner for Ezra as we reach 90 minutes. He gets his head to a corner but can’t control it and it goes way over.

The Dockers have really upped the tempo now. The frustration shows as Tarun is booked for a dreadful tackle. The ref is finding time from somewhere as it goes on and on. The quality fades as the clock winds down and the Dockers can’t find a late winner. It’s still level on 90+6. Two points capitulated more than lost for the Dockers this afternoon 🤷.

We think it’s all over..

It’s hard to believe that this is the same team that played so badly against Peacehaven a week ago. There were limited changes but they have been worked hard in training 😅. What was needed was more efficiency up front. There were so many chances but they need to make a couple more of them count. If they scored that chance in the first minute, it would have been a very different game. There was always a chance that the visitors would sneak a goal and that was exactly what they did. The timing of the equaliser was awful for the Dockers. They stepped up the pace to try to get it back but became increasingly desperate.

There were positives. The confidence is back, despite the 2 point dropped. The Dockers are still 4th in the league. They have moved above Peacehaven who didn’t play but have been leap frogged by Guernsey. It’s going to be a good scrap from here to the end of the season for the playoff places.

Also positive is that we scored a penalty. That does make a change. It’s a shame that the first one was overturned for whatever reason. And their penalty could have gone either way. It was accidental and hit his chest first.

It was one of the coldest games we have been to while and it got colder as it went on. It needed some more goals to keep us warm. It must have kept the crowd down as there were only 149 through the gates despite the lack of football elsewhere.

The Common Ultra’s did their team proud today. And they stayed long enough to see their team score this time. 10/10 for the repertoire of songs including the Posnan and 🎵one-nil and you effed it up🎵. Fair enough. Their songs didn’t always match the context but you can’t fault their passion and energy.despite the cold. They didn’t change ends as they seemed settled in the stand.

The Dockers Ultras with their new flag and their drums were less numerous and less noisy. They did migrate down to the other half at the break leaving both sets at the same end. Unusual.

The other bits..

POTM: There were a number of good performances today. The award was going to Blunty but it slipped away with that miss near the end. So today’s winner is Ezra, some great attacking runs and scoring the penalty. Well done Ez 🏅.

Officially Opinionated: They seemed to do OK most of the time but with a few odd calls. The ref had no doubts about the penalty but used his assistant as he should. I wouldn’t have wanted to be that assistant when he had to walk past the home dugout. There may have been a little feedback provided by some on the bench.

The Common pen was hard to take but we can see why it was given. The third penalty was soft and may not have been given had the first not been cancelled. And what’s with all the dropped balls. There must have been 4 or 5. He seems to love them. We loved the extra time but it seemed a bit excessive for the game that didn’t stop much.

Ferry Watch: The Cộte D’Albâtre was docked when we arrived and remained there all game.

The Scram’O’meter loves the hot chocolate ☕ here and it’s got a 7/10 today. We needed that to keep the cold out.

Programme perusal: We are very disappointed to report that there was no programme today as it’s been a holiday and no-one was at work to make one. Poor excuse, the slackers 😡.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾