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Godalming'ing in the RainNewhaven FC visit Godalming Town FC in the Peter Bentley Cup at the Bill Kyte Stadium |
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Where are we and What’s going on?
The Dockers are away to the ‘G’s at Wey Court in the ¼ final of the PB Cup. The ‘G’s, really? The Mingers surely? Anyway, the G’s play in the SCFL Division 1. That’s a league below the Dockers but they must have something about them to be in a ¼ final. It’s a horrible night in darkest Surrey . It was very wet earlier but wasn’t bad when we arrived. It’s raining hard now. The pitch inspection earlier gave it the go ahead. I don’t think anyone is quite so sure now. The teams are up on the board. Full marks to the man who knelt in the rain, writing them up. Roman is in goal with Eliot Bresciani and Leo (Hightower) Charman in front of him. Arthur Rawlinson is on the right and our favorite Richmond Osei on the left. Tom, Shay and Blunty are the 6, 8 and 10. Up front are Lee Robbo (centre), Ezra Roeg (left) and Billy Oliver (right). The G’s look good in their very bright yellow shirts with blue shorts. They have a bit of height in the team especially at the back. Let’s hope the Dockers can play on the floor. Let’s hope that anyone can play on the pitch in this weather.
The teams walk out in the pouring rain. I don’t think anyone wants to play. Let’s hope it gets going and that it stays going. And that it finishes in 90 minutes. No-one wants penalties on a school night. Or in a monsoon. Just hope we don’t need the RNLI at any point. The sooner we get started, the sooner it’s over. Come on you Dockers!
Off We Go..
The Dockers kick off and it’s a well organised set piece with all 3 forwards on the left. It’s a great plan until the ball is hit down the middle.
There are a couple of very early sliding tackles as players make the most of the conditions. It’s hard to control the slide in this mud and Tom is booked for being a big feisty. It’s clearly difficult to control the ball on the soft pitch in the wind and rain.
The first sight of goal goes to the hosts but it’s off target. It’s not pretty but the G’s look like a capable team. Blunty puts the first Dockers chance wide. Newhaven are starting to find their feet in the conditions (literally). A cross from Ezra across the box is missed by someone but someone else intercepts it and pops it in the net on 16 ⚽. It turns out that it was Lee who got the decisive touch. 0-1.
There is some very scrappy football being played as players on both sides as they struggle to predict and control the ball. And their feet. The G’s miss a great chance as their striker's control lets him down. It needs a goal line clearance from Blunty to maintain the lead.
The Dockers get a couple chances. Arthur puts the first over. Billy scores when the keeper plays it straight to him on 35 ⚽. 0-2. Thanks mate.
The ever important 3rd goal goes to the Dockers as Lee makes it 2 for him on 40 ⚽. 0-3. It’s horrible out there, shame we can’t call it now.
Billy almost makes it 4 on 45 but the hosts keeper finally makes a save. Took his time but he got there. To be fair, it’s ridiculously slippy in the goal and the wind and rain are right in his face. The whistle goes for the break and everyone is half way off before the whistle finishes. Hope they got a dry kit to put on.
The hosts kick off and put it straight out for a goal kick. Not sure that was the plan. Wonder how that went in training?
As a cup tie, it’s all over when Lee scores the Dockers 4th and his 3rd on 48⚽. 0-4. It’s the first bit of quality we’ve seen. Captain Robbo leading the way. 0-4. No let up from the Dockers or the rain.
Godalming have decided it’s not over. Mistakes at the back cost the Dockers as the G’s capitalise to make it 1-4. The start of a comeback or a consolation? I think we know the answer to that or hope we do🤞.
It’s getting harder for the players to control the ball. And the keepers, well, the G’s keeper anyway.
Shay hits a speculative shot from a long way out. It’s no worldie by any means, Not a good strike at all but the keeper somehow misjudges it and it bobbles through his legs . Opps. 1-5. All that time spent trying to find the perfect pass into the box and you can just hit it. Not a night for precision. Still pouring down.
Roman proves it’s possible to find grip with his boots as he makes a great flying save to push it wide. At least he had a soft landing.
Hatrick hero Lee is replaced by Noel Hoffman on 60 who takes up where Lee was playing on the right. Ezra, who has worked tirelessly, is replaced by Teddy on the left. Tom is replaced by Corey. A group of young Godalming fans were amused by Corey Smart’s surname, they won’t be laughing now.
The ‘G’s force Roman into another good save as he keeps it at 1-5 He goes down injured which is a worry as we don’t have another keeper. There are discussions in the crowd about potential replacements. Odds are on Ryan Walton. Fortunately, sorry Ryan, we don’t get to find out.
There is a change at the back as Richmond makes way for Harry.Like the other subs, he doesn’t want to come on.
We can see a discussion going on over on the far touch line. We think the ‘G’s manager is trying to throw in the towel now. He can’t want it to be called off now surely?
Billy has not stopped running, his kit is a muddy wet mess.. But that doesn’t stop him. He runs onto a through ball and scores past the floundering keeper ⚽. 1-6.
Blunty wants in on the action but he blasts wide. It’s his last kick as he is replaced by Ryan Walton. Probably relieved to be playing anywhere but goal.
Teddy has been working well on the left and his chance comes on 85 ⚽. 1-7 Great skill from the on-loan youngster in appalling conditions.
To everyone’s relief, It’s all over. Most were probably thinking it could get stopped any minute. It didn’t but it’s all over now. We just have to get home in the monsoon now.
We think it’s all over..
The beautiful game that wasn’t. How they got the game on and then finished is amazing. And we were nice and dry in the stand. More waterproof than Old Trafford. It kept the 75 of us dry apart from some of the young Ultras. They had their own shelter behind the goal from where they managed to heckle the keeper to make his day even worse.
We suspect that the ref may have abandoned the game at the break had it been 0-0. But it wasn’t and they had to plough on. Almost literally 🚜. It looked horrible to play on but there wasn’t a huge amount of slipping over but at no point did it look dangerous. Ugly football but not endangering players, just offending our eyes. And upsetting the kit person. That kit is going to need more than a scoop of Vanish. We loved the Godalming kit but how did it stay so clean? None of them were smothered in mud like Arthur or Billy. Is it some miraculous teflon coated kit or were they just not as committed? We’re not going to speculate on that but if one of these magic yellow kits is for sale, let me know.
So, we are through to the semi-finals along with Steyning, Little Common and Pagham. We are planning to ask the organisers if we can just buy the cup as we have lots of Moroccan Deerhams and understand that’s how things are done now.
We hope everyone has a safe journey home in the rain. It’s a good night for the Dockers but one that was well earned.
PS We’ve drawn Steyning which will be tough.
The Other Bits
POTM: Goes to Billy 🏅. Bags of energy from the first minute to the last and a brace of goals ⚽⚽.
Ref: A round of applause to the officials. A well managed game. The assistant on the stand side was even smiling despite the almost polite feedback he received. Not 100% on offsides but it’s impossible when the touchline is that wet. And still did better than VAR. Thank you.
The Scran’O’meter awarded an 8/10 for the lovely skinny chips and 6/10 for the hot chocolate. A bit thin for our liking.
Programme Perusal: 9/10 for a well written programme worth all of the £2.50. Well done.
Love Tranmerekat 🐾
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| Minging down with rain |
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| Braving the elements to check out the teams |
