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Golden TearsNewhaven FC v Littlehampton Town in a friendly at Fort Road |
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Where are we and what's going on?
The Dockers ⚓are at home to the Marigolds 🌼 on an even cooler July evening. We last played them here in the season they were promoted and went to Wembley. It was a draw that night but we later lost to them in the cup. They are still in the Isthmian South Central League, finishing 11th last season.
We are familiar with most of the faces in the line up tonight. Leo is in goal. In front of him, are Elliot and a player we don’t recognise. Shay Tobin is at right back with Max Vardy on the left. In the middle are Charlie Gibson, Ryan ‘Blunty’ Blunt and Joe Radley Martin. Up front are Lee, Ezra and Tyler Capon.
The Marigolds are all new to us but their goldish kit is nice.
It would be nice to continue the form we showed on Friday. It was starting to take shape as a Dockers style team and performance. More of the same please. We have hot chocolate and are ready to go. Lets get this done Newhaven. Come on you Dockers.
Off we go..
It’s the Dockers attacking the Skate Park End as usual. We are looking good in the early minutes. We get an early goal as Charlie Gibson finds the net on 6 ⚽. 1-0.
It’s a good run from Blunty and a good pass to Lee as he bursts through the defence. A goal for Robbo. Get in. 2-0.
Ezra is looking confident on the left wing. He cuts in but his curling shot goes just high and wide on 19. Nice try Ez, keep going.
Ryan is confident too and his run from midfield sees him pass to Tyler but he’s off balance and his shot goes over on 21.
The Golds first shot on target comes on 23. It’s from long range but it’s dipping under the bar when Leo tips it over.
The Dockers get caught out needlessly taking risks at the back and give away a corner. It’s scored with little apparent challenge from the defence. 2-1.
The Golds striker has a great chance but he chooses and extra few touches and Leo makes an easy save.
It’s a narrow lead for the SCFL team at the break. A couple of good saves from Leo and some good catches from the LA keeper.
There are no changes at the break so it’s as you were. Let’s finish this off.
Five minutes in and the Dockers have a free kick at about 25 yards. Blunty takes it. It clears the wall but also the bar.
Ezra is getting space down the left. He puts in a great cross for Lee who somehow manages to head just wide from close range.
Ezra links up with Lee again and the through ball to our favourite No. 9 is perfect and Lee makes it count on 55 ⚽. 3-1.
Lee gets 5 more minutes before he makes way. Ash Wadhams comes on to the left wing and Ezra goes up front. Joe goes off and is replaced by No. 14 who goes into the 8. Blunty moves up to the 10. The No. 14 lasts 2 minutes before he is injured and hops off the pitch after treatment. Hope that’s not as bad as it looked. Rudy Jones comes on to replace him.
Rudy soon makes an impact or nearly does as he shoots just wide from range. It seems to be take pot shot from range day. Who will be next?
The next chance is a corner that leads to a scramble that is eventually cleared.
There is a horrible foul on Blunty in the middle of the pitch. He is surrounded and hacked down by a nasty tackle. He needs treatment and the culprit gets a yellow . He is perhaps lucky it’s a friendly as he could easily have got a red. Blunty seems to be OK which is good news. He takes the free kick but it’s way over.
The Marigolds don’t seem to be taking it well that they are behind. They have gone a bit Barcelona and are falling over at the slightest touch. The ref seems on board with them at the moment. Hope he catches on soon.
Ezra is causing the Golds problems down the left. He puts in a great cross, right across the mouth of the goal but there is no-one there. He takes it on himself next time. His central run gives him a chance to shoot but it’s wide.
The Golds get a better spell of possession as we enter the last 10 minutes. A freekick within shooting range is cleared for a corner on 82.
The visitor think they have scored on 86 but Leo makes and incredible catch from short range. How did he do that? Wow! He releases it quickly and the Dockers break down to the other end. Blunty’s shot is on target but deflected over and the resulting corner comes to nothing again.
The Golds apply some pressure. The first corner is deflected and the second is saved on 89.
It finishes 3-1 to the Dockers. Another great win. Just one more friendly to go. Roll on Saturday and Shoreham.
We think it’s all over..
That was a great game. A good Dockers style win with plenty of attacking play and bodies on the line in defence. The visitors got a bit niggly towards the end but were mostly still trying to play football. It was great to see Lee score a goal. It was well earned for the running he put in and his team mates always know where to find him. With the Golds' big defenders, we thought Ezra was a big threat with his physicality. Also really good was Leo again. How did he catch that? Some skills.
The squad is coming on nicely and it was telling that there were no mass changes at the break. Does that mean that we are getting closer to a starting 11?
We hope No. 14 is OK. It didn’t look good as he hopped off the pitch and was carried across it later.
There appeared to be only 1 Marigolds fan in the stand behind us. They did have a huge fan base back when we last played them in their Wembley season. At least that 1 was well behaved today 👀.
It’s time to head home. Hopefully to return on Saturday for the final friendly where we welcome Shoreham FC’s Musselmen. Need to make sure we get that spelling correct 🦪💪.
The Other bits
POTM: It’s a tough one today as there were a few good performances from those that are regulars here. So instead it goes to new boy, Joe Radley-Martin for some nifty work in the 10 role. Well done Joe 🏅. Hoping it’s the first of many.
Officially opinionated: The officials had a fairly easy night. The foul on Blunty could have been a red but a yellow is probably the right decision in a friendly. He didn’t fall for much of the visitors throwing themselves to the ground when they were losing.
The Scran’O’meter put too many sugars in the hot chocolate. Maybe just 1 next time but a solid 7 anyway.
Ferry watch 🔭: The Côte d'Albâtre was 10 minutes early. Nice 👌.
See you soon.
Love Tranmerekat 🐾
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