Men’s Pre-Season update
We are well in to pre-season for Newhaven Men’s First Team, with training having been ongoing for a number of weeks and a couple of friendlies now under the players’ belts.
The team started back training on Monday 21st June and we are now just under three weeks until the 2021/22 season kicks off at East Preston on Saturday 31st July.
The Dockers have so far faced two teams who each earned promotion when the FA completed their reshuffle a couple of months ago.
On Saturday 3rd July Newhaven travelled to Montpelier Villa – promoted to SCFL Division One for the new season – and came away with a 2-2 draw thanks to a late Joel Daly equaliser. Ian Robinson had earlier given the visitors the lead from the penalty spot.
A week later, the Dockers were on the road again as they faced Lancing at Culver Road. Lancing were promoted from Newhaven’s league, incredibly beating the Dockers to the promotion spot by 0.04 points per game over the last two incomplete seasons.
The game was typically tight and after an early error gifted the hosts a goal, Newhaven grew in to the game. Lancing, however, took a 2-0 lead in to half-time after a deflected shot found the net seconds before the whistle. A strong second half performance saw Callum Connor get one back for Newhaven but there were to be no more goals as it finished 2-1.
So no wins in the opening two games, but plenty of minutes in the bank for the players.
And there are still four more friendly fixtures coming up, with three of them being played at the Trafalgar Ground. Here are the remaining games:
Friday 16th July – Sutton Common Rovers (H) – 8pm kick off
Tuesday 20th July – Eastbourne Borough XI (H) – 7.45pm kick off
Saturday 24th July – Seaford Town (A) – 1pm kick off
Tuesday 24th July – Whitehawk (H) – 7.45pm kick off