The first in a run of four straight away games saw Newhaven head west to Wick yesterday afternoon, hoping to keep their recent upturn in form going.
Yet doing so would be far from a formality. Newly-promoted Wick have more than held their own since their return to the SCFL top flight, sitting firmly in mid-table and holding pre-season title-favourites Haywards Heath to a draw in their last outing.
While things have certainly settled down at Fort Road in the past few weeks following a tumultuous early few months that left fans having no idea as to what starting 11 would take to the field from week-to-week, new goalkeeper Jack Webb-Olley (son of club stalwart Chris Webb) became the 47th different first team player used this season yesterday (and around the 20th to have donned the gloves; okay, that may be a slight exaggeration, but there’s certainly been a few).
On a bobbly pitch typical of those seen the length and breadth of the county this time of year, it was apparent very early on that free-flowing football was unlikely to be high on the agenda. I lost count of the number of players who lost their footing in the opening ten minutes. Not that I was really counting. It’s not exactly an Opta stat.
The first real chance of the match fell Newhaven’s way. Lee Robinson beat the out-of-position Wick keeper to a loose ball outside the area, but couldn’t generate enough power on his shot and his effort was cleared off the line.
A few minutes later, Wick squandered an even better opportunity to take the lead. A long ball forward sent Josh Irish through on goal, but he could only lift the ball over Webb-Olley and wide of the post.
On the half-hour mark, Irish wasted another opportunity. Chasing a long kick from the keeper, he seemed to have gotten the better of Charlie Connell, only to scuff his shot against the Newhaven midfielder leading to the ball bouncing off the post.
Two huge let-offs for the Dockers and misses that Wick would have cause to regret.
Those chances for the hosts aside, Newhaven were seeing plenty of the ball, but were looking a little too predictable at times, not moving it forward quickly enough and giving the Wick defence plenty of time to get in shape and frustrate the visitors.
The game seemed to be destined for a goalless first-half when, finally, Newhaven got their build-up play right.
A long ball forward from Webb-Olley was flicked on by Johnson Adesanya into the path of Jake Robinson. His early ball forward found Ryan Blunt who superbly lofted it first-time over the Wick keeper’s head and into the net. A second goal in a month for the suddenly prolific midfielder.
The Dockers were undoubtedly slightly fortunate to be ahead at the interval with Wick having created what had been at that point the game’s two best chances.
The second-half, though, was a vast improvement for Newhaven. While it would be a stretch to say the Dockers were dominant, they were certainly the team who carried the greater goal threat throughout.
Jake Robinson had the half’s first chance 12-minutes in, when he broke down the left, cut inside but could only curl his effort high and wide.
A minute later the Dockers did have a second. Blunt turned provider this time, slipping the ball through to Lee Robinson who produced an accomplished finish on his weaker left foot.
Wick thought they had reduced the arrears not long after, only for the effort to be ruled offside after a consultation between ref and assistant. Wick fans were adamant that the decision was incorrect, but the flag was up very early and the ref ultimately sided with the lino.
A few minutes later, the influential Blunt channelled his inner-Messi, dancing his way through the Wick defence only to be denied by a good block. It would have been some goal if he could have found a finish.
Cal Edwards then hit a free-kick wide of the post before, with 20 minutes to go, Wick did grab a goal. Ryan Singers heading home from a corner to set-up what looked like being a nervy end to the game.
Thankfully, from our point of view, no sooner had Wick found themselves a route back into the game did they contrive to throw it away.
Within a minute, the Dockers had restored their two-goal advantage. Edwards’ long-range strike will be far from the best he’ll ever hit, but it was somehow good enough to squirm under the body of the Wick number one, who really should have done better.
Just two minutes later the game was over as a contest. Edwards had already been denied a swift second by a scrambled save, before centre-back Kwabena Osei’s inch-perfect cross found Jake Robinson at the far post and he powerfully volleyed home.
Job done.
Even a Wick penalty with the last kick of the game, converted by Singers, couldn’t spoil a decent afternoon’s work for the improving Dockers, who extend their winning run to four matches.
Next week we head to Horsham YMCA; a ground we’ve already visited twice this season with rather contrasting results; one in the FA Cup (which we don’t like to talk about) and one in the RUR Cup (which is rather more pleasurable to recall).
We’re then away to Bexhill the following week, before completing our run of four consecutive away fixtures with a trip to Saltdean a week later.
There’s then a home game on Boxing Day morning. You probably won’t want to miss that one.
Hopefully we can keep the good run going between now and then.
Your support at any of these games is, as ever, much appreciated.
Come On You Dockers!
My man of the match (aka, the controversial part): Ryan Blunt. Playing in a more advanced position, Blunt excelled yet again yesterday afternoon, showing a rarely seen more attacking side to his game. Praise also goes to his centre midfield partners Tarun Rohilla and Charlie Connell, who provided Newhaven a solid base with which to eventually assume control of the game.
