Newhaven faced one of their biggest matches in many-a-year last night when they welcomed National League South side Worthing to Fort Road in the Sussex Senior Cup.
For the past few seasons, Worthing have consistently been Sussex’s top-performing non-league side, with aspirations of eventually making the jump to full professional level.
This was always going to be a monumental test for a very young Dockers side; even more so given the strong starting 11 the visitors fielded, and the electric run of form they are currently on.
Let’s make no bones about it, Worthing are a good side. A very good side.
Right from kick-off that much was clear to see. Their speed of movement and thought – both on and off the ball – made it seem like, whether defending or attacking, they always had an extra player on the park. There’s a reason the Rebels are currently, and have for the past few seasons been, challenging for promotion to the National League.
But, and here’s the thing, for long spells last night Newhaven coped. More than that, actually; they competed. Made life difficult for their supremely talented opponents.
In fact, despite seeing little of the ball, it was the Dockers who actually created the game’s first two chances. Both came courtesy of former Worthing player Ezra Roeg; the first a shot that forced the Rebel’s keeper into a comfortable save, the second a close-range header that he probably should have done better with.
After an opening 20-minutes in which Newhaven defended brilliantly, not allowing Worthing a single shot on goal, the chances did eventually start to arrive for the visitors.
Nicky Wheeler hit the post, before Nathan Odokonyero scuffed the rebound wide. Roman Chiosa then made a good stop to keep out Joe Cook’s deflected effort.
Newhaven, though, were not giving up any easy chances, with their low block doing a great job of stifling Worthing’s attacking flow.
When the opening goal did arrive on the half-hour amrk, there was little anyone could have done about it. Sometimes you just have to doff your cap and applaud a moment of pure quality. And that was the case here. Razzaq Coleman De-Graft made space for himself down the right, before cutting inside and finding the corner from around 25 yards out.
Worthing squandered another couple of chances before the break, but at half-time the visitors were just a solitary goal ahead; and that a wonder strike.
Probably against most people’s expectations, Newhaven were still very much in the game. And given how hard they’d just worked, they fully deserved to be.
Unfortunately, just five minutes into the second-half, Worthing doubled their lead. Once again courtesy of a wonder strike. Odokonyero finding the top corner of the net with a swerving effort from a long-way out. Once again there was little the Dockers could have done to prevent the goal.
Still, though, Newhaven continued to show plenty of heart and spirit.
On 57 minutes, they were handed a potential route back into the game when Elliott Bresciani was shoved over in the area.
Up stepped Roeg, but his effort was saved by Josh Jefferies, who also reacted quickly to snuff out the rebound. It was the seventh (by my count) penalty we’ve missed this season! (The first by Ezra, I should hasten to add).
Within minutes, the game as a contest was put to bed. George Cox lost his marker at a corner and found space inside the six-yard box to head home.
3-0 down with almost half-an-hour still to play, you could have been forgiven for fearing the worst. Newhaven’s players had worked incredibly hard and there would have been some tired legs on that pitch. The Docker’s cause wasn’t helped by Worthing making a raft of substitutions that saw a few more first teamers introduced to the field of play.
Once again, though, the Docker’s boys showed true grit and determination to continue to make life difficult for their opponents.
True, Worthing had more opportunities to add to the scoreline, but Newhaven had their moments too.
The best of these came with 15-minutes remaining when Robbo burst down the left and crossed for fellow sub Teddy Wood, who once again tested the Worthing goalkeeper.
Come full-time, there could be little doubt about the fact the better side had won. Nor could there be any doubt regarding the fact that Newhaven’s players had done themselves – and everyone involved with the club – proud. They’d given everything to the cause, and were it not for two wonder goals and a lapse of concentration at a set-piece who knows what might have happened?
Worthing were a class act both on and off the pitch, though, and we wish them the best of luck going forward.
It’s back to league action on Saturday as we host neighbours Seaford Town at Fort Road for the third time this season. Let’s hope we can make it three wins from three games against them – if we perform like we did last night then we’ve got every chance of doing so.
We then visit play-off chasing Forest Row on 29th November, as we look to end what has been a decent month for us so far on a high.
We hope to see as many of you as possible at both matches.
Come On You Dockers!
My man of the match (aka, the controversial part): Elliott Bresciani. I’ll be honest, had I not chickened out and given this award to the whole team on Saturday, I would have done so here. It seems really unfair to pick one player above another given how brilliant they all were. However, two consecutive cop outs seems cowardly (even for me) so Bresciani just gets the nod for his overall defensive performance, but also his braveness on the ball (one driving run forward sticks in mind) and the fact he won the penalty.
