Newhaven FC is a non-league football club formed in 1887, who are located in the ferry port of the same name at the mouth of the River Ouse in East Sussex; around ten miles east of Brighton.
Newhaven FC will play in the Southern Combination Premier Division in the 2020-21 season.
Once complete I retraced my tracks while arranging a forthcoming Scarborough Athletic away trip with a good pal while keeping an eye on the bus title before jumping on the excellent number 10 coastal service at the Elim Church towards Peacehaven.
I’d arrived at Newhaven Town station earlier in the day, gone to the first match and caught the number 12 bus back while trying desperately to thaw out. It really was a cold, wet and very windy day on the East Sussex coast.
Alighting at Lower Place in the town centre, I wondered what the racket was. Some crazy person wearing earphones was wailing in an attempt to sing through the hairdresser’s window. All very strange. Obviously, the townsfolk were generally a sensible bunch as it was otherwise very quiet.
A fella was doing his best to stay warm on the gate when I arrived to give him £6 for my admission as well as purchasing a programme for a further quid. Before I decided where I’d view proceedings from, I popped into the Surf and Skate Café.
The café sold refreshments as well as equipment for skateparks, skateboards and surfing and sponsored the clubs’ junior teams. It seemed a good arrangement, especially with the skatepark bordering the ground at the far end. The friendly lady served me a Bovril and said she was going to try her first ever.
While there was a high wind, it was possible to shelter from it opposite the stand, where further open seating had been added since my previous visit. There was a good crowd in and Newhaven generally had the feel of a club on the up.
Both sides were
off to decent starts in their respective league campaigns, with Binfield
competing in the Premier Division of the Hellenic League. They had former
Hendon goalkeeper, and nice chap, Chris Grace in goal.
Before kick off the teams stood to observe a minute silence to commemorate the local men who had recently lost their lives at sea. The teams in nice contrasting colours reminded me of Melchester Rovers taking on Escape to Victory.
The slippery surface, which was sticky in places led to a game strewn with lots of commitment but plenty of errors. Neither side had played a proper game for a few weeks because of the latest lockdown so mistakes were understandable.
Big centre back for the visiting Moles, Liam Gavin was getting some stick from the home support as some of his clearances were more akin of a rugby union back as they found touch.
Lee Robinson had a good opportunity for the Dockers but shot straight at Grace before Ian Robinson opened the scoring with a low shot from the edge of the box that I thought the keeper might have saved from my angle.
It was time for me to have a walk and see what was going on around the other side. I’d got the feeling back in my fingers, so I decided to have a beer. It was an unexpected treat, what with pubs been closed unless you sat down for a meal and many venues being stopped from selling by local councils. I couldn’t even buy a cuppa at Hendon a few days later.
However, it came with a caveat and my only real moan. As I queued downstairs at the hatch, a posse of locals who should have known better at their age, came in behind me, in such eagerness to talk to the ladies that I was all but bundled out of the way. It was not very COVID friendly.
Risking a Doombar out of a bottle I headed upstairs to watch for a few minutes, but with most gathering towards the back couple of rows and stood on the rear area, the view was not the best, so I soon moved back to my original position.
By which time Binfield were forcing their way back into the game. Impressive forward George Short fired a shot over the bar, over the old disused cover behind the open seating and out of the ground. Gavin went closer with a glancing header.
Lee Robinson went close to doubling the lead, but he dallied, and his chance was gone. The ball ran on to Freddie Beale whose shot was more of a danger to the youngsters showing off their daring do on the skatepark than the Binfield goal.
At the break the Binfield management team of Carl Withers and Jamie McClurg made tactical changes and introduced Phil Veal for Gavin. The sub was to make a difference as the tide began to turn as he played in Sean Moore to fire home past Jake Buss.
The visitors would go ahead with a goal of top quality. Veal played in Oliver Harris down the left with a slide rule pass, whose first time low cross was smashed in by the onrushing Moore in front of Buss.
I honestly couldn’t see how Newhaven were going to get back into the game. Binfield were more energised and stronger. They should have probably wrapped things up when Asa Powell squandered a good chance after beating the offside trap.
I was thinking of making a dash the 17:01 train if they scored another, but to their credit the hosts had other ideas. They composed themselves and gradually recovered a foothold after making substitutions of their own. They began to put one or two attacks of their own.
One of the replacements, Kyle Woolven got n the end of a swirling cross at the back post to side foot past Grace to the joy of some youths behind the goal. They’d previously given the keeper some banter, which he returned by celebrating in front of them when his side took the lead. Now the boot was on the other foot.
Suddenly the momentum turned as the Dockers went full throttle in search of a late winner. Lee Robinson set up Alfie Rogers who controlled well but shot high and handsome over the bar towards the Christmas lights adorning the houses in the road beyond.
Suddenly the momentum turned as the Dockers went full throttle in search of a late winner. Lee Robinson set up Alfie Rogers who controlled well but shot high and handsome over the bar towards the Christmas lights adorning the houses in the road beyond.
It was down to the dreaded penalties, thankfully played out at the town end. Harris and Short scored while the hosts Lee Robinson had his kick saved by Grace. Newhaven netted to make it 1-2 before Tom Willment extended the lead. Rogers had his effort saved again by Grace.
Joint boss McClurg stepped up and scored to send Binfield into the third round as the players hailed hero Grace. His previous visit to the same area a year earlier in similar weather was rather contrasting as he wasn’t at his best in Hendon’s 4-1 hammering in the FA Trophy at Whitehawk. I was really pleased for him.
Both teams had given their absolute lot in trying conditions. Neither side really deserved to go out, although I though Binfield probably just shaded it if pushed as they were that little bit more decisive and stronger.
I found the cracking Newhaven Fish Bar on the way back to the station sorted me out for a large tea, washed down nicely with a cuppa at Lewes while waiting for my connection back to the metropolis for the evening football on TV.
It was a really
good day out, but how I missed a normal pub for a couple of hours on my return.
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