Sat 14th Feb: Anvils 1- 2 Newhaven

On a day of chocolates and roses the Anvils rather overdid the generosity to their opponents with at times their indifferent finishing, this after taking the lead inside the first minute when Jeffrey Mahadoo got free on the right to cross for the oncoming Andy Goodwin but Newhaven’s Adam Neller got their first to tuck the ball home. 1-0 Anvils.

Suitable stirred the Dockers took up the challenge with a James Rhodes corner finding Oliver Davies whose shot was turned away by an Anvils, the resultant corner was then just missed by centre back Ryan Night, followed just after by Brad Murray testing keeper Andy Greaves.

The Anvils not slow to respond then had a Leyton Regan shot hacked off the line, shortly after both Regan and Sam Cane had their shots hacked away as the visitors defenders struggled to cope with the conditions underfoot as well as the vibrant Anvil attack. On 22 Cane put in a lovely cross that cried out for that final touch, by now it was all one way as the homesters pushed forward for that elusive second goal. On 27 a Hass Shurmani free kick found Mahadoo whose final cross rattled the Newhaven crossbar. The Dockers then responded on the half hour with a Craig Bunch cross being nodded over by Murray, followed by a Michael Lloyd free kick being taken by Greaves and Rhodes only able to find the side netting.

Come 38 and a possible defining moment in the game when a slip in the Dockers defence let in Mahadoo who slipped the last defender and honed in on keeper Jake Buss who in turn was able to smother the shot and the chance was lost much to the disappointed home support, another Regan cross was the last chance of the half for the Anvils, leaving Bunch for the Dockers to seal the lid on the first half with a final shot at Greaves. HT 1-0 Anvils.

Second half the Anvils supporters awaited the some reaction from Newhaven, plus having to defend the now boggy Kop end where it was becoming more & more difficult for defenders to turn. On 48 came the first corner cleared, followed by a second missed by Rhodes, then Rhodes again firing straight at Greaves on 55 as the away support became more and more agitated at their teams failure to break the Anvils down, but they didn't have to wait long as on 57 from another attacking buildup the ball ran loose to Davies but Anvil Defender Andy Goodwin got their first only to see his attempted clearance from 20 yds out fly past the stranded Greaves to restore parity for the Dockers. 1-1.

Now it was game on with just a quarter hour to go and changes on the Anvil bench, James Day Ryan Taylor and Martin Mutungi came on to add some more energy. The Dockers were now pressing hard for the winner with a Rhodes free kick being cleared, an Anvil counter on 66 saw Cane break thro an open defence and with just keeper Buss awaiting de-ja vu struck yet again for the Anvils as Buss yet again gained the upper hand and another chance was gone.

On 69 and all the goodwill of flowers and roses went out the window as an anvil sorte broke down ‘after a wayward pass’ in midfield and Rhodes intercepted to pick out Bunch who settled the match by firing past keeper Greaves to give game set and match to the Dockers by the odd goal in three. FT 1-2 Newhaven.

Team: Andy Greaves, Blair Cooney, Hass Shurmani, Andy Goodwin (James Day), Owen Roberts, Alex Read, Ciaran Steers, Lee Thomas (Martin Mutungi), Leyton Regan, Sam Cane, Jeffrey Mahadoo (Ryan Taylor)

MOM: Leyton Regan Attn: 55