Newhaven hit four goals for a second consecutive Saturday as they beat fourth-placed Lingfield at Fort Road.

The Dockers put their FA Vase saga with Cove behind them, for a day at least, and took their chances when they arose against a team that finished with ten-men following the late sending off of David Dean.

Mark Probert gave the hosts a 2nd minute lead which was doubled when Tyler Goatcher finished off a swift counter attack at the end of the first half.

Jay Kalama poked in from a corner to half the deficit but Goatcher notched his second to regain the two goal advantage. Ryan Knight then scored the goal of the game as his fine effort beat Dan Burnett in the away goal and sealed the win for Newhaven.

The home team were without Manager Paul Harrison, who is on holiday, so Steve Knight took charge of the team.

He made two changes to the side that started the epic 4-4 draw with Cove the previous week. Sean Breach and Connor Jones came in for the injured pair of Dave Altendorff (knee) and James Rhodes (hamstring).

The game got off to the perfect start for the hosts as Probert’s curling finish from the edge of the box, after a Lee Robinson lay-off, gave them an early lead.

Lingfield spent most of the remainder of the half bombarding the Newhaven box with corners, free-kicks and throw-ins. The closest they came to an equaliser was when Jamie Lawrence’s shot from outside the box came back off the upright.

Newhaven had to bide their time for chances but right at the end of the first half managed to double their advantage.

Jones broke away, after a Lingfield free-kick, and found Goatcher with a through-ball. The Newhaven striker took a touch before firing across Burnett for a 2-0 half-time lead.

The second half continued in the same manner but the Dockers defence were standing firm.

That was until the 67th minute when a corner from the away side’s left was bundled over the line by Kalama, despite the best efforts of Jake Buss in the Newhaven goal.

The Dockers didn’t let their head drops, though, and three minutes later restored their two-goal lead. Sean Breach fed the ball through to Robinson whose shot cannoned against the crossbar. The ball fell for Goatcher who got it under control before finding the back of the net with his effort.

Another Newhaven goal followed two minutes later when Knight scored his sixth of the season. The defender beat the Lingfield offside trap to get on the end of a Jones pass, before coolly finding the far corner with his shot from the edge of the box.

The visitors finished the match with ten men when Dean was sent off for violent conduct after raising his hand to Daniel Murray. Lingfield Manager Dixie Dean was also sent off after his protests to referee Jamie Gilham.

Newhaven: Jake Buss, Daniel Murray, Ryan Knight, Terry Gacias (Simon Blaxall), Greg Manton (c), Jon Trotter, Lee Robinson, Sean Breach, Tyler Goatcher, Mark Probert (Jason Goddard), Connor Jones (Scott Edwards).
Booked: Buss, Jones.

Attendance: 71
Referee: Jamie Gilham