Newhaven vs Broadbridge Heath

vs
21 March 2015
Score: 2 - 2

Match Report

Newhaven 2-2 Broadbridge Heath (HT 0-2)
Craig Bunch (86), Ryan Walton (90+3); Tiago Andrade (PEN 9), Harry Balfour (44)

A 93rd minute equaliser from Ryan Walton saw Newhaven overturn a 2-0 half-time deficit to draw 2-2 with Broadbridge Heath at Fort Road on Saturday afternoon.

The Dockers’ never-say-die attitude has now seen them pick up 27 points from losing positions this season, a record that has seen them hold down a top six place in Macron Store Sussex County Football League Division One.

“We got out of jail here”, remarked Sean Breach, a relieved Newhaven joint-manager. “We weren’t at the races for some reason and never got going for 80 minutes.

“In the end it was a very good point our performance never warranted, but fair play to the lads’ never-say-die attitude that they’ve had all season. Also our fitness plays a big part in this as quite a few times we’ve got points from very late on.”

On a difficult surface it was the visitors that struck the first blow. Just nine minutes had been played when Tiago Andrade was fouled in the box by Dockers goalkeeper Jake Buss, and the Heath number ten picked himself up and slotted the spot-kick to Buss’ right hand side.

Ebou Jallow saw a header from a Rob Boddy corner saved on the line by Michael Chester, and Craig Bunch will feel he should have done better when he latched on to a long kick down field from Buss but the Newhaven captain couldn’t direct his effort past Chester.

An unspectacular half got worse for Newhaven when Harry Balfour bundled in a Mark Bevan corner to double his side’s advantage with just a minute of the 45 left to play.

The second half opened up a little more than the first and Heath showed no signs of sitting on their two-goal lead, with Andrade firing a shot wide straight from kick-off.

Jallow had a good chance to half the deficit but his attempt was tame after he met a Lee Robinson cross.

The visitors then thought they had a third when a Bevan free-kick was parried by Buss and finished off by Ollie Moore. Their joy, however, was short lived as an offside flag ruled the goal out.

James Rhodes and Ryan Knight were both off-target for the home side before a Balfour header went over up the other end.

Moore had the visitor’s best chance to make the game safe when his neat one-two with Andrade saw a shooting opportunity appear, but his fierce left-foot drive was kept out by Buss. Andrade also tested the Newhaven stopper’s reactions with a strike from outside the area.

With nothing to lose Newhaven made an attacking substitution, replacing defender Scott Edwards with Walton.

And the big striker was straight in to the action when he saw a volley from just outside the box tipped away for a corner by Chester. The resulting corner saw a big shout for a penalty turned down by referee Richard Sargeant, despite Piers McDermott clearly handling the ball in his own area.

The hosts didn’t have to wait too much longer for a penalty, however, as Robinson was upended by Chester after a through-ball from Rhodes. Walton took the spot-kick but was denied by Chester who could only look on as Bunch’s rebound found the back of the net.

With time running out a foul by Heath skipper Martyn Flack on Robinson saw an opportunity for Adam Kneller from 25 yards. Kneller’s free-kick hit the ball but came back out to Rhodes who spotted and found Walton. He let the ball come across his body before firing past Chester at his near post for 2-2.

There was still time for a Bunch header to fly narrowly wide and the full-time whistle sounded shortly after.

Breach continued: “We conceded another early goal via a penalty and after that we had a few decent chances but we were just hoping to get in to half-time at 1-0, re-group and sort a few things out. Then, a minute before the break, they take their only other chance and make it 2-0.

“We went a little more attacking in the second half but nothing really changed. They had a goal disallowed and a couple of half chances but in truth it was a very poor game. Neither team were interested in playing football due to the pitch but we just couldn’t find any rhythm at all.

“With 15 minutes to go we just went for it. We went three at the back and brought Ryan Walton on to partner Bunchy up top. This, and not getting a stone wall penalty, seemed to give us a lift and the last ten minutes we played at a much higher tempo and finally one bit of quality from Rhodesy provides us with a lifeline.

“The equaliser came deep in to stoppage time, again a delicate ball from Rhodesy was brilliantly smashed home by Walton. We could have even sneaked the win, but Bunchy was unlucky with a header and then Walton could have put Robbo clear but the ball bobbled over his foot.

“There were very few positives to take but one was certainly Walton’s impact on the game. I’m sure he feels he was unfairly benched but his attitude is second to none and that was the exact response we wanted from him. No moaning, when he got his chance he took it and got us out of a hole.”

Newhaven: Jake Buss, Daniel Murray, Scott Edwards (Ryan Walton), Rob Boddy, Ryan Knight, Adam Kneller, Wes Millis, Jayson Sowter (James Rhodes), Craig Bunch (c), Lee Robinson, Ebou Jallow (Ollie Davies). Unused subs: Brad Murray, Ben Earle.
Booked: Buss, Millis

Attendance: 84
Officials: Richard Sargeant, Anthony O’Brien, Nathan Welch

Lineup

Subs