Now we’re at the very business end of the season it’s much easier to pick out the games to watch. It does mean one or two clubs that were on my list to get to watch are rolling over to next season, quite normal for me to be honest.
Invariably it does mean I’m watching sides I’ve already seen maybe once or twice already this season, but in some cases unlikely to have been against each other. There was a two way choice at the weekend, the huge game in the Isthmian League South East Division as 1st hosted 2nd, Ramsgate versus Cray Valley PM, the latter with an unbeaten away record, in fact 17 straight wins and a tussle between the two since the Millers caught up their games in hand.
The other was along the Sussex coast, another top two clash in the Southern Combination Premier Division whose winners head into that very same division above. Newhaven were hosting Steyning, the former needing a win to keep their own title hopes alive, the latter in pole position knowing destiny is within their own hands.
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Given finances are a little tight after a week off with the kids and lots of football to get around over the next two weeks the coastal game won the vote and despite a sunny start which turned to cloud and a chilly wind, the game was far from dull however.
Not surprisingly the opening moments were very cagey, neither side imposing themselves on the other nor retaining possession for any length of time. A swirling wind kept some of that at bay, the Barrowmen kicking with it in the first half.
The home side had the better of the ball with Steyning looking to play the ball beyond their centre backs using that wind to their advantage but mixing it up with balls out wide to push the Dockers defenders back.
And it was the visitors who opened the scoring on 23 minutes, a through ball finding it’s way through to Harry Shooman via a deflection whose low finish past Jake Buss was nicely placed.
Nine minutes before half time the lead was doubled, Charlie Meehan beating his man but Buss saving his shot, the ball landing at the feet of Mark Goldson, the striker making no mistake from a couple of yards out.
The Dockers needed to get through to half time and regroup to keep themselves in the game, but right on the stroke of 45 minutes, Shooman fired home after pinball in the box and almost put the game out of the reach of the home side, Crowborough drawing 0-0 at half time, everything going in Steyning’s favour.
Newhaven needed to come out second half and give it their all, and to their credit they attacked continuously but very few clear cut chances to force their way back into the game.
The Barrowmen had done enough in the first 45 minutes to control the second half without really breaking out of second gear but saved the best goal of the match with 20 minutes to play, Charlie Weller being teed up some 25 yards out and a quite superb shot over the top of Buss into the top corner to put the icing on the cake and round off an emphatic win against one of their closest rivals.
With Crowborough scoring twice in the second half to beat Pagham 2-0 the champagne is still on ice for Kevin Green’s side. However, the Crows must win their last three games and hope Steyning lose their final game at already relegated AFC Uckfield to take the title.
Steyning will be champions if Crowborough lose or draw either game before the Barrowmen play again on the final day, a little bizarre the way the fixtures have panned out.
For Newhaven, the play off’s await, another set of eagerly awaited fixtures, a superb crowd of 504 watched this one and hopefully a decent number will be at Fort Road to see if the Dockers can achieve that promotion dream they’ve been close to for the last few years.
