London & SE Regional League, Premier Division, played on Sunday 8th October 2023
at Princes Park, Community 3G pitch
Team: Jade Charlton, Gabby Howell, Jo Woodgates, Georgie Davis, Meghan McKeag,
Shannon Wason, Lizzie Adams, Shauni Griffiths, Nicha Dyett, Emily Vaughan, Emily Read
Subs, all used: Molly Hawkins, Paris Smith, Hannah Thomas, Charlie Torry, Emily Woodhouse
Scorers: Lizzie Adams and Emily Vaughan
Those expecting a goal feast versus bottom of the table side, Crawley AFC, must have been disappointed on Sunday.
Crawley were obviously all out to stop any such high scoring event from happening and full marks to them for putting on a first half performance that thwarted the Darts and never allowed them to settle into any sort of rhythm.
That said, Darts did create a couple of chances but so did Crawley, one especially when Jade was called upon to save Darts’ blushes by producing a great save from an advancing attacker.
Half-time score was 0-0
The first half had been a real midfield tussle and it wasn’t until the second-half that Darts managed to put on a spurt and add more urgency to their game.
Grinding out wins like this one are often the sign of a successful team and that’s basically what Darts had to do. In the 50th minute, Emily Vaughan thought she had secured Darts’ first goal, putting it in at the far post but it was ruled out for offside.
Paris had a long shot that was off target, but relief was not too long in coming with the opening goal from captain Lizzie, ten minutes into the second-half. Lizzie fed a nice ball out to Nicha on the right who played it into the penalty area where it was partially cleared but there was Lizzie, who reacted instinctively to fire home a beautiful strike from just around the 18-yard box.
In the 70th minute, Emily Read got the beating of the defender and managed to get another of her great crosses over and a defender handled the ball and Emily Vaughan struck the ball into the net, but unfortunately the referee had not allowed a couple of seconds and blew immediately for the penalty kick thus depriving Emily of a good goal.
Nicha struck the ball cleanly enough to the keeper’s right but she made a brilliant save, but then a minute later Charlie Torry was involved in getting the ball forward and Emily Vaughan finished off the move with a fine strike for Darts’ second goal.
On 77 minutes Darts nearly increased their lead when a free-kick from Jo Woodgates was met by Nicha who had timed her run to perfection and her glancing header narrowly missed its target.
Molly Hawkins almost scored with her first touch of the ball. A good flick-on by Emily Vaughan found Molly but her shot flew too high and over the bar.
Darts came off the boil in the last five or so minutes and the game petered out to a 2-0 win.
SUMMARY:
Crawley always stuck to their task well but as the game progressed, especially in the second half, Darts’ game improved and it became an easier watch for the home fans as gradually Darts got well and truly on top after securing the second goal and one might then have expected a Crawley collapse, but still they battled, often leaving two strikers on the half-way line for a breakaway but Darts control by then was well and truly there to see. The high scoring might not have materialised
but nevertheless Darts strength in depth in the squad proved to be their ace card and in the end Crawley couldn’t match the Darts midfield strength and forward running which always threatened more. Crawley, in the end, were probably “happy” with their ‘respectable defeat’ to the undefeated Darts.
Report by Tony Brown
Photo by Taur Everard