Sittingbourne (Home) 3-0 S.E. Counties League, Premier Div

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TonyDart
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Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2022 3:52 pm

Sittingbourne (Home) 3-0 S.E. Counties League, Premier Div

Post by TonyDart »

Match Report – Dartford FC Development 3 Sittingbourne 0 South East Counties League, Premier Division,
Sunday 22nd January 2023 at Princes Park
Weather: Blue skies but cold

Dartford Manager: Rhys Terry
Dartford team: Stevie-Marie Reece, Brittani Rumble, Kirsty Cameron, Alex Fagan, Annie White, Chloe Hall,
Emily Woodhouse, Tilly Rowsell, Georgia Culpitt, Lizzie Nugent, Alex Foulds
Subs: Amy Brooks, Lauren Bullen, Robyn Smitherman, Beatrice Ogundele, Sabine Ghag (all used)


This match was a tight affair for long periods of the game. The match had been switched due to a frozen pitch at Sittingbourne but their visit to Princes Park saw them lying in 2nd position behind the Darts, winning their last two games 5-3 and 8-3 and having lost only twice in nine league outings.

In the early stages, the closest that the Darts got to scoring was from an Emily Woodhouse in-swinging corner that was delivered accurately into the 6-yard box but it beat everyone, ran out to Georgia whose shot was blocked by the defenders and cleared. That was on eight minutes.

In the opening twenty minutes neither team gained any real superiority over the other. But in the 22nd minute Darts were awarded a free-kick, taken by Emily Woodhouse. She delivered a cross, which had lots of pace on it – in fact a great delivery into the box - that was touched in by Alex Foulds to give the Darts the lead.

Much of the play leading up to half-time was similar to the previous twenty minutes, the Bourne not allowing Darts to press to hard, but at the same time not being able to produce much in the way of attacking flair themselves.

Half-time 1-0

In the opening five or so minutes, Bourne showed more attacking prowess than in the whole of the previous 45 minutes and they forced three corners in quick succession, the second of which came the closest to a goal with a ball delivered into the 6-yard box but which flew past everyone, across the goalmouth and out to safety.

Sabine, Lauren, Robyn, Amy and Beatrice all came on during different phases of the second half and when the Darts added a second goal the game gradually edged Dartford’s way and in the end, saw out a comfortable win.

In the 60th minute, Lauren delivered a forceful ball forward that Alex Foulds just managed to keep in play but in so doing, the ball ran favourably into the goalie’s arms. But her throw out was intercepted by Kirsty Cameron who delivered a great cross, right into the goal-mouth and was turned in by a defender. Kirsty deserved a goal out of that determined play and can proudly claim a great “assist”.

With a two-goal cushion, the Darts finally relaxed into their passing game and many of the through-balls began to cut into the Bourne defence and with determined play Darts strove to increase the lead.

In the 70th minute, a long ball out of defence found Lizzie who played it back to Georgia and a nice return through-ball found Lizzie just outside the area. She shook of her defender and with the goalie to beat, duly placed the ball out of her reach with the settling in the back of the net for 3-0
In the 80th minute, Alex delivered a great corner which was headed on by Chloe right across the face of the goal but Beatrice just couldn’t manage to turn the ball home.

In the next minute a fine move started by Annie from the back line passed across to Kirsty who was just inside the centre circle. She played a one-two with Lauren and then delivered a great defence-splitting pass to Beatrice, who had beaten the offside trap. Unfortunately, the ball would not run kindly for her and with the goalie standing boldly and blocking the goal, her shot went just wide of the post.

Five minutes from the end, Bourne had a counter-attack and their forward sent in a great drive that was destined for the top right-hand corner. It had ‘goal’ written all over it until Stevie launched herself and pulled off a miraculous save, tipping the ball over the bar.
Final score 3-0 – a clean sheet very well deserved.

There were plenty of positives to come out of this game, with the defensive pair of Chloe and Annie in tight control, well aided by the full backs of Kirsty and Brittani (and Robyn in the second half), who gave the Bourne wingers very little scope for building any meaningful attacks.

The midfield players all played their roles well and for most of the game had the control necessary to feed the forwards with some quality through-balls. With Bourne certainly not being a push over, it required a lot of patience and perseverance until that second goal came. Alex Fagan, Emily, Georgia, (backed up by subs of Sabine, Lauren and Amy) all played their part in both stifling the Bourne midfield and creating chances for forwards Tilly, Lizzie and Alex (and later on, Beatrice).

Stevie, without doubt, produced her best performance to date for the Darts in goal, with excellent handling, good anticipation, strong kicking, and to round off a great day for her, that flying save that enabled the team to keep a clean sheet and a three-goal winning margin over the team in second place.

Well done Darts, a job well done.

Report by Tony Brown
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DA Mikey
Posts: 485
Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2021 3:55 pm

Re: Sittingbourne (Home) 3-0 S.E. Counties League, Premier Div

Post by DA Mikey »

Top bins girls, and a great report!
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