DARTFORD 2-2 SALTDEAN UNITED

[Ajaxman DFC]

This was a great game for the neutrals. But not for the supporters of both sides in the end. No doubt there'll be some very sore fingers out there due to severely gnawed nails.
It could have all been so different though. In the very first minute Amy Russ took on the Saltdean midfield and defence on her own. Weaving her magic past her opponents like they weren't even there until she had a clear sight on goal, then unleashed a shot that went just wide. It was very unfortunate because the entire move deserved a goal at the end of it.
It was a bright start full of optimism. Infact I nearly completely missed the opening goal as I took my eyes off the game momentarily to make a comment to someone next to me. There was no obvious danger on the pitch and then I just caught sight of Georgia Bridges goal breaking the back of the net. Apparently a defensive mix up fell to the Saltdean number 10. If there is one person you wouldn't want to hand a goal scoring opportunity to it's Bridges. Infact, Georgia could have had a hat trick in the first half. The goal she scored in the 10th minute unsettled us but altleast we went into the break only 0-1 down.
Tactical changes were made at the start of the second half.
With Russy, Poppy Payne and Emily Woodhouse making way for Lizzie Adams, Georgie Davis and Imani Hanif. Lizzie was influential from the off and we missed her in the first half.
We began to tighten up and really take the game to Saltdean.
Up until then our midfield seemed stretched with too many gaps exploited by the opposition. But this is no way a reflection on Xayla-Rae Alberts or Shauni Griffiths who both worked hard. In mitigation of the first half performance, Brionne Fowle pulled up during the warm up. Xayla, Brie and Shauni are the first names on the team sheet for me. There's so much good stuff that goes through them, unless you're the opposition ofcourse then nothing gets through! But you need all three of them and then you've got arguably the most formidable midfield in the league. They are our engine room firing on all cylinders.
Amina looked lively throughout and it took just two minutes for her to register her first attempt on goal when her shot was saved by Fay Baker on 47 mins.
There was some considerable stoppage time at the 49th minute mark. Make no mistake, young Ellie Dolby is stronger than she looks and firmly demonstrated that when she nearly sent her opponent into orbit, like the Silver Surfer on an advertising hoarding.
I wonder how Lucy Clark would have described it?
It was against the run of play in the 67th minute when our defence then morphed into the Suicide Squad. I know it's not easy out on the pitch but from where I was standing I could hear the ambulance coming in my head. We were running into trouble. And it duly arrived in the form of Caitlin Sullivan doubling Saltdean's lead.
The warning signs were there when we got away with one 5 minutes earlier as Jade Charlton was forced into making a brilliant one on one block from a striker. Maybe it was Caitlin then, I'm not sure.
It was really looking like it wasn't going to be our day. Our girls continued to pile on the pressure though. Then finally the breakthrough game in the 86th minute.
A smart ball in from the left by Amina straight to Lizzie who directed the ball goalbound. There was no defender to clear the danger but although it was only seconds the ball seemed to take an eternity to cross the line. The Dartford Ultras must have sucked it in.
Two minutes later it was really game on when a cross from Abbey Davies beat everyone and flew into the far corner.
Now it was a question of how much added time had Ellie bought for us? 9 minutes! I honestly thought we were going to do it as well. Especially when winning a corner and Emily Vaughan, who was subbed earlier, came back on and took up her favourite position just beyond the far post. But on this occasion it wasn't to be.
In the grand scheme of things a draw was probably a fair result.
Player of the match, Lizzie Adams. She made an impact, rallied the troops and got us back in the game. As she has done so many times in her career when, on those rare occasions when we can't seem to buy a goal, she comes up with the answer.

[TonyDart]

A great insight into this game from Ajaxman and although in the end, not the result that we, or Saltdean for that matter particularly wanted, this was a good one to watch.
I don't have much to add as this was well covered in the report, but I must say that the post-match get together eating, drinking and chatting was like a breath of fresh air. It was, certainly in my eyes, the best ever after-match get-together involving away team players and management in my time supporting DFC Women.
The well-liked and very popular ex-Dart, Amy Green and her fellow Saltdean players made for a wonderful late-afternoon friendly time in the Champions Bar. Long may this friendship continue.

[Ajaxman DFC]

Thanks Tony. I enjoyed the post match refreshments too.
I had a really interesting conversation with Gabby's mum and dad and caught up with Sarah who told me all about her recent trip to Japan.
It was good to hear Fay saying that irrespective of the Princes Park result they still want to beat Fulham this Sunday. I also heard not only did Fulham want to switch the venue but Saltdean are sticking to their guns. As far as they are concerned, Hill Park is their home and that's where they're playing. I just hope the FA don't intervene and cave in. They will be hearing from me at the end of the season. I've been paying closer attention to Brentford recently, champions elect of division 1 North winning every single league game, most of them by huge margins. So, here we go again. Being a Chelsea fan I fell out of love with Premier League football years ago. The attempted break away by the so called top six to join a European Super League was the last straw. Two of those clubs were Man United and Tottenham. And where are they now? Top six? Don't make me laugh. The greed of foreign ownership undermining our game including the FA Cup is spreading it's tentacles down the pyramid at all levels and categories in the game. Our girls belong in the National League South East. A work in progress where as with every season Connor and Macca will make two or three additions to strengthen the squad. What will Fulham do? Other than hire an entire new team of mercenaries to bulldoze their way to the next level pissing off the other clubs in that league. The quicker they reach the WSL the better for everyone. Will Brentford be the same? If so then it's time for two promotion places. Even if it means having the runners up playing off against the team finishing third from bottom in the National South East Division. If the best team wins both clubs end up playing at the appropriate level the following season.
To be honest I'll be glad to see the back of Fulham this year.
Their manager can be seen on Twitter, holding a straight face while praising his team's recent achievements as though they've pulled off the impossible, performing bloody miracles.
A bucket of water was poured over that when a poster replied, "I'm not surprised with the amount of money you have."
It wasn't me either. It was a great one liner which said far more than the interview putting it all into perspective in one sentence. For all their money they haven't got what we have at DWFC. Sutton United have a decent goalkeeper who left Fulham. She didn't like it there. The atmosphere was toxic.
Which is the complete opposite of the environment created by the DWFC family.

[Lol]

Great posts, Ajaxman. I agree with everything you, and Tony, have written.