Match report – Dartford 5 Ebbsfleet Utd 3
London & SE Regional League, Premier Division, played on Wednesday 17th April 2024 in the main Stadium
Team: Jade Charlton, Meghan McKeag, Georgie Davis, Channa Hinds, Jo Woodgates, Shauni Griffiths,
Gabby Howell, Bethany Powell, Paris Smith, Emily Vaughan, Amelia Woodgate
Subs (all used): Lizzie Adams, Xayla-Rae Alberts, Charlie Torry, Emily Woodhouse, Madison Woodgate
Scorers: Bethany Powell, Amelia Woodgate, Emily Woodhouse, Emily Vaughan, Jo Woodgates (pen).
We have made a different approach to this match report from the usual. This has been jointly produced; with a transcription of Connor Brennan’s live Twitter (X) feed and has been interspersed with recorded notes and timings from Tony Brown.
On seven minutes, chance for the visitors .. Darts lose possession on the edge of the box, attempted long ball is blocked, luckily the effort on goal dribbles past the post.
Darts beginning to grow into the game .. Shauni with a smart turn in the box that results in a volleyed effort on goal, well held by the Ebbsfleet keeper.
First corner of the match to Ebbsfleet but was wasted. Darts’ first corner on the right in the 17th minute. Meghan played it short to Emily Vaughan
but the eventual cross didn’t get further than the first defenders.
A minute later the visitors tried their luck from distance but the shot was well wide of the Darts’ goal
On 21st minute GGGOOAALLL – Darts take the lead. Out to Emily Vaughan onto Amelia who takes on and beats her defender and produced a great cross finds Beth Powell on the edge of the box to smash home the opener. Defender and goalie tried in vain to stop it at the left post but the shot proved too powerful and it hit the back of the net.
GGOOAALL - In the next minute, from an attempted clearance, Shauni won the ball in a heading dual and the ball fell into the path of Amelia Woodgate who slotted the ball home with confidence to increase the lead to 2-0
Another chance for the Darts. A clearance found Shauni on the half-way line and she carried the ball on a great run down the left-hand side. Her cross found Emily Vaughan whose header was just wide of the Ebbsfleet goal.
35 minutes, Emily Vaughan got a pass through to Meghan who turned her marker and won a throw-in. Georgie received the ball and sent in a great shot which would have produced Darts’ 3rd but for a brilliant finger-tip save by the Fleet keeper.
34 mins Then Gabby found Amelia with a brilliant diagonal ball which split the Fleet’s defence but the goalie was fast out to the edge of her area, but then fumbled and Amelia secured the ball taking it to the bi-line and sent a low ball which travelled right across the Fleet’s goal-mouth with no-one there to finish it off.
Smart pass from Gabby sees Amelia get in behind, effort blocked by the Ebbsfleet defence. Clearance falls to Shauni who tries from distance, ball eventually held by Ebbs goalie.
Another chance for the home side. Vaughany shoots on the edge of the 6-yard box and forces another smart save from Ebbsfleet keeper.
Channa and Jo were putting in some good searching passes for Emily, Amelia and Paris and kept the Fleet defence having to work hard to contain the Darts. Paris produced a long range shot that sent the keeper scampering across goal but the shot was swerving away and round the post. But Darts’ were still pressing hard for the third goal before half-time.
Darts were very much in the ascendancy now but might they rue their luck at not increasing their lead before half-time? Darts’ had more efforts on goal from distance from Paris and then Gabby who forced a clean save from the goalie. Em and Amelia caused a lot of mayhem in the Fleet defence.
The first half went well and Darts were all excellent at the back. Jade commanded her area confidently and Gabby, Jo, Channa, Meghan and Georgie all keeping the Fleet attackers at bay. The midfield looked strong with Bethany putting herself about, Paris always a thorn in Fleet’s sides, and Shauni was nothing short of inspirational in central midfield. Upfront the constant chasing by Amelia and Emily Vaughan’s deft skills were a joy to watch.
HT 2-0 - Connor tweeted: “Great first half from the Darts. More of the same in second-half please!”
Chances for the visitors. First Shauni gets a great headed clearance at the near-post from a corner and then another effort on goal from distance forces a good save from Jade for a corner.
Then on 50 minutes, an in-swinging corner came over and Fleet’s tallest player produced a great header which beat Jade to bring Fleet back into the match at 2-1.
Fleet had hit a ‘purple-patch’ for 10 minutes or so and Darts were under the cosh and in the 55th minute succumbed to a long ball through to the edge of the penalty area and with Jade committed to the save on the ground the Fleet played chipped it over towards goal. Jo made a frantic effort to retrieve the ball and clear it off the line but to no avail and it crept agonisingly inside the far post for the equaliser. 2-2
Subs – Emily Woodhouse on for Paris Smith
The visitors again got the ball down Darts’ left but Jade did well to hold on to a difficult ball. Then Beth at the other end tried a high shot-lob which was on target but after the first high bounce the keeper saved with comparative ease.
Jade had to be smartly down to her right and then a minute later had to be alert to a high shot that was on target.
A smart pass out to Gabby who played an accurate ball down the right to Em who got in a great cross which eluded everyone as it sped across the goal-mouth. Dart’s had now picked themselves up and produced some excellent chances. Firstly on 69 minutes, Amelia found herself in a one-on-one with the goalie, but the keeper’s legs saved the day for the Fleet, and then on 70 minutes, an opportunity arose from Gabby’s throw-in on the right, and the ball fell for Emily Woodhouse, and boy, did she take her chance. Her sweetly-struck shot swerved beautifully out of the reach of the keeper and hit the back of the net in the top left-hand corner. 3-2
Connor tweeted: “A wonder strike!”
Tonight’s attendance is 180. Thank you for your fantastic support!
78th minute - GGOOAALL – Great run through by Amelia, whose effort hits the far post and rebounds into play for Vaughany, as she has done all season, is there to fire the ball home (bottom left of goal). 4-2
Sub: Lizzie Adams on for Gabby Howell
Opportunity from a free-kick for Fleet to get one on target although from 35 yards out. But the shot was off target and gave Jade no problems.
Sub: Madison Woodgate on for Shauni Griffiths
Sub: Charlie Torry on for Beth Powell
In the 89th minute, Emily Vaughan charged towards the Ebbsfleet goal and the goalie didn’t have much option but to pull her down resulting in a penalty to the Darts. Jo Woodgates stepped up and calmly shot it low and hard to the keeper’s right for 5-2
Sub: Paris Smith back on for Amelia Woodgate
Fleet grabbed their third goal right on full time.
Everyone played their part in this excellent win against their neighbours in this local derby. Subsitutes Xayla-Rae, Lizzie, Emily Woodhouse, Madison and Charlie all came on and added bite and skills, and heads were always kept high.
Final score 5-3
SUMMARY:
Both teams took some time to settle down, rather hurrying their passes and shooting efforts but Darts had a really good first half. Some of the longer passes were over-adventurous to say the least but Darts fought well for every ball and secured a 2-0 half-time lead. Shauni had an inspired 45 minutes in her new role as midfield general.
Fleet came out roaring for the second half and had Darts rocking for a while and in that ten-minute spell scored two goals to get themselves on level terms at 2-2
One would think that Fleet would continue to take the game to the Darts but an inspired substitution with Emily Woodhouse coming on was to prove the turning point and 15 minutes later produced that wonder goal!
Then great team-work over the last 20 minutes or so produced some great scoring opportunities and Darts produced another two good goals, albeit Jo’s penalty after excellent work in the area by Emily Vaughan
Note: There is a video of the teams emerging from the players’ tunnel onto the Princes Park pitch, filmed by Connor: