MATCH REPORT | Dartford Women 2-3 Ashford Town (Middlesex)
After a 4-1 victory at Denham, we welcomed Ashford to Princes Park in a top of the table clash. We started strong in the first 5 minutes with Ashford finding it hard to get out of their own half. 6 mins in and Ashford gave away a free kick 25 yards out, K.Green stepped up and hit the free kick, which dipped over the bar. 9 mins in to the game saw Ashford’s first chance, following a low goal kick, Ashford’s striker Cheatley was quick to intercept and was clinical in finishing in the bottom corner. 15 mins saw Butts running down the flank, outpacing and outmuscling her opponent, a heavy touch and a poor clearance from an Ashford defender found Read, who took a shot, which went just over the bar. 19 mins and an attacking run from Read ended in a throughball being chased down by Dyett with the Ashford keeper getting there just in time. 20 mins, and a soft clearance from an Ashford defender found Vaughan’s feet who was 15 yards out, Vaughan hit a stinger of a shot which the Ashford keeper could only deal with by patting away. 23 minutes saw our first goal, with a great piece of football, with K.Green rolling the ball back to keeper Charlton, whose 70 yard ball found Dyett, who linked up with Vaughan, a quick one-two past the Ashford defender found Nicha running at goal and her shot found the back of the net. The game went quiet for a while with the next chance coming from a great through ball from A.Green, which found Butts and Dyett chasing, this was met by the Ashford keeper who was quick to clear. Ashford’s next chance came in the 43rd minute, with a cross in the box finding one of their strikers and a good shot which was met by the safe hands of Charlton. Ashford had another chance a couple of minutes later, a corner whipped in which Charlton managed to get her finger tips to taking it away from the head of the waiting Ashford player, who would of scored. Another chance came from Dyetts attacking run down the right wing, Dyett held up play, making a cheeky pass to Read, who crossed it into the box but unfortunately our players had run out of gas with no one in the box to meet the cross. Our last chance came from a cross whipped in from K.Green which was headed back in to the path of Captain Adams who’s volley bounced wide.
The second half was full of entertainment and chances. An early corner for us found A.Green waiting on the edge of the box, who’s effort went just over the bar. Ashford came close on 51 minutes with a quick bit of play around the edge of our box, which saw Tory make a last-ditch tackle to take the ball of the striker’s boot. Ashford came close again with a dipping header from a corner which saw Charlton quick to step back and collect. On 58 minutes we made our first sub, Butts for Griffiths. On 60 minutes a free kick by K.Green from just outside the edge of the box was whipped in at head height narrowly missing Dyett’s head. Ashford had a chance on 62 minutes with a header from a corner going just over the bar. 64 minutes saw Brinkley replacing Amy Green. Ashford tried their luck on 67 minutes with a volley from 20 yards out which was dealt with calmly by Charlton. Ashford’s next goal came from what looked like an obvious handball on the edge of their area, their player cleared the ball quickly to find one of their players, who played a ball over the top, to the waiting Cheatley who finished her chance.71 minutes saw a chance for Dartford with Read making an attacking run down the right wing, she whipped the ball in with the clearance finding Brinkley who’s shot was cleared, Adams was just about to take a shot with the ball rolling towards her when the Ashford defender just got a toe there first taking it away from Adam’s boot. 73 minutes saw K.Green being replaced by Mansfield. Brinkley tried her luck with a shot from 20 yards out on 80 minutes which was patted down by the Ashford keeper. 82 minutes saw the unluckiest bit of football I’ve seen in ages. Ashford failed to clear the ball finding Vaughan’s feet on the edge of the box, a quick shot dipped over the keeper to hit the cross bar, this fell to Dyett who played the ball to Read who’s little touch to Griffiths set her up for the perfect volley which again hit the crossbar. This then fell to Brinkley who was being quickly shut down by an Ashford defender and her volley going just over the bar!. Ashford came close on 84 minutes with a heavy first touch finding Cheatley’s feet, her initial shot was blocked by Charlton, with Ahern making a last ditch tackle to take the sting out of Cheatleys next shot allowing Charlton to gather the ball. On 89 Minutes, a soft pass found the awaiting Cheatley, who dribbled towards the goal scoring her hattrick. We made our last substitute with Davis replacing Tory. On 92 minutes a good bit of play from Mansford found the feet of Griffiths who took a shot from 20 yards out which hit the post. On 93 minutes after some trickery from Vaughan, she released a shot which went narrowly wide. On 95 minutes saw our next goal and our last chance with a greatly placed free kick by Davis, which lobbed the keeper finding the back of the net. A disappointing loss for us but a great well fought performance from all of the girls.
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