League Cup – DAFC U14’s 1-5 Kent Football United

Kent Football United visited DAFC on a sunny autumn afternoon for the first round of the Reader & Philips Challenge Cup. KFU were an unknown quantity to DAFC, with them being in the North Division, and with only recent results to go on the game was set for an interesting show. Early pressure and chances from DAFC continued their ever improving league form and were firmly in control of the game. Free kicks were delivered with danger into the KFU box with several chances unable to be pushed into the net. A shot from outside the box from Kyle Manton caused the visiting goalkeeper to make a full stretch fingertip save to push the ball around the post for a corner. With the game in even possession both teams continued with chances. It was KFU who benefitted first from a convenient rebound off the DAFC goalkeeper who shut down the angle well, only for it to fall back into the path of the advancing strikers with DAFC defence stuck watching the save and reacting late. 1 – 0 down but DAFC were still in control and no need for panic. A similar fate was served to DAFC by KFU, again from a great shut down by Dan Smith in the goal with KFU reacting quickest to smash the ball in from 3 yards out. DAFC were unfortunate to be 2 – 0 down at half time, but their fighting spirit from previous games would surely come through.

After the restart DAFC pressured hard, and from a long kick out of hands, route one football at its best, allowed Lewis Saunders to challenge for the ball with the KFU goalkeeper and head the ball home before the keeper could catch it. A great start from the Whites and a new burst of energy to push for an equaliser. The equaliser never came, and KFU pushed hard to inflict more damage to increase the goal advantage. It soon came with a screamer of a volley from just inside the box with the goalkeeper unable to get near it. The Whites wing-back formation and controlling of the midfield by from KFU necessitated a more defensive position to be taken up preventing the full width of the home pitch to be utilised and DAFC put on the back foot more and more. With 10 minutes remaining KFU provided a sweet outside of the right boot finish from 16 yards sealing the fate of Dover’s cup run. Left unchallenged in the centre of the field on goal kicks, KFU controlled and played through one final attack of the game resulting in a controlled finish and despair for DAFC.

With a game being of two halves, DAFC were unfortunate to not have something from the first but KFU deserved the second with domination and control in the centre of the park.

Dover’s run in this Cup may be over, and they now proceed to getting that first league win of the season next week.