DAFC U14’s 3-4 Faversham
In windy conditions, and against DAFC in the first half, the game was controlled by both sides with neither able to trouble the keepers.
An early chance from Lewis Saunders was stuck directly at the keeper who was blinded by his own defenders and was fortunate for the ball to bounce off for a corner.
Few clear chances were created but some crucial saves were made by Dan Smith in the DAFC goal from close range.
DAFC failed to clear a rush from Faversham and allowed the ball to be slotted passed the pouncing Dan Smith in the DAFC goal to put DAFC down by 1.
Faversham continued to pile on the pressure to a panicked DAFC defence and benefitted again from a failure to clear the lines to double their lead soon after.
DAFC had little more of the play in the first half, with Faversham able to roll the defender and send a third in just before half time.
The half time talk must have lit a few fireworks under the DAFC team who started the second half with the wind in their favour and with a clear desire to get this game back on track.
A DAFC shot from outside the box ricocheted off a Faversham leg just inside the box, spinning high into the air and with Lewis Saunders the only player to make a move for it, headed the ball passed the static Faversham defence and into the goal. Would a comeback be possible?
From another Faversham attack down the left hand side the shot was saved by the advancing goalkeeper only for it to rebound off the covering defender and into their own net.
4 – 1 down is enough to send any team into depression, but instead DAFC looked even more determined to get something from the game.
A foul by Faversham 15 yards from their own 18yard box allowed DAFC to setup for launching the ball into the danger zone…only for the ball to whip through the entire field and enter the back of the net in the far corner, direct from Kyle Manton.
Several late corners to DAFC highlight the intensity that they were piling into the Faversham defence, and with the assistance of the wind, a right sided corner kick was curled into the top of the net from Kyle Manton to make the score line 4 – 3.
With few minutes remaining Faversham were awarded a free kick outside the DAFC penalty area and with all men behind the ball, it was launched high over the bar, without troubling the goalkeeper. The final whistle blew before the goal kick could be taken, but DAFC should be proud of the comeback they made demonstrating their ability to score goals from both open play and set pieces, and being unfortunate with the own goal.
DAFC’s first point of the season is still to come, but the signs are there that they have goals in them and thinking a little smarter in defence should prevent those mistakes putting them under early pressure.
