Official Dover Athletic Football Club - Youth Teams - DAFC U15s 3 - 1 Maidstone Utd U15s
DAFC U15s 3 - 1 Maidstone Utd U15s Paul Evison | Mon 5th Dec 2011
Top of the table Dover Athletic faced the first of two huge title deciding games to come against joint second Maidstone United coming to Tilmanstone. Maidstone really did hit Dover early with Liam McGarry controlling the game from midfield which saw a few half chances from Liam Mayhell which Athletic's keeper Rhys Austin made crucial stops to keep the score level. Maidstone really did keep the pressure on Athletic and this dominance saw them take the lead when a corner was swung in and keeper Austin misjudged the cross and it was headed home to make it 1-0.
Athletic's ever growing confidence did not let the Maidstone goal and dominance effect them, and the goal seemed to wake a few players up and Jack Reed started to stop McGarry playing and this led to JJ Donnelly and Matt Bennett creating time and space but still the Stones held strong. It was thirty minutes in when Lee Dehara who made a run down the line and was fouled so Reed delivered in a superb free kick and Bennett flicked on and Donnelly found himself in space and acrobatically over head kicked in to the top corner to level the game up. Athletic finished the half off completely dominating the game and creating chance after chance through Dehara and Will Thomas but both teams went in level at the break.
Athletic come out in the second half like a team possessed and every single player was running and chasing the ball down and this saw chances from Bennett and Harry Priddle but still Stones kept them at bay. It took fifteen minutes in for Athletic to take the lead when Bennett made a run down the left and cross but Thomas missed the flight of the ball but Stones clearance found Priddle 20 yards out and hit fired in to take the lead.
Athletic didn't settle for two and sub Liam King made some excellent individual runs that come close to extending the lead but only for great last ditch tackles. Dover sealed the points when excellent Aaron Simpson made a run from right back and his cross found Dehara and he fired home a half volley to make it 3-1 and to send players and parents crazy. Manager Will Graham wants to point out this was a fantastic performance from the team and the team are a credit to Dover Athletic Football Club.
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