Herald Cup
Dartmouth AFC 3
Dartmouth AFC managed to overcome tricky opposition to progress into the next round of the Herald Cup at the expense of last season’s beaten finalists, division one outfit Beesands Rovers.
Travelling with a squad of 13 players, including veterans Paul Smith and Darren Goss as substitutes, wasn’t ideal preparation for a Dartmouth side who were without a number of key players due to injury.
That said, they started the game on the front foot as they sought to open the scoring in the early exchanges, and on an ideal playing surface the away side didn’t take long too long to settle into their rhythm.
Mark Forrester looked to pull the strings in the middle of midfield and on a number of occasions he fed the ball into dangerous positions for lively 16-year-old winger Solley Metchette, who did well to chase and harass his defender and force a few corners for his team.
On 20 minutes Dartmouth got their just rewards for a bright start to the game.
After exchanging passes with left winger Ryan Frost, full-back Freddie Smith was upended in the area and the referee awarded the visitors a penalty kick.
With Liam McAuley absent, player-manager and captain Forrester kept up Dartmouth’s 100 per cent success rate from the penalty spot this season by placing his effort neatly into the corner to hand his team the lead.
Despite trailing, a spirited Beesands side continued to play with confidence and nearly levelled from a corner, but thankfully for the visitors the ball was cleared off the line among a melee of players.
A determined Dartmouth defence continued to deal well with the strong aerial threat that the home side possessed, with Danny Rushe in particular winning every header.
The away side doubled their lead on 35 minutes when lone striker Josh Webber picked up a loose ball on the edge of the area before turning on to his favoured left foot, and he rifled his effort beyond the home ‘keeper to extend Dartmouth’s advantage.
Half time arrived with Dartmouth in a commanding position, but they started the second period sluggishly and inadvertently invited a period of sustained Beesands pressure onto their goal.
However, Dartmouth ‘keeper Ryan Walton was claiming well off his line and looked to release the ball to full-backs Smith and Lee Kendall to mount attacks for their side.
With 20 minutes left on the clock, the hosts were handed a lifeline after central defender Jordan Frost tripped his man in the penalty area, but the resulting Lee Morgan spot kick was excellently saved by Walton to keep Dartmouth’s two-goal lead intact.
Beesands were awarded a second chance to set up a nervous last 10 minutes when Kendall was alleged to have pulled his man to the ground, and this time Morgan made no mistake in dispatching his penalty past Walton.
Central midfielders Ben Greeno and Charlie Smith looked to restore their side’s two-goal lead to relieve the pressure off of the Dartmouth defence, but it was the energetic Webber who ensured the visitors would be in the next round.
He broke free and rounded the home ‘keeper before slotting the ball away to seal victory.
Nine of Dartmouth’s starting 11 were under the age of 22, and going on this performance the club has a bright future ahead.
This weekend Dartmouth entertain Ivybridge Town reserves in the Devon Premier Cup and will be hoping to progress beyond the first round for the first time. The action gets under way at 2pm at Longcross.