Dorset 0 - 4 Kent

By Ken Brooke. Sunday, 16 November 2008

Kent through to last 16 of County Youth Cup

Kent earned an away tie with Oxford in the FA County Youth Cup on Saturday with a convincing 4 - 0 win at Dorset.

This was an excellent all round team effort by the lads who played the better football throughout the game and could have scored a lot more goals but for the excellent goalkeeper from Dorset and some missed chances from the team.

The first goal was scored on 10 minutes when an inswinging corner from Harry Harding found its way into the Dorset net. It was felt that the final touch came off a Dorset defender so the "dubious goals" panel will decide soon whether to award the goal to Harry!

Some neat forward play involving Alex Flisher, Harry, Tom Phipp and Andy Williams saw Kent set up a number of chances as our dominant football failed to secure the all important second goal. It did come however, on 40 minutes when Rob Carter added to his growing reputation as a goalscorer scored from a Harding corner!

The second half became a little scrappy as a number of hefty challenges from Dorset tried to unsettle the players. However, the lads rose to the challenge and would not be intimidated and still played some good football. In the second half we got Steve Brading more into the game and Steve created some good chances with neat play and crosses.

Sam Cliff replaced Andy Williams who did his usual excellent job leading the line and he took over where Andy left off, causing  a lot of problems to the Dorset back four.

It took until 80 minutes for the game to be sealed when Tom Phipp curled an exquisite chip into the top corner of the goal. However the best was saved to last as Harry skipped around 2 defenders before taking the ball around the Dorset keeper and rolling the ball into an empty net. That was one of 122 times that Harry had the ball in the game! Who says we can't bring OPTA stats to County football! It sealed a superb squad effort, with Michael Scott and Perry Scofield-Lamoon both not able to play in the game, but there to support the other 16 players.

A special mention to Tom Parkinson who captained the side superbly in Michael's absence despite "friendly" stick from the Dorset bench, and Pat Taylor who put in a really good performance at right back building on the confidence he brought back from Jersey to prove to himself he can play at this level.

A really well organised professional performance off the pitch with the coach arriving 2 hours before kick off which allowed the players enough time to prepare properly for the game.

I understand that we now play Oxford away and look forward to the next challenge for this exciting and talented group of players. We now have a tremendously strong squad built around Denty's great strength in midfield and the experience of the seniors along with of course the talents of young Harding who continues to make difficult things look easy! All comments about the players were of course written by the players themselves!!!!! (LOL!!).

Thanks to my coaching staff Gary Farr, Simon Balsdon and our Physio Chris Watson for their continued and hard work behind the scenes, those Parents who came to support us, Diane for supplying food for the boys, the Committee members who gave up their time, and to Colin,Ken and Sandra for all their hard work organising the day. Team Kent is moving onwards and upwards.

Team: Deren Ibrahim, Pat Taylor, Jake Marsh, Karl Dent, Tom Parkinson, Rob Carter, Steve Brading, Harry Harding, Andrew Williams, Tom Phipp, Alex Flisher. Subs: Sam Cliff (Andy), Adam Woollcott (Steve), George Mitchell (Rob), Callum Crutchfield, Jack Rankin.

Yellow Cards: Tom Phipp, Karl Dent.

Scorers: Own Goal, Rob Carter, Tom Phipp, Harry Harding

Ken