AFC 2, Dartford 2 - Match report
A highly controversial equalising goal earned leaders Dartford a share of the spoils in this top-of-the-table clash at King's Marsh Stadium on Saturday.
It means that the Kent side remain five points clear in Ryman League division one north, although AFC have a match in hand.
Despite the controversy over Dartford's equaliser a draw was just about a fair result from a pulsating contest played in a good spirit in front of 738 fans, a league record for the stadium.
With over 300 of them Dartford fans – the club regularly attract sfour-figure gates at home games – there was a teriffic atmosphere.
AFC skipper David Head moved into a central defensive role, replacing the injured Kevin Hughes, while Brett Girling and Matty Clements both returned from injury.
Dartford were at full strength, which meant that league's top two goal scorers were on show, Dartford's Brendan Cass with 24 to his name going into the match and James Rowe for the home side who was four behind.
Rowe was one of AFC's many heroes, netting both his team's goals, while Cass was the scorer of Dartford's controversial equaliser.
Weatherwise it was a perfect afternoon, but the King's Marsh pitch was not at its best having failed to recover from being played upon in very wet conditions three weeks earlier.
Despite this both teams served up plenty of entertaining football with the result in doubt until the final whistle.
Dartford kicked off with a bright sun in their faces and they had the best of the early exchanges, although neither side threatened until the visitors forced three corners in quick succession after 18 minutes.
These were well flighted and tested the home defence to the full, with the dangerous Cass a constant threat although in the main he was well marked.
Dartford opened the scoring in the 23rd minute after Stuart Boardley was adjudged to have fouled in the centre circle.
It looked a harsh decision and the resulting free kick was floated high into the AFC penalty area, where Dartford's tall central defender John Guest just got enough on the ball to divert it into the net past Dean Neil who was rooted to his line. It was a soft goal to concede.
The Dartford lead lasted a mere seven minutes. Several promising AFC attacks had broken down at the vital time, but on the half-hour a quick counter-attack was finished off superbly by Rowe, who got between two defenders to beat Tony Kessell with a fine finish.
Dartford replied by winning another corner, but that was easily dealt with before AFC enjoyed a good spell of pressure. Clements forced Kessell to save at the expense of a right-wing corner, and from it AFC took a 2-1 lead.
The Dartford keeper failed to hold the corner under pressure, and the ball dropped to Rowe who, despite having his back to goal, found the roof of the net with a superb overhead kick.
Dartford responded with a series of attacks that saw Junior Kadi hook wide from a good position, and a last-ditch tackle by Sheridan Driver robbed Paul Williams as he was about to let fly.
Another Dartford free kick was scrambled away, only as far as Jay May who rifled his shot over. Another good tackle by Driver on Williams looked to have preserved AFC’s lead as the match went into first-half stoppage time, only for Dartford to equalise in the most controversial of circumstances.
Cass latched on to a square pass in front of goal. He was quickly closed down by Neil on his six-yard line partially blocking his shot, and the ball bounced goalwards. David Head got back to make a superb clearance before it had crossed the line.
Referee Graham Atkins instantly awarded a goal despite being some distance from the action, in fact well outside the penalty area.
Needless to say the AFC players protested and persuaded the Southend official to speak to his assistant, Darren Stobbart, who had not signalled a goal. But after consultation the goal was allowed to stand.
Even the massed ranks of Dartford supporters behind the goal were surprised at the decision. It was the talk of the half-time interval during which photographic evidence confirmed the ball had not crossed the line.
After such a pulsating first half the second period was always likely to be a bit of an anti-climax. Nevertheless, despite being goalless, it was fine entertainment for the large crowd. Defences generally dominated, and as a result few clear cut chances were created.
The closest Dartford came to scoring a winner came from May who had a close-range effort superbly cleared off the line by Luke Hammond, while at the other end just before the final whistle Gareth Heath brought a superb flying save from Kessell to leave honours even in a match that was a fine advert for non-league football.
AFC Sudbury: Neil; Driver, Wardley, Hammond, Girling, Head, Heath, Clements (S Head 66), Simpson, Rowe, Boardley. Subs (not used): P Smith, Bacon, N Smith, Munson.
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Weather for Sudbury
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -2 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light sleet showers
Temperature: 0 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: West
