Dartford 1-1 Fulham Women

Fulham FC Women travelled to Dartford for the first of two meetings in two weeks to face a side sitting second - one place above the Whites - in the London & South East Regional Women’s League.  

If ever a game could have used the assistance of VAR, this was it. The match started frenetically, both sides vying for possession and the hosts applying a pressure that, for the first five minutes, stopped Fulham from fully settling in.  Once they did, there were menacing flashes – Oana Negrea had an early run-on goal but her shot strayed frustratingly long while her pass in the 10^th minute was picked up Helen Ogle who delivered a right footed cross that struck threateningly close to goal and almost beat the Dartford keeper. 

A questionable challenge on Ogle a couple of minutes later, went unpunished and Dartford broke, immediately looking for the chance to go one up, but their player’s shot went wide of the Fulham post. Fulham’s confidence grew and the breakthrough came in the 20^th minute when Ellie Olds found space in the box, neatly fooling the keeper, to score her sixth goal in three matches.  

 Negrea linked up once more with Ogle in the 25^th minute, her corner finding the number 7, but the angle of the header not precise enough to beat the keeper. In the 31^st minute, Georgia Heasman swiped the ball from the Dartford midfield, her intercepting pass just too long for Olds. Negrea and Becky Stormer appeared everywhere, dashing around the midfield and blocking every possible attack, before the game paused in the 35^th minute when Chloé Christison-McNee fell injured after a late tackle. McNee was eventually forced to retire in 41^st minute and Annie Thomas joined the action. Thomas was immediately caught up in a Fulham attack, finding Heasman who’s perfectly-timed cross was picked up by Negrea. The number 21’s forceful shot was denied just before half time. 

The hosts came out fighting in the second half and straightaway pushed Fulham back to defend. In the 53^rd minute, a Dartford attempt hit the cross bar, and a rebound shot was safely picked up by Edie Kelly, who’s strong performance for the next 30 minutes continued to frustrate Dartford and kept Fulham’s narrow lead. Two shots on target in the 59^th and 61^st minutes looked sure to beat the Whites, but Kelly kept her cool, confidently collecting both.

Tensions grew in the 65^th minute when a midfield tussle between Stormer and Dartford’s Dyett ended with Fulham’s number 8 going down, but a free kick was awarded to the hosts. Minutes later, Megalie Mendes received a yellow card for displaying frustration, and the pressure eventually caught the better of Fulham who conceded the equaliser in the 75^th minute.  

Both sides were tiring after end-to-end action but Fulham didn’t give way and had three excellent chances to take the game. The first came in the 79^th minute when Heasman beat two defenders to get free in the box, but the keeper came out to claim the ball before she could take her shot.  Kate Foster's acrobatic attempt almost found the net in the 86^th minute and moments later, Thomas drove a close-range header which nearly crossed the line. The final whistle marked the end of a frustrating 90 minutes, but the resilient Whites displayed a performance that any team would be proud of.   

Fulham are next in league action against the New London Lionesses at Motspur Park on Sunday 17^th October.