Belli Cup

Dartmouth AFC 1,

Waldon Athletic 2

(after extra time)

Dartmouth AFC were defeated 1-2 in the semi-final of the George Belli Cup in a tightly contested match against Herald Cup winners Waldon Athletic at Long­cross on Saturday.

Dartmouth welcomed Lee Fenner, Freddie Smith and Charlie Smith into the team as they made three changes from last week’s postponed fixture.

The home side started the brighter of the two teams and winger Charlie Smith created the first chance of the game. His quick feet opened up some space inside the area and his pull back was almost diverted into the net by a Waldon player.

Lone striker for the day Josh Webber was working hard up front as he looked to create some space for Ben Greeno, Sheridan Gagg and Mark Forrester to feed balls in behind the Waldon defence, but he was well marshalled on a number of occasions.

Waldon gradually began to get a foothold in the game and the big talking point arrived on the half hour.

The away full-back thought he had given his side the lead, but thankfully for Dart­mouth linesman Alan Wadeson had rightly adjudged the ball to have gone out of play before it was knocked into the net.

This seemed to spice up the match and it was the away side that came close to opening the scoreline just before the half-time whistle.

The central midfielder broke free but was denied by a fabulous low save by ‘keeper Ryan Walton.

Dartmouth returned from the break looking to gain the initiative in the contest and started to utilise Ryan Frost and Charlie Smith on the wings.

Five minutes into the second half Smith’s cross into the penalty area was parried straight to the feet of Greeno, but he scuffed his effort with the goal gaping.

Jordan Frost and Danny Rushe were both having brilliant games at the heart of the defence as they restricted their opponents to very few shots at goal, and it was Rushe who came close to opening the scoring down the other end of the field when he could only head Webber’s excellent corner over the crossbar.

The first goal of the game arrived on the hour mark and it was only the second time Dartmouth had conceded the first goal this season.

Ex-Dartmouth player Spike Bond found room around the penalty area and lashed his shot underneath the reach of Walton to hand Waldon the lead.

Dartmouth’s response was immediate as they began to move the ball around with more urgency without creating too many clear-cut chances.

That said, with five minutes left of normal time Webber latched on to a hopeful ball downfield to loop his header over the away ‘keeper to force extra time. This was just rewards for a player who hadn’t stopped running all game.

The first period of extra time brought little goalmouth action until a cross-field pass picked out another ex-Dart­mouth player, Chris Harrity, who took a touch before coolly slotting beyond Walton.

The home side pushed men forward in search of an equalising goal and were handed the perfect opportunity in the 119th minute. Ryan Frost was dragged to the deck in the penalty area and he stepped up confidently to take the resulting spot kick.

However, there was to be another twist in this en­thralling encounter when his penalty kick smacked the face of the crossbar before bouncing away to safety to hand Waldon their place in the final.

Dartmouth had to settle for a point at home to Upton Athletic in the league on Tuesday night and face another tricky fixture this weekend when they travel to face third-placed Buckland Ath­letic reserves in an important Premier Division fixture.

Kick off is at 2.30pm.