Dartford 6 Whitstable Town 1 Kent Senior Cup final 2019/20 match report
21:37, 24 November 2021
updated: 09:24, 25 November 2021
Jake Robinson marked his return to full fitness with a hat-trick as Dartford brushed Whitstable aside in the delayed 2019/20 Kent Senior Cup final on Wednesday.
Robinson featured in last week’s London Senior Cup thumping of Cockfosters and was at the fore as Darts won the county’s senior competition for the first time since 2016.
Two divisions separate the sides but they were miles apart on the pitch as Dartford never looked like taking their foot off the pedal.
It took just two minutes for Darts to find the breakthrough. Keiran Murtagh’s right-foot shot came back off the bar and was never cleared. Danny Leonard worked himself room on the edge of the area and sent a stunning right-foot strike into the top corner.
Whitstable’s Tom Carlton was allowed space to run from near halfway before his shot was beaten away by keeper Dan Wilks.
But the one-way traffic quickly continued. Robinson’s turn in the box ended with a fine save by keeper Dan Eason.
A needless foul on Tyrique Hyde in the box by Gus Barnes presented Dartford with a spot-kick, which Robinson tucked away to make it 2-0 on 22 minutes.
Whitstable’s Kemo Darboe did well not to follow team-mate Jake Mackenzie into the book for a high challenge on Hyde, who was intent on exacting revenge by constantly driving into the box looking for more goals.
Whitstable had chances to put more pressure on Dartford but Danny Walder wasted two corners with poor deliveries and there was nothing the Oystermen could do at the other end to stem the tidal wave of attacks.
George Porter and Hyde were both denied before Robinson slid into convert Hyde’s wayward shot on 33 minutes.
It was 4-0 on 39 minutes, Porter heading in at the near post from an attack started by left-back Michael Kedman’s driving run.
The fifth arrived a minute before the break, Hyde playing a one-two with Robinson before slotting into the far corner.
While Carlton went close with another long-range effort for Whitstable, the scoreline was a true reflection of Dartford’s dominance.
Robinson took nine second-half minutes to complete his hat-trick, curling a right-foot shot beyond the reach of Eason to add a sixth goal for Dartford.
Whitstable’s Walder showed his class just before the hour mark to open the scoring for Keith McMahon’s side. He struck an excellent right-foot free-kick over the wall and into the bottom corner from 30 yards, leaving Wilks rooted to the spot.
McMahon would have been pleased by Whitstable’s spirited finale to the contest, Alex Gaggin’s weavy run went without reward and Jake Mackenzie got back well to thwart Darts substitute Dan Roberts.
Striker Roberts was denied twice by Eason late on and the offside flag saw Robinson miss out on what he thought was his fourth of the night.
Dartford: Wilks, Clarke, Vint (Essam 46mins), Bonner, Kedman, Leonard, Murtagh, Hyde (Husin 68mins), Theobalds, Leonard, Robinson, Porter (Roberts 63mins). Subs not used: Azeez, Wanadio.
Whitstable: Eason, Barnes (Brown 46mins), Thomas, Mills, Mackenzie, Cham (Erutor 63mins), Walder, Illsey (Aiyelabola 46mins), Gaggin, Carlton, Darboe. Subs not used: Goodger, McIlroy.
Referee: Simon Finnigan.
Attendane: 757.
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