Under a light drizzle and on soft ground, Dartfordians U16 Girls faced their biggest test of the season in the National Cup. With a place in the next round at stake, this "all or nothing" game saw Dartfordians deliver a commanding performance against a strong TJ’s Academy side.

First Half
TJ’s Academy kicked off, and Dartfordians had an early stumble with a knock-on, giving TJ’s a scrum in a promising position. However, Dartfordians quickly asserted their dominance in the set-piece, with powerful scrummaging setting the tone for the day.

An early scare saw Miley go down injured, but thankfully it was nothing serious. Casey came on to fill in as Dartfordians regrouped. A textbook cross-field play following a TJ’s offside penalty saw Ife dive over to give Dartfordians an early lead. Dartfordians were up 5-0.

TJ’s discipline issues continued, with a high tackle on Katie allowing Dartfordians to maintain pressure. Although a promising attack ended in touch, TJ’s errors in the lineout handed the ball back. Amelia soon added to the scoreline with a well-taken try, which Anna converted, making it 12-0.

From the restart, TJ’s were penalised again, but Dartfordians returned the favour for holding on. After a series of turnovers and scrappy exchanges, Chloe broke through the defence to score her first try of the game, extending the lead to 17-0. Miley returned to the field and made an immediate impact, shaking off a monster tackle before Dartfordians regained possession. Chloe’s quick thinking saw her dummy the defence to score under the posts, with Anna adding the extras for a commanding 24-0 lead.

With halftime approaching, Martha put in a huge tackles, Miley’s opportunistic play off a TJ’s knock-on allowed Chloe to secure her hat-trick. Dartfordians led 29-0 at halftime, with the drizzle doing little to dampen their spirits.

Second Half
The second half began with scrappy play from both sides as the conditions underfoot worsened. Dartfordians regrouped and regained control. Miley, back in top form, stormed over the line for her first try, and Anna’s reliable boot brought the score to 36-0.

TJ’s showed more attacking intent as the half progressed, capitalising on a Dartfordians error to score a hard-fought try, converted neatly to make it 36-7. Dartfordians’ defence remained resilient despite some lapses in focus, with big tackles and cover defence snuffing out TJ’s late efforts.

Katie’s brilliant lineout steal in the dying moments epitomised Dartfordians’ determination, and while the drizzle continued to fall, the final whistle confirmed a superb victory.

Final Whistle
Dartfordians’ mix of skill, power, and composure saw them through to the next round of the National Cup with a 36-7 win. The light rain may have made conditions tricky, but it did little to dampen the enthusiasm of the players and the roaring supporters.

Player Highlights

Chloe: Hat-trick hero and attacking dynamo. Her sharp thinking and finishing were unmatched.
Miley: Recovered from an early injury to dominate the game with crucial runs and a try.
Anna: A flawless kicking performance, converting key opportunities to extend the lead.
Martha: A defensive stalwart, delivering massive tackles to keep TJ’s on the back foot.

Dartfordians roll on with their sights set on the National Cup title. COYD!

Follow Dartfordians U16 Girls in the National Cup.