University of Kent Staff were looking to make it two wins in a row in the FA Recreational Cup with a Friday night fixture against charity side Abigail’s Footsteps.
Abigail’s Footsteps started on the front foot and dominated much of the opening 20 minutes, enjoying plenty of possession without seriously testing goalkeeper Joel Hughes. Their pressure eventually told around the 20-minute mark, when a well-delivered cross was met by their striker, who finished neatly on the volley to give the visitors the lead.
Kent were forced to soak up pressure as Abigail’s Footsteps continued to play in the channels and look for crosses into the box. Despite having less of the ball, Kent looked dangerous on the counter, aiming to use their quality in the middle of the pitch.
The game then swung in Kent’s favour as they burst into life with two quick goals from Sam Stevens and Sam Beard. Both strikes came from long range and shifted the momentum firmly towards the hosts, who began to grow in confidence and push forward.
Kent carried that momentum into the second half and extended their lead through a well-taken goal from Ben Nash, making it 3-1 and putting Kent in a strong position.
However, Abigail’s Footsteps showed responded with two quick goals of their own, levelling the match at 3-3 despite Kent’s best efforts to regain control.
With the game finely balanced heading into the final moments, the decisive moment came in the last minute when the ball fell kindly to the Abigail’s Footsteps striker, who fired home to make it 4-3. Disaster for Kent!
It was a tough result for Kent to take, as a determined and battling performance arguably deserved at least a point. The defeat sees Abigail’s Footsteps leapfrog Kent to the top of the group.
Full time: University of Kent Staff 3-4 Abigail’s Footsteps
Next up for University of Kent Staff is a January fixture against South East Water, where they will look to bounce back and get their cup campaign back on track.
The FA Recreational Cup is an FA-run competition aimed at providing staff with the opportunity to play semi-competitive 11-a-side football. Alongside the cup fixtures, the team also plays friendly matches throughout the year.
If you would like to get involved, please contact the Sports Development team via email (sportsdevelopment@kent.ac.uk)