Today we faced a very strong Dacorum side, which although depleted they still had a number of academy boys with the likes of Tottenham, MK Dons and Luton. The ESFA Knockout Cup covers the length of the country with 60+ associations taking part, it is the most prestigious of District competitions and usually ends up being won by one of the major cities like Liverpool (who have one District side covering the whole of the city!).

This fixture was originally going to be a double-header, covering the ESFA and League fixtures, but with Dacorum short of a couple of boys we just played the cup game (but left us with a larger squad of 14 players to juggle with!). To be fair we endured a number of injuries through the game and were glad of the numbers in the end.

The first half was a close affair, Dacorum showed they can play some good football, knocking the ball around and trying to sniff out chances, but I have to say that we defended very well through Noah, Josh, Kamau, Joseph and Arthur. We also looked dangerous on the break but without either side having a clear opportunity to open the scoring with defences on top. When you make substitutions, you want the boys entering the pitch to have an immediate impact, and so it was pleasing that at the start of the second half Max and Albert combined (great through ball from Max) and Albert didwell to switch the ball from his left to his weaker right foot before slotting home for 1-0.

We grew in confidence after this and started to trouble Dacorum defensively. Albert was put through again and the onrushing keeper brought him down right on the edge of the penalty area, I honestly couldn't say whether it was inside, on the line or outside from where I was stood but the referee adjudged it to be on the line so awarded a penalty. Albert confidentally picked the ball up and took the penalty which he struck well to leave the keeper with no chance for 2-0.

But Dacorum were still in the game and were lookig more and more dangerous as the game went on, and we had to scramble the ball clear on more than one occasion as they pressed. But after battling so well defensively, the game was made (relatively) safe when Max Douglass went on a run and just as it looked like he would lose the ball he poked it past a defender and the keeper and it trickled in off the post for 3-0. Although the scoreline looked safe enough, Dacorum really rallied well in the last 15 minutes and hit the crossbar at least four times. They also had a penalty which came back off of the right post.

But we saw the game out in the end and now progress to the second round against Wokingham. Everyone played well today, but a few exceptional performances from Arthur, Joshua, Noah and Kamau - and great finishing from two subs Albert and Max.