DFDS Kent Senior Trophy – 2023/24
Fixtures and Results for the 2023/24 Kent Senior Trophy
FINAL
Erith Town 3-2 Croydon
Gallagher Stadium, Maidstone
Sunday 14th April
Erith Town are double cup champions after lifting the Kent Senior Trophy following an epic final at Maidstone.
The match was less than a minute old when we saw the first goal of the game, and it was a stunning one, when Ryan Palmer struck from 30 yards to give Croydon a surprise lead.
The Dockers battled back and were quickly on parity when Ollie Milton reacted quickest to a shot that rebounded off the crossbar.
The Trams closed out the first half on top but couldn’t beat Mackenzie Foley again before the break.
However, after the restart Foley was beaten and Croydon again had the lead.
A deep cross was headed back along the goal line and Uli Fischer slid in to put the Trams ahead.
Erith Town responded well and George Kamurasi was called into action more than once to keep his side in front.
Eventually the Dockers found a way through.
With 10 minutes to play James Dyer got the leveller and the same man then went on to hit the winner, meaning Erith Town are the 2023/24 Kent Senior Trophy winners!
SEMI FINALS
Erith Town 8-2 Larkfield & New Hythe
Whitstable Town 1-2 Croydon
The Kent Senior Trophy Final will be between Erith Town and Croydon, after both booked their places this week.
The first team through to the final were Erith Town, following their comprehensive win over Larkfield & New Hythe.
The Dockers ran out 8-2 winners after racing into a three-goal lead inside 19 minutes and were 8-0 ahead just after the hour mark.
Harry Taylor led the way with a hat-trick, James Dyer scored twice with Ladic Melconian, Ollie Milton and Jake Lovell rounding off their tally. A Matt Day penalty and Kwasi Amaoh added consolation goals for Larkfield in the last seven minutes. Larkfield had keeper Jordan Carey red-carded when it was 5-0.
Croydon completed an excellent few days for the club when winning 2-1 at Whitstable Town, and in doing so booked their second Cup Final appearance of the season.
Man of the moment, Ryan Hall, got the 53rd minute opener and Ryan Palmer doubled the Trams lead from the spot soon after. A Harvey Smith close range finish set up a tense finish to the game but Croydon held their nerve, caused a surprise result and booked another Cup Final spot.
QUARTER FINALS
(Saturday 20th January)
Whitstable Town 3-1 Faversham Strike Force
Erith Town 2-0 Snodland Town
Hollands & Blair 0-2 Croydon
Lordswood 1-4 Larkfield & New Hythe
Croydon were the first team to earn a semi-final spot when they won 2-0 away at Hollands & Blair. Uli Fischer and Athan Smith-Joseph got the goals for the Trams, both in the second half.
Larkfield & New Hythe were comfortable winners at Lordswood – despite going behind to a Callum Peck goal. Tyler Ibe netted a double for the Larks with Matt Day and Kwasi Amoah also on target in a 4-1 success.
Whitstable Town made it through, but needed Extra Time to overcome Faversham Strike Force. Marshall Wratten gave the First Division side the lead before Emmanuel Oloyede levelled in normal time. Liam Gillies and Josh Williams got the goals in the extra period seeing Whitstable into the last four.
Erith Town beat Snodland Town 2-0 in the final game of the round. Ollie Milton got both of the goals for the Dockers, each in the second half.
SECOND ROUND
(Saturday 25th November)
Whitstable Town 4-1 Bearsted
Snodland Town 2-1 Kennington
Hollands And Blair (p)3-3 K Sports
Erith Town 2-0 Fisher
Croydon FC 5-3(AET) Canterbury City
Faversham Town 0-2 Lordswood
Larkfield And New Hythe 2-0 Corinthian
Faversham Strike Force 1-0 West Wickham
In a thrilling encounter, Croydon emerged victorious against Canterbury City by a 5-3 scoreline. Ryan Palmer and David Green scored for Croydon, but James Ayetine stole the spotlight with a hat-trick in extra time, securing their win. Erith Town secured a 2-0 victory over Fisher, with goals from Tom Ash and Joe Chalker. Lordswood were triumphant at Faversham Town with a 2-0 scoreline, courtesy of Rahman Kareem and Callum Peck. Hollands & Blair and K Sports battled to a 3-3 draw after extra time, but Blair clinched the win 4-3 on penalties.
Snodland Town secured a 2-1 victory over Kennington, with Francis Babalola and Matt Gething finding the net. Whitstable Town dominated Bearsted with a convincing 4-1 win, featuring goals from Emmanel Oloyede, Harvey Smith, Josh Oliver (twice), Alfie Eldridge claimed Bearsted’s consolation.
The final game in this round was between Larkfield & New Hythe and Corinthian – and it went the way of the First Division side. Matt Day scored a double for Larkfield, who next-up visit Lordswood.
FIRST ROUND
(Saturday 14th October)
Whitstable Town 4-2 Tunbridge Wells
Fisher 1-1 Stansfeld
Deal Town 1-2 Snodland Town
Rochester United 1-2 Croydon
West Wickham 6-1 Welling Town
Canterbury City 1-0 Rusthall
Greenways 4-7 Kennington
Staplehurst Monarchs 1-2 K Sports
Hollands & Blair 2-0 VCD Athletic
Glebe 1-2 Corinthian
Sutton Athletic 1-6 Erith Town
SC Thamesmead 0-5 Bearsted
Lydd Town 0-1 Larkfield & New Hythe
Lewisham Borough 3-3 Lordswood
Faversham Town 4-1 Kent United
Faversham Strike Force 3-1 FC Elmstead
There were plenty of goals in the Kent Senior Trophy with all numbers from 0 to 7 hit on an entertaining First Round day.
Kennington got the 7 as they made it past Greenways in an 11-goal classic. Finn Dent and Ryan Philpott each netted twice for ‘Ton’, who were 5-0 up before Greenways staged an impressive attempt at a comeback.
Welling Town were hit for 6 at West Wickham as were Sutton Athletic by Erith Town, with Henry Arnold claiming a hat-trick for the Dockers.
Nathan Palmer grabbed a brace as Bearsted won 5-0 at SC Thamesmead and Warren Mfula scored two as Faversham Town beat Kent United 4-1.
Josh Oliver was the hat-trick hero for Whitstable Town, in a 4-2 success and Harvey Welford got both goals for Hollands & Blair, as they saw off VCD Athletic.
Four teams were narrow 2-1 winners, all of the away from home. Jack Bath got a late winner for Snodland Town at Deal Town, Luke Adams hot the winner for Corinthian at Glebe, Uli Fischer and David Green found the net for Croydon at Rochester United and Joe Ganiwa nicked the winner for K Sports at Staplehurst Monarchs.
Larkfield & New Hythe were 1-0 victors at Lydd Town, Joe Bingham got the goal, and Harry Bradford was the scorer for Canterbury City in their 1-0 home win against Rusthall.
Two games finished level and went to added time. Callum Peck scored a 4 for Lordswood at Lewisham Borough. It was 3-3 at 90 minutes but the Lords took it in extra time. At St Pauls, Fisher and Stansfeld finished level and needed a penalty shoot-out to separate them. Fisher edged it 5-4 and will join 15 other sides in the Second Round Draw.
On Wednesday night Faversham Strike Force came from behind to beat FC Elmstead, with Marshall Wratten scoring twice for the victors.
PRELIMINARY ROUND
(Saturday 16th September)
Deal Town 4-3 Holmesdale
Meridian VP 3-7 Lydd Town
A Rory Smith double plus goals from Aaron Millbank and Tom Chapman helped Deal Town get past Holmesdale while tit was an even bigger goalfest in the other game where Luke Burdon and Johan Ter Horst each claimed a brace for Lydd Town in a 7-3 win at Meridian VP.
