Leiston hosted Dartford in the FA Trophy final on September 26th, but the visitors took the trophy home with a 3-0 victory. The match ended without any dramatic controversy, just a straightforward demonstration of quality when it mattered most. And here's the thing — the statistics tell only part of the story.
Leiston controlled 56 per cent of possession and registered 88 attacks compared to Dartford's 81, yet the scoreboard reflected something very different. The hosts had zero corners while their opponents managed one. To be fair, possession doesn't always correlate with scoring, but this gap felt wider than usual.
Dartford's efficiency was the defining feature. They converted their opportunities without needing to dominate the ball. Leiston picked up two yellow cards during what was otherwise a clean contest — no red cards for either side. By then, the result felt inevitable rather than surprising.
Both teams arrived in decent form. Leiston had beaten Hitting Town 2-1 and thrashed Grace Athletic 5-0 in their recent outings. Dartford came off a 4-2 win against Hayes & Ealing United and had secured a 2-0 victory over Westfield Surrey. The quality was evident in both squads.
The final scoreline of 3-0 leaves Dartford as holders of the FA Trophy. Leiston's home advantage meant nothing against a side that knew how to finish. The goal difference tells you everything about where the match was won and lost.
