Lelia Awan scored twice in seven minutes and Jade Charlton saved a penalty as Dartford beat Crystal Palace PGA 4-1 for their first win of the season.

Dartford’s women’s team have their first competitive win. They beat Crystal Palace PGA 4-1 at Bericote Powerhouse Princes Park on Wednesday 26 August in the Women’s National League League Cup, after going a goal down early.

All four came in the last half hour. Lelia Awan scored on 60 and 67 minutes to turn the game round, Shauni Griffiths curled in the third on 79, and Rochelle Mayne finished it on 90. In between, at 2-1, goalkeeper Jade Charlton saved a penalty.

The club’s own report says the team “put in a terrific performance” and that the players “battled hard” after conceding first, with Palace’s opener coming against the run of play.

Timeline of Dartford 4 Crystal Palace PGA 1: Palace led first, then Lelia Awan scored on 60 and 67 minutes, Shauni Griffiths on 79 and Rochelle Mayne on 90
When the goals came. Times from Dartford FC's own match report. Graphic by Dartford Online.

Why it matters here

This is Dartford’s first season in the FA Women’s National League, and until Wednesday they had not won a competitive match. The season so far:

  • 16 August: Dartford 1 Dulwich Hamlet 1 (National League Division One South East)
  • 23 August: Stevenage 4 Dartford 2 (National League Division One South East)
  • 26 August: Dartford 4 Crystal Palace PGA 1 (Women’s National League League Cup)

The opening league draw with Dulwich Hamlet was rescued by Charlton herself, who came up for a corner and turned in a 91st-minute equaliser in front of 305 at Princes Park. We covered that debut and the management change that followed. Three days before the Palace game, they had lost 4-2 at Stevenage.

So the pattern is a side that scores: seven goals in three competitive matches, and a comeback from behind in two of them.

What happens next in the cup

The League Cup starts as a group of four, with the best 32 teams across all the groups going through. Dartford’s remaining group fixtures, from the club’s own list:

  • Sunday 6 September, 2pm: Dulwich Hamlet away, at Champion Hill
  • Sunday 27 September, kick-off to be confirmed: AFC Wimbledon at home, Princes Park

Between those, the league resumes: QPR Women away on 13 September at the SkyEx Community Stadium, then Actonians away on 20 September at Berkley Fields, both at 2pm.

What it means for you: if you want to see the team at home, the next confirmed date at Princes Park is Sunday 27 September against AFC Wimbledon, with the kick-off time still to be published. If you were thinking of travelling to Champion Hill for the Dulwich Hamlet tie on 6 September, note that Dartford station is closed all day and there are no Southeastern trains to or from Victoria, so plan the journey before you set off.

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