Dartford FC Previews -

Dartford v Eastbourne Borough

November 5, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

Dartford welcome back a former manager when Eastbourne Borough visit Princes Park this weekend.

Last time out, the Darts ended a run of three straight league losses and four consecutive defeats on the road in all competitions. Victory over Lewes on Tuesday night put Greenhalgh’s side level on points with their midweek opponents to maintain fifth spot in the Isthmian Premier.

In the opposite dugout former Dartford boss Steve King will lead the Sports, who have found their stride since relegation from the National South. The in form team of the division will arrive with confidence having racked up an impressive eight consecutive league wins.

A Win Away

The Dripping Pan hasn’t been a successful venue for the Darts in the past, but they were put in a great position to claim a first league win at Lewes inside half an hour. Player manager, Greenhalgh hit a fine strike to open the scoring and record a seventh goal of the season for the midfielder. Dan Smith doubled the advantage with his second in as many games. The visitors conceded with eight minutes left as Brian Garzon set up a nervous finish.

Captain, Ben Swift was back in the side after a lengthy injury. The central defender returned to partner Joe Tennent for the first time in just over two months. George Whitefield also came back into the team after serving his suspension. Fresh from scoring on the weekend Dan Smith was selected up front, whilst Brandon Davey and Tyler Ibe made the starting lineup too.

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Highlights courtesy of Lewes FC TV

Cause for Optimism

Greenhalgh will feel relief after Tuesday night’s triumph as it ended a poor run of league form that has seen Dartford slip off the pace. The Darts boss would have taken positives from the fact his side progressed in two cup competitions and despite defeat at Aveley they still managed to score ten goals in those three matches.

Beating Lewes 2-1 is probably one of Dartford’s best results so far this campaign along with the impressive display at Enfield Town. Ryan Sandford’s last league clean sheet was in the 2-0 win versus the Towners, he will be hoping to add another against his former side on Saturday.

Barzey’s Brilliance

Dartford’s last visit to Priory Lane came just over three years ago. The National South fixture in October 2023 finished 1-1 and at the time had the Darts three points shy of a playoff position. Fletcher Holman took advantage of poor defending from the visitors to give the Sports an early second half lead. However, a skillful bit of play from Brandon Barzey earned a point for Dartford.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Bamba’s Samba

By the time the reverse fixture came around the landscape had dramatically changed for both sides. A relegation six pointer was played out on Easter Monday and by the end of the afternoon the situation worsened for The Darts. A brace from Yahya Bamba in a 2-0 victory for Eastbourne Borough saw the Sports climb out of the bottom four at Dartford’s expense. The Darts never recovered and by the end of the campaign were relegated from the National South.

King’s Reign

Five years earlier with Dartford struggling under Adam Flanagan and Jamie Coyle, a change of manager was deemed necessary and Steve King arrived at Princes Park. During his time in Kent, the Darts enjoyed successes and near misses. Under King, Dartford won two Kent Senior Cup titles scoring six in both finals and reached the National South playoff final before losing on penalties. In all competitions King had a 54% win rate and his record at Princes Park was exemplary, just seven league defeats in 44 home matches.

Helping King to achieve some of that success was Darren McQueen, who scored 30 goals for the Darts in 76 appearances over two spells. The striker, now at Eastbourne Borough was already at Princes Park when King took over and provided a strong partnership with Elliott Romain. Liam Nash is another ex Dartford player with the Sports, although he wasn’t part of King’s squads. Nash scored five goals in 11 appearances, but this season he has been out with a fractured shoulder.

Unstoppable Sports

Eastbourne Borough are the form side in the division having won their last eight league games. The latest triumph came on Tuesday evening against struggling Stanway Rovers. Shayon Harrison was rewarded for his weekend brace with a start and McQueen was also part of the starting eleven. The Sports found a breakthrough in the closing stages of the first half. Josh Rees volleyed home the only goal of the game and his seventh of the campaign.

Borough on a Roll

Like most successful Steve King sides home form has been excellent for the Sports this term. Only Leatherhead have left Priory Lane with maximum points in a 1-0 win on Bank Holiday weekend. That came during a run of three consecutive defeats home and away, including a Bank Holiday Monday loss over rivals Lewes, however since then Eastbourne Borough have been flawless.

Cheshunt and Chatham Town were dispatched before Carshalton Athletic were handsomely beaten 4-0 on their own patch. The Sports got the better of an in form Welling United team, then claimed two more away wins against Three Bridges, then Maldon and Tiptree.

Last weekend, King’s side defeated another former Dartford manager, Adrian Pennock with two late goals. Harrison scored in the 88th and 92nd minutes to claim a 2-0 win at home to Ramsgate.

Player Manager’s View

Ben Greenhalgh was in reflective mood after the Lewes game and pleased with his team’s desire and work ethic, he spoke to Dartford FC TV and said: “August and September was a massive positive. October was a massive negative, and we know that. It hurt us as much as anyone else. But that’s when we need to stick together. That’s everyone, that’s us as a club. I have to add the boys have stuck together”.

Greenhalgh believes his players will be ready for an Eastbourne Borough side on a winning streak and is keen to get the ‘buzz’ back at Princes Park, he commented: “We don’t fear anyone is this league and I think we’ve been obvious with that. We’ve been relentless”.

He added: “When you look at us and what we can do when we’re on it, let’s look back on that Carshalton away. Let’s look back on that Enfield away. For me Enfield looked like an amazing team this season and we took it to them and we were the better team on the night and we were really organised”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Team News

Ben Swift completed 70 minutes in his comeback game against Lewes on Tuesday evening. Sam Odaudu and Vladimir Paternoster were not fit enough to be part of the squad.

Current League Form

DARTFORD (LWLLLW)			EASTBOURNE BOROUGH (WWWWWW)
Lewes	A	2-1	Stanway Rovers	H	1-0
Aveley	A	3-4	Ramsgate	H	2-0
Brentwood Town	A	0-3	Maldon & Tiptree	A	2-1
AFC Whyteleafe	A	1-2	Three Bridges	A	2-0
Wingate & Finchley	H	2-1	Welling United	H	1-0
Ramsgate	H	1-2	Whitehawk	A	4-0

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 15 / Eastbourne Borough wins: 10 / Draws: 5

Previous Meetings

Dartford 0 – 1 Eastbourne Borough (01/04/2024 – National South)
Eastbourne Borough 1 – 1 Dartford (24/10/2023 – National South)
Eastbourne Borough 2 – 1 Dartford (07/04/2023 – National South)
Dartford 2 – 1 Eastbourne Borough (27/09/2022 – National South)
Eastbourne Borough 2 – 7 Dartford (07/05/2022 – National South)
Dartford 3 – 1 Eastbourne Borough (30/08/2021 – National South)

Statistics

Dartford are winless in their last three matches against Eastbourne Borough (D1, L2)
The Darts have won just one of their last four visits to Priory Lane (D1, L2)
Dartford have failed to keep a clean sheet against Eastbourne Borough in their last nine meetings
The Darts have now won 100 Isthmian Premier League matches after Tuesday’s win
Ben Greenhalgh made just one appearance under Steve King, the 3-2 F.A Cup loss to Kingstonian (King’s first match in charge).

On This Day

Jason Prior put in a memorable performance at Princes Park on this day in 2009, only it was against the Darts. The striker scored a hat-trick of headers for bottom of the table Bognor Regis Town in a 3-3 draw. He later went on to play for Dartford. Tony Burman’s side were top of the Isthmian North with 12 wins from 13 and had dropped just two points ahead of their fixture with the Sussex side. The Darts were made to work for their point and a brace from Danny Harris and a late equaliser by Billy Burgess made sure they remained unbeaten.

Dartford have failed to win their previous five on 7 November, but the last victory was in 1989 against local rivals Gravesend and Northfleet. The Darts won 2-0 in the Kent Senior Cup first round.

Lewes v Dartford

November 2, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

Dartford will be determined to end a run of three straight defeats when they visit Lewes on Tuesday night.

The Darts promising September seems a distant memory after four defeats in their last five league matches in October. Ben Greenhalgh’s side have slipped off the pace and now have to test their character with fixtures against two of the top four.

Lewes are one place and three points ahead of Dartford in the Isthmian Premier. The Rooks are unbeaten in five and their only league loss at home was on the opening day. Craig Nelson’s team occupy fourth place and will be hoping to overtake their rivals, and Dartford’s next opponents Eastbourne Borough in third.

Fiddes Brace Not Enough

Dartford suffered a third consecutive league loss for the first time in just over two years on the weekend. Greenhalgh has been unable to name a consistent defence this season, but one consistency in the side is the goalscoring ability of Max Fiddes. The striker scored another couple of goals to take his tally to 14 in all competitions. However, his efforts were in vain as the Darts went down 4-3 at Aveley.

The visitors led after half an hour when Fiddes got on the end of Greenhalgh’s cross. Just before the break Aveley were level with Romeo Royal equalising. The Millers scored twice in quick succession in the second half. Former Dart, Malachi Napa put the hosts ahead, then Francis Mampolo added a third. Dartford threatened to come back when Fiddes netted again, but the two goal cushion was restored immediately through Alejandro Machado. Finally, Dan Smith completed the scoring with a consolation, his first league goal from open play since the second game of the season.

October Blues

October wasn’t great for the Darts despite progression in two cup competitions. From eyeing up top spot at the beginning of month to keeping an eye on those behind them, Dartford are now in fifth place, ten points behind the leaders and just a couple of points clear of eighth spot. Their current run of defeats have all come against teams that started the day in the bottom seven.

Late Un-win for Rooks

A new month brings new optimism and Dartford will be desperate to restore early season form. The Darts go to the Dripping Pan aiming for all three points, something they have never achieved there in three previous attempts.

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Match Highlights courtesy of Lewes FC

A 95th minute Bobby Unwin strike prevented the Darts from getting anything from their last visit back in December 2025. Six months earlier in the season before Dartford lost 3-1 in Sussex. Danny Bassett netted to give the Rooks a lead, but that was cancelled out through Michael Olarewaju. Lewes pulled away in the second half with two goals from Marcus Sablier.

Dan Downs Lewes

Although Dartford have lost in their previous two visits to the Dripping Pan, they did enjoy a big victory the last time the two sides met. Dan Smith got the Darts off to a perfect start with a goal in the opening minute. The striker then added another with just over ten minutes on the clock. Devonte West halved the deficit for the visitors, but two more unanswered goals from Denzelle Olopade and Olarewaju made sure of a 4-1 triumph.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Strong Start

It took until the 21st minute of the third game for Lewes to score their first goal of the season. They suffered their only home loss on the opening day 4-0 to Enfield Town and were held 0-0 on the road at Whitehawk.

Since then the Rooks have netted in every league game, put a winning streak of four together, which included a derby win over rivals Eastbourne Borough and are currently on an unbeaten run of five in the league. Ex-Dartford defender, Tom Bender took part in the derby day win, his last league appearance for Lewes.

Lewes Simmering at the Pan

On their own patch Craig Nelson’s side have been strong and they have not tasted defeat in the Isthmian Premier in six home games. The last two have been draws with the most recent on the weekend against Wingate and Finchley.

In a match that featured former Dart, Tyler Christian-Law as a used substitute, Lewes led through Charlie Walker, went a goal down before Jack Enkh squared the game up. Christian-Law played 42 times for the Darts scoring once.

A week earlier, the Rooks let a goal lead slip against Maldon and Tiptree in a 1-1 draw. Prior the two stalemates, Lewes had won three in a row with a pair of 2-1 away wins over Cray Wanderers, then Three Bridges. Their current unbeaten run started at the beginning of October with a triumph against Whitehawk.

Player Manager’s View

Ben Greenhalgh spoke to Dartford FC TV after defeat in Essex on the weekend and believed the late change to the defence after Vladimir Paternoster pulled out didn’t help the performance, he explained: “I thought we were really disappointing in a lot of areas. It’s tough to take because I thought we didn’t start the game very well. We felt flat in the warm up, it’s hard not to feel flat when everything’s changed again”. In addition to the defender’s withdrawal, the Darts were also missing the suspended George Whitefield as well as the injured Ben Swift and Sam Odaudu from the backline.

The Darts will need to work on preventing counter attacks, the Dartford manager commented: “A lot of goals we’ve conceded at the moment are from us having a chance, from us losing the ball going forward and that’s not the team we built at the start of the season and that’s not the team we want to build on”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Team News

Joe Tennent managed to finish the match on the weekend, but with a lack of fit central defenders it wasn’t an ideal situation. Emmanuel Oke and Adrain Gyamera have not been 100% fit according to the Dartford boss. At least George Whitefield will return from suspension, but Vladimir Paternoster withdrew prior the game on Saturday with a groin injury. Richie Atkins has gone out on loan to Hashtag United.

Current League Form

DARTFORD (WWLWLLL)			LEWES (LWWWDD)
Aveley	A	3-4	Wingate & Finchley	H	2-2
Brentwood Town	A	0-3	Maldon & Tiptree	H	1-1
AFC Whyteleafe	A	1-2	Three Bridges	A	2-1
Wingate & Finchley	H	2-1	Cray Wanderers	A	2-1
Ramsgate	H	1-2	Whitehawk	H	1-0
Whitehawk	H	2-1	Cheshunt	A	1-3

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 4 / Lewes wins: 2 / Draws: 2

Previous Meeting

Dartford 4 – 1 Lewes (21/03/2026 – Isthmian Premier)
Lewes 1 – 0 Dartford (06/12/2025 – Isthmian Premier)
Lewes 3 – 1 Dartford (08/03/2025 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 2 – 0 Lewes (23/11/2024– Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 3 – 0 Lewes (26/03/2011 – National South)
Lewes 1 – 1 Dartford (30/10/2010 – National South)

Statistics

The home side has won each of the last five fixtures between Dartford and Lewes.
Dartford are winless in all three league visits to the Dripping Pan, losing their last two (D1).
The Darts last won at the Dripping Pan 43 years ago in the F.A Trophy. The 1983 first round tie finished 2-0 to Dartford.
Dartford have let in seven goals in their last two away games in the league. The same number of goals conceded in their opening six matches on the road in the Isthmian Premier.
The Darts have been stuck on 99 Isthmian Premier wins since victory against Wingate and Finchley on 10 October.

On This Day

Ben Greenhalgh scored the winning goal on this day in 2018 as the Darts beat Gloucester City in the National South. Dartford scored either side of the break to come from behind after Sam Avery put the hosts ahead. Charlie Sheringham scored on the stroke of half time and three minutes after the interval Greenhalgh struck the winner.

In 2007, the reliable strike partnership of Brendon Cass and Jay May secured a 2-0 win over Wingate and Finchley in the Isthmian Division One North. The Darts also won 6-0 against Sittingbourne in a Kent Senior tie back in 1999.

Aveley v Dartford

October 29, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

Dartford cross the bridge to face Aveley in the Isthmian Premier this weekend at Parkside.

The Darts have been in cup action this past week with successful results. A win at home over Three Bridges put Ben Greenhalgh’s side into the second round of the F.A Trophy. Three days later Dartford knocked out League One side Bromley in the Kent Senior Cup to reach the quarter-final.

Aveley are at the opposite end of the table to where they were last season. Having missed out on promotion straight back to the National South, the Millers have struggled this term. The Essex club will be hoping fortunes change under new manager Alex Akrofi after just one win in their previous seven outings.

Joe Returns

The Darts got back to winning ways in two cup competitions this week and on Tuesday evening Joe Tennent returned to action. The defender has been out for a lengthy nine weeks recovering from a fractured cheekbone. The club’s vice captain provided the experience to a youthful looking Dartford side that beat a Bromley under 21’s team 4-1 in the Kent Senior Cup.

Greenhalgh welcomed back Ashdon Day on a dual registration from Sutton Athletic. The striker, who came through Dartford’s academy opened the scoring with a well taken lob. Nine minutes later the hosts were three up after Tyler Ibe added the second and new signing George Brooke a third, the 18 year-old joins the Darts from Cray Wanderers. A fourth followed with Louie Atkins scoring from long range, the youngster then missed a penalty. Bromley grabbed a second half goal to prevent Victor Anjorin a clean sheet, but the Darts emphatically reached the last eight.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Darts Hang On

George Whitefield and Tyler Ibe were the only players to have taken part in both cup wins. Last weekend Dartford stormed to a three goal lead before conceding twice and making through the next round of the F.A Trophy.

Vladimir Paternoster opened his Dartford goalscoring account by scrambling home Greenhalgh’s corner. Max Fiddes then scored twice to take his tally to 12 for the season. Three Bridges set up a nervy finish with goals from Noel Leighton and Ade Adeyinka.

Ten Aside at Parkside

Tennent made his debut in the away fixture against Aveley last season. However Dartford’s defence were unable to hold out long enough by conceding four minutes into second half stoppage time. Albie Armin was sent off for Aveley, but Ikechi Eze was also dismissed for the reaction that followed, leaving both sides down to ten men. Callum Jones put the Darts in front and the visitors looked good for the win until Jayden Gipson levelled.

Darts End Millers Run

In January, Dartford put an end to Aveley’s 16 match unbeaten away record in the league. Denzelle Olopade scored in the ninth minute, the midfielder set the hosts on their way to three points. In the second half, Harry Critchley was sent off for the Millers with fifteen minutes remaining and five minutes later Joe Tennent made it 2-0.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

All Change at Aveley

Last season’s runners up and playoff semi-finalists have had their squad picked off mainly due to the fact Brett Munyard left for Brentwood Town. Several players followed the former manager including last season’s top scorer Ollie Peters and the impressive Toby Aromolaran. The pair shared 12 goals in Aveley’s opening 11 fixtures in all competitions.

Alex Akrofi is now in charge at Parkside where he was also a player for the club The former forward made 134 appearances and scored 72 goals for the Millers. He won the Isthmian North with Aveley as well as promotion with Brentwood Town and Maidstone United as a player. Since taking over, Akrofi has guided Aveley through two rounds of the F.A Trophy. A 3-1 home win against Ware in the qualifying round was followed up with a 2-1 triumph over Carshalton Athletic in round one.

Millers Make it Through

Aveley progressed to the F.A Trophy second round for the fifth time in eight seasons and took the lead inside ten minutes. Giovanni Palmer from out wide sent the ball over former Dartford keeper, Ben Dudzinski and in off the far post. In the second half, Harry Critchley headed in number two from a corner. Carshalton Athletic pulled a goal back in stoppage time through Seydil Toure.

Featuring for Aveley was former Dart, Malachi Napa. The winger played under Alan Dowson in the 2022/2023 campaign and made 22 appearances for Dartford.

Battle at the Bottom

This weekend will be Akrofi’s sixth league game in charge and so far, he’s only picked up a maximum against Chatham Town. Francis Mampolo scored five minutes from time to claim a 1-0 win a fortnight ago. The new Aveley boss started his managerial role with consecutive defeats versus Dulwich Hamlet, then Cheshunt. The first point arrived in the 1-1 draw at Burgess Hill Town before the Millers defeated the Chats.

Aveley’s previous league game saw the Essex side lose 2-1 to newly promoted Maldon and Tiptree. Kymani Thomas may have equalised for the Millers after Jamie Bennett put the Jammers ahead, but Tom Eastman scored the winner late on. Aveley are now one place above the relegation places.

Management’s View

Player Manager, Ben Greenhalgh spoke to Dartford FC TV after Tuesday’s game and highlighted the opportunities the Kent Senior Cup gives the academy players, he said: “It was good to give the younger players the chance again. I think it shows the quality and strength that we’ve got coming through”.

First Team Coach, Elliot Leveson was delighted with how the youngsters performed against Bromley, he commented: “The four goals were really high quality, some good combinations and a few long shots. It’s impressive that young players are stepping up and doing that”, he continued: “They’re not showing any fear. They’re going out there and they’re giving a really good account of themselves and that’s what we want”.

Leveson is looking forward to the away trip to Aveley after Dartford’s back-to-back victories, he said: “We’re really excited to go there. It’s good to get that winning feeling back within the group in the last two matches and we’ve just got to go there on Saturday full of confidence”, he added: “They’ve signed a lot of new players recently and they’ve sort of started to bond and gel as a team. It’ll be a tough match, but hopefully we can go there and get the three points”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Team News

Joe Tennent’s return is much welcomed, but it may be a while longer before he can complete a full ninety minutes. Ben Greenhalgh is expecting Dan Smith to be available, but also stated that George Whitefield will be suspended for picking up five cautions this season. Sam Odaudu was set to be captain last weekend, but pulled out through injury. The defender is hoping to return and so is Adrian Gyamera. Meanwhile, there is no further news on Luke Exal and Ben Swift, who have been out for sometime and continue to regain fitness.

Current League Form

DARTFORD (WWLWLL)			AVELEY (LLLDWL)
Brentwood Town	A	0-3	Maldon & Tiptree	H	1-2
AFC Whyteleafe	A	1-2	Chatham Town	H	1-0
Wingate & Finchley	H	2-1	Burgess Hill Town	A	1-1
Ramsgate	H	1-2	Cheshunt	A	1-2
Whitehawk	H	2-1	Dulwich Hamlet	A	0-2
Enfield Town	A	2-0	Wingate & Finchley	A	3-4

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 7 / Aveley wins: 3 / Draws: 4

Previous Meeting

Dartford 2 – 0 Aveley (17/01/2006 – Isthmian Premier)
Aveley 1 – 1 Dartford (20/09/2025 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 1 – 2 Aveley (27/02/2024 – National South)
Aveley 0 – 1 Dartford (26/08/2023 – National South)
Dartford 2 – 2 Aveley (17/04/2010 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 4 – 5 Aveley (15/12/2009 – Isthmian League Cup)

Statistics

Dartford have lost only one of the last ten in all competitions against Aveley (W6, D3)
The Darts are unbeaten in their last five trips to Aveley (W3, L2)
Dartford have scored in each of their last 12 games against the Millers. The Darts have only once failed to score versus the Essex club in 14 meetings.

On This Day

Dartford have a frightfully good recent record on Halloween winning the last four. The last of those victories was three years ago when the Darts beat Weston-super-Mare 4-2 in the National South. Alex Wall scored twice and got sent off after Paul Rooney and Luke Coulson had already netted for the hosts. Goalkeeper, Mitchell Beeney made a big contribution saving a penalty at 1-0 down.

Jack Barham grabbed a brace in 2020 in the 2-1 home win over Havant and Waterlooville. The Bradbrook brothers were both on the scoresheet five years earlier in a 2-0 victory over Hayes and Yeading at Princes Park. Having already thrashed Chipstead in the F.A Cup a month before, the Darts beat them again in the F.A Trophy. The second qualifying round tie in 2009 finished 3-0 with Jamie Day, Danny Harris and Ryan Hayes finding the back of the net.

Dartford v Bromley

October 27, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

Dartford aim to reach the quarter final of the Kent Senior Cup when they host League One side Bromley on Tuesday night.

A place in the last eight is on offer and the Darts will be hoping to progress like they did in the F.A Trophy on the weekend. In the previous round of the competition Ben Greenhalgh made ten changes to the side.

It is likely the player manager will use the squad once again, which could include the long awaited return of Joe Tennent. The experienced central defender has been out since August after a cheekbone fracture in the Kent derby with Welling United.

Bromley are also expected to give their youngsters an opportunity. The Ravens are 22nd in League One and will no doubt be prioritising their status in the division. The six time Kent Senior Cup winners managed to reach the quarter final in their last two campaigns.

Fiddes is Back

Greenhalgh’s side needed a pick up on Saturday after consecutive league losses. Four defeats in five had swung momentum the wrong way after a near perfect September. So hanging onto a victory on the weekend to progress in the F.A Trophy was just the tonic. However, it wasn’t all plain sailing when a commanding three goal lead turned into a nervy finish against Three Bridges.

The late introduction of Vladimir Paternoster to the starting lineup benefitted the hosts when the defender opened the scoring. Top goalscorer, Max Fiddes was also recalled to the side and had a bigger impact by netting a brace. It looked as though the Darts were cruising through until Ade Adeyinka and Noel Leaighton set up a tense final 13 minutes.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Young Darts Paye

Adrian Pennock was in charge of the Darts when they last met Bromley two years ago. In the Kent Senior Cup second round the Ravens won 3-1 at Hayes Lane. The former Dartford boss used the competition to rotate the squad changing the whole lineup. A youthful Darts side were two down inside 13 minutes when Charlie Paye scored twice. George Whitefield halved the deficit, but Bromley’s under 21’s restored their two goal cushion courtesy of Emmanuel Deh.

Charlie Double, Brandon Brace

At the same stage a year earlier Dartford thrashed Bromley 5-1 at Princes Park. Charlie Sheringham and Brandon Barzey both bagged a couple of goals with Luke Allen getting in on the act as well.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Academy Shines

The Darts faced former manager Pennock in the previous round when they hosted Ramsgate. Both Lorenzo Duncan and Louis Atkins scored their first goal for the Darts in a 2-0 win.

Greenhalgh made ten changes to the lineup handing full debuts to academy players George Boulton and Maybin Calvert. Later in the cup tie Harvey Smith, Kane Stewart, Finley Williams and Fred Moore all came on as substitutes, adding to the names making their journey through Dartford’s youth set up.

Ravens Rise

Fourteen years ago the Darts were taking on Bromley in the National South. Now the gap between the pair is four divisions. Under the now departed Andy Woodman, the South London club added the League Two championship to their honours to accompany a National League playoff triumph and the F.A Trophy. The Ravens also won the National South prior Woodman’s successful time as boss.

This season Bromley are third from bottom with Byron Webster now the interim manager. In his first match in charge Webster guided the Ravens to a 1-1 draw with Peterborough United, ending a five game losing streak in all competitions.

Manager’s View

In tough weather conditions, the Darts didn’t find the F.A Trophy win as breezy as they would have hoped after going three goals up. Ben Greenhalgh spoke to Dartford FC TV after the game and said: “I thought we were brilliant for sixty minutes…we were sharp, I think there were good patterns of play”, he added: “In general it was getting back to winning ways that was important. There was a lot of positives to take and hopefully we can get a bit of a run together now”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Team News

Ben Greenhalgh is expecting Dan Smith to be available next week. Sam Odaudu was set to be captain on the weekend, but pulled out through injury. The defender is hoping to return as well and so is Adrian Gyamera. Vice captain, Joe Tennent has been back in training and has been given the all clear so could feature. Ben Swift is another who has been sidelined and currently regaining fitness.

Current Form

DARTFORD (LLWLLW)			BROMLEY (LLLLLD)
Three Bridges (FAT)	H	3-2	Peterborough United	H	1-1
Brentwood Town	A	0-3	Leicester City	H	0-4
AFC Whyteleafe	A	1-2	Stockport County	A	0-1
Wingate & Finchley	H	2-1	Mansfield Town	A	1-2
Ramsgate	H	1-2	Crawley Town (EFLT)	A	0-4
Tadley Calleva (FAC)	A	1-2	Brentford U21 (EFLT)	H	0-1

FAC – F.A Cup / FAT – F.A Trophy / EFLT – EFL Trophy

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 26 / Bromley wins: 29 / Draws: 12

Previous Meeting

Bromley 2 – 3 Dartford (15/10/2024 – Kent Senior Cup)
Dartford 5 – 1 Bromley (28/11/2023 – Kent Senior Cup)
Bromley 3 – 4 Dartford (08/11/2014 – F.A Cup)
Dartford 4 – 2 Bromley (12/01/2013 – F.A Trophy)
Bromley 1 – 2 Dartford (09/04/2012 – National South)
Dartford 1 – 2 Bromley (29/10/2011 – F.A Cup)

Statistics

The head to head record in the Kent Senior Cup between the two sides is all square. Dartford wins: 11 / Bromley wins: 11 / Draws: 5
Dartford have won just two of the last seven Kent Senior Cup ties against Bromley including the 2011 final (L5)
In all competitions, the Darts have lost just two of the previous eight fixtures versus the Ravens (W6)
At home, Dartford have lost just once against Bromley in the last 11 outings in all competitions (W8, D2)

On This Day

Tom Bonner scored the winner against Chippenham Town on this day in 2020. Played behind closed doors during the Covid season, the Darts led through Moussa Bakayoko. The hosts levelled when Joe Hanks netted, but Bonner found the decisive goal with eight minutes to go.

Dartford made in 11 wins from 12 Isthmian Premier matches back in 2009 with a 4-1 victory over Ashford Town (Middlesex). The future title winners strolled to three points with four different scorers, Lee Noble, Ryan Hayes, Danny Harris and Jay May.

Two years earlier the Darts put four past Potters Bar Town with May on the scoresheet again. Brendon Cass, Junior Kadi and Tom Bradbrook also scored. Dartford went on to claim the Isthmian Division One North that season.

Dartford v Three Bridges

October 22, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

Dartford return their focus to the F.A Trophy when they host Three Bridges in the first round this weekend.

Since making it through the qualifying round Ben Greenhalgh’s side have suffered a shock cup exit and lost momentum with one win in their last four league fixtures.

Life in the Isthmian Premier has been difficult for Three Bridges, but they are still trying to adapt after promotion last season. The Sussex side remain in the bottom four of the division after a midweek loss, but have set a club record in the F.A Trophy.

Blank at Brentwood

The Darts came away with nothing to show when they travelled across the county border to face Brentwood Town. A 3-0 loss in Essex means the Darts have lost four of their last five fixtures in all competitions.

A disappointing defeat at AFC Whyteleafe on the weekend led to five changes to the side against Brentwood Town. Sam Odaudu returned after being rested and Ike Orji replaced the injured Adrian Gyamera. Jordan Higgs and Jez Pinder were back in the team and Matty MacArthur made his first start since joining from Billericay Town on a dual registration. Top scorer Max Fiddes dropped to the bench and George Whitefield made his 100th start for the club.

Dartford failed to score for the first time since late August and really should have taken lead. Dan Smith was brought down in the box to earn an early penalty, but the striker saw his spot kick saved by Jack Giddens. Within a minute Brentwood Town went down the other end to take the lead through Andy Freeman. The Darts fell further behind in the second half when Alfie Cerulli doubled the lead for the Blues and Freddie Sears added a third.

Opening Day Comeback

On the opening day of the season, the Darts came from two goals down to win against newly promoted Three Bridges. Dartford spoilt the Sussex side’s Isthmian Premier debut with a 3-2 victory at the Jubilee Field.

Jamie Crellin’s side benefited from two first half penalties, both scored by Charlie Bennett to give the Isthmian South East champions a dream start. However, Ben Greenhalgh in his first Dartford match in charge sparked a comeback on the stroke of half time.

Joe Tennent headed home Greenhalgh’s free-kick in the second half to equalise. Two minutes later the turn around was complete with Max Fiddes scoring on debut.

Darts Drought Ends

Dartford eased into the first round with a 3-0 win at Southern Premier Central side Leiston. That was the first victory in the competition in almost five years. Lorenzo Duncan slotted through Fiddes and the striker finished from a tight angle. In the second half, Dan Smith’s unselfish play set up Greenhalgh to double the lead. The tie was all wrapped up when Jez Pinder assisted for Fiddes to score his second of the afternoon.

Bennett Brace Creates History

Played at the New Eyrie home of Bedford Town, Three Bridges made it past Southern League Division One Central side Biggleswade in the qualifying round. Bennett grabbed another brace, scoring the opening goal by getting on the end of Hayden Velvick’s cross.

Three Bridges were awarded a penalty in the second half and yet again Bennett made sure to extend the visitor’s lead. Biggleswade pulled a goal back before the tie was finally settled through Kevin Rivera. Reaching the first round is a milestone for the club. After 14 campaigns in the competition, Three Bridges have made it through qualifying to set a new club record.

Derby Defeat

Three Bridges were up against Eastbourne Borough on Tuesday evening and went a goal down inside five minutes when a Josh Rees netted for the Sports. It took until the second half for Eastbourne Borough to extend their advantage after Kai Corbett and leave the Bridges on nine points from thirteen games.

Goals, Goals, Goals

Goalscoring doesn’t seem to be a problem for Three Bridges who wracked up a huge 124 league goals last season on their way to the Isthmian South East title. This term the Bridges have scored 23 times, the fifth best in the division despite being in the relegation zone. But Crellin’s side need to tighten up at the back having shipped in 36 goals, the most in the Isthmian Premier.

Manager’s View

Ben Greenhalgh was happy with the standards in the first half and even after the interval on Tuesday night, he spoke to Dartford FC TV after the game and said: “We played a bit of a different style knowing what we were coming against and I thought it worked really well. We played some great football, we created numerous chances”.

However, the player manager wasn’t pleased with the performance in the closing stages of the match, he added: “I’m disappointed how the game ended. The last fifteen minutes felt similar to the last ten minutes of the Whyteleafe game. We’ve conceded a really sloppy goal when we’re pushing for it and then the game is done”.

Greenhalgh still believes in his squad and has called on his players to stick together, he commented: “We’ve got a brilliant squad, but these things can’t keep happening. In the last couple of weeks, I think we’ve just seen a couple of slips in performances and I think as a group we need to carry each other out of that”.

Despite Three Bridges’ lowly position in the league, Greenhalgh doesn’t expect an easy afternoon on the weekend: “They’re another good footballing team. They’ve had sporadic results. They drew with Enfield, who in my opinion are probably the best team we’ve played this season”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Team News

George Whitefield is expected to be fit on the weekend after limping off in midweek. Adrian Gyamera has a hamstring injury and can hopefully return in a couple of weeks. Joe Tennent, Ben Swift and Luke Exal are recovering from longer term issues.

Current Form

DARTFORD (WLLWLL)			Three Bridges (WLWLDL)
Brentwood Town	A	0-3	Eastbourne Borough	H	0-2
AFC Whyteleafe	A	1-2	Enfield Town	H	3-3
Wingate & Finchley	H	2-1	Lewes	H	1-2
Ramsgate	H	1-2	Stanway Rovers	A	3-1
Tadley Calleva (FAC)	A	1-2	Worthing (SSC)	H	0-3
Whitehawk	H	2-1	Biggleswade (FAT)	A	3-1

FAC – F.A Cup / SSC – Sussex Senior Cup / FAT – F.A Trophy

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 1 / Three Bridges wins: 0 / Draws: 0

Previous Meeting

Three Bridges 2 – 3 Brentwood Town (08/08/2026 – Isthmian Premier)

Statistics

Dartford have won just one of their last 11 home games in the F.A Trophy (D3, L7), a 1-0 win over Weymouth in 20222
The Darts last five F.A Trophy ties at Princes Park have all ended 1-0 (W1, L4)
Dartford’s win in the previous round ended a run of five straight losses in the F.A Trophy

On This Day

Dartford are unbeaten in their last five games on this day, the last of which was a 1-1 draw at Eastbourne Borough three years ago. Brandon Barzey equalised after Fletcher Holman gave the hosts the lead. In 2017, Alfie Pavey scored twice as ten men Dartford beat Bath City 2-1 on the road, Andy Pugh was sent off for the Darts.

Three years earlier Barry Cogan put Dartford in front at Bishop’s Stortford and Elliot Bradbrook netted the winner in a 2-1 victory. In 1970, the same opponents drew 1-1 with the Darts in the F.A Cup, Dartford’s last home fixture on this day.

Bradbrook was also on the scoresheet when the Darts defeated Aveley 4-1 in the Isthmian Premier in 2009. Jamie Coyle, Ryan Hayes and Jay May also found the back of the net. The unbeaten run started out in 1989 with a 1-0 win at Gosport Borough in the Southern Premier League.

Brentwood Town v Dartford

October 19, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

Dartford hope to rekindle their early season form when they travel to Brentwood Town on Tuesday night.

The Darts fell to a third defeat in four in all competitions on the weekend and slipped to fourth in the table. Ben Greenhalgh’s team will travel to Essex aiming to complete a double over their opponents and collect maximum points.

Brentwood Town have renewed belief and will be hoping to climb out of the bottom four. Last time out, the Blues came close to causing a F.A Cup upset and reaching the first round for the first time in 56 years. Brett Munyard has reshaped the squad and improved results since taking over last month.

Darts Leafe With Nothing

On Saturday, Toby Aromolaran was too hot to handle for the Darts when they took on newly promoted AFC Whyteleafe. The striker, who had bagged a hat-trick in the previous game, added another two to his tally and condemned Dartford to defeat at Flamingo Park.

Defender, Emmanuel Oke returned to the backline with Sam Odaudu not involved. In midfield Scott Wagstaff and Brandon Davey were selected ahead of Jordan Higgs and Jez Pinder. After just four minutes, Dartford were forced to make an early change with Adrian Gyamera pulling up injured.

Aromolaran pounced at the far post to put AFC Whyteleafe ahead in the first half. The Darts were unable to find a breakthrough until just past the hour mark when Greenhalgh scored his sixth of the season. Parity lasted just four minutes with Aromolaran scoring the winner from the penalty spot. New dual registration signing, Matty MacArthur was introduced as a substitute for his first appearance since rejoining Dartford. The midfielder previously made two appearances on loan back in January 2024 scoring one goal.

Dartford Hold Out

The Darts won the reverse fixture against Brentwood Town earlier this season at Princes Park. The hosts were fast out of the blocks in both halves, but made it count in the first. Greenhalgh’s corner was met by the head of Dan Smith after just three minutes. Brentwood Town controlled possession for the majority of the game, but Dartford limited their opportunities. Although, Joe Tennent was called into action with a goal line clearance just before half time.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Samir Strikes

The corresponding fixture last season finished 1-1 in Essex. At the time, Dartford were looking for some form after a slow start in Adrian Pennock’s second full campaign in charge. Brentwood Town fresh from their league title, maintained momentum and led the Isthmian Premier. Samir Carruthers put the Darts in front with a free-kick, but Charlee Hughes equalised for the Blues to share the spoils.

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Highlights courtesy of BrentwoodTownTV

Brentwood Suffer the Blues

A poor start to this season has seen changes at Brentwood Town. Former manager, Keith Rowland departed on 16 September after a loss at Stanway Rovers left the Essex club bottom of the table. The Blues early season form was surprising considering the momentum they had built over the previous two campaigns. Brentwood Town followed up their Isthmian North title with a playoff final appearance in the Isthmian Premier. The successful Rowland era had its disadvantages though. Over the summer key players like Daniel Ogunleye, Alejandro Machado and Kymani Thomas were signed by clubs in the National South.

Munyard Magic

Rowland’s rebuild didn’t go to plan, so in came Brett Munyard who led Aveley to a runners up spot last term, where they lost to Brentwood Town in the playoff semi final. The timing of the change caused some controversy as the two teams faced each other two days later in the F.A Cup, although Munyard didn’t take charge of that particular game.

The Blues have picked up six points from nine since the managerial appointment, both victories against newly promoted sides Maldon and Tiptree and AFC Whyteleafe. Their last league fixture ended in defeat at Chatham Town. Under Munyard, the Blues have progressed in the F.A Trophy beating Hashtag United on penalties and caused a F.A Cup upset with a 3-1 victory against Dagenham and Redbridge.

Two Nil Up and Out the Cup

Saturday was a step too far in the F.A Cup despite taking a two goal lead at National League side Eastleigh. Brentwood Town raced into an early lead through Bradley Sach and a Nick Townsend own goal. The Spitfires roared back with three unanswered goals from Nelson Khumbeni, Josh Lundstram and Aaron Blair.

Following the Leader

Form has improved under the new boss helped by an overhaul of players. Munyard went back to his former club to sign Aveley’s top scorer from last season, Ollie Peters. Following the striker from Parkside to the Brentwood Centre Arena, George Saunders, Jayden Robinson and Ryan Henshaw all made the same switch. Suleyman Zuhdu is also at Brentwood Town after working with Munyard before at previous clubs, Afie Cerulli has arrived from Billericay Town and Charlie Edwards has returned to the Blues from St Albans City.

Manager’s View

Ben Greenhalgh was disappointed with the amount of chances his side missed in the defat at AFC Whyteleafe, he told Dartford FC TV: “I don’t want to be too critical about not scoring the goals. We should have scored a lot of goals today (Saturday). I don’t think we showed quite enough quality or desire to put the ball in the back of the net, but we had numerous amounts of chances”.

The player manager felt the Darts lost the game due to two mistakes, one being game management after equalising. Rather than being “more compact”, Dartford were caught out on a counter attack, he commented: “We want to be positive, we want to be dominant. I believe we probably were dominant. However, you can’t go and concede a goal in the manner that we did”.

Greenhalgh is expecting a close game in midweek, he said: “Brentwood will be a bit of a different test, it will probably be pretty 50/50. They’re a team with extreme firepower. They’ve brought in a lot of players and they have a huge squad at the moment. They’ll obviously be a tough test for us”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Team News

Sam Odaudu has a groin issue which Greenhalgh is hoping will be okay before Tuesday night. Adrian Gyamera pulled up with a potential hamstring injury on the weekend. Joe Tennent was involved in the warm up after a lengthy injury and Ben Swift is recovering as well.

Current League Form

DARTFORD (WWWLWL)			Brentwood Town (LLLWWL)
AFC Whyteleafe	A	1-2	Chatham Town	A	0-3
Wingate & Finchley	H	2-1	AFC Whyteleafe	A	2-1
Ramsgate	H	1-2	Maldon & Tiptree	H	5-1
Whitehawk	H	2-1	Stanway Rovers	H	2-3
Enfield Town	A	2-0	Dulwich Hamlet	A	1-2
Carshalton Athletic	A	3-0	Carshalton Athletic	A	0-2

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 5 / Brentwood Town wins: 2 / Draws: 3

Previous Meetings

Dartford 1 – 0 Brentwood Town (11/08/2026 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 3 – 2 Brentwood Town (31/01/2026– Isthmian Premier)
Brentwood Town 1 – 1 Dartford (11/10/2025– Isthmian Premier)
Brentwood Town 1 – 2 Dartford (25/11/2017 – F.A Trophy)
Dartford 0 – 1 Brentwood Town (29/03/2008 – Isthmian Division One North)
Brentwood Town 2 – 2 Dartford (05/02/2008 – Isthmian Division One North)

Statistics

The Darts last won an away league game at Brentwood Town in 1968 and have drawn in their last two league visits (L1, D2)
Dartford’s last five games in all competitions have ended 2-1 (W2, L3) equalling the previous record for consecutive 2-1 scorelines set in September 1965 (W1, L4)
George Whitefield could make his 100th start for the Darts if selected (99 start, 12 sub, 111 total, 14 goals)
Dartford are on 99 Isthmian Premier League wins in 180 matches (55% win ratio) – D38 L43.

On This Day

Bobby Tayler and Dennis Pacey scored against rivals Maidstone United to send Dartford into the F.A Cup first round on this day in 1962. A 2-1 victory knocked out the Stones, but the Darts fell at the next hurdle against Yeovil Town.

Three years later Dartford did go a step further in the F.A Cup. On this day they beat Tonbridge 6-2 in a fourth qualifying round replay. The Darts went on to beat Barnet before losing 1-0 at Port Vale.

In 2018, Greenhalgh was part of the Dartford team that beat Dulwich Hamlet 2-1 thanks to goals from Jamie Philpot and Charlie Sheringham.

AFC Whyteleafe v Dartford

October 15, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

Dartford take on Isthmian South East playoff winners AFC Whyteleafe for the first time on the weekend at Flamingo Park.

The Darts have had a midweek break after a busy schedule and will be pleased to be travelling a shorter distance than the actual home side. Ben Greenhalgh’s side were back to winning ways last Saturday ending a two match losing streak.

AFC Whyteleafe have to cross a county border for their home matches this season. Their groundshare with Kent club Cray Wanderers is to help develop the club after a quick rise up the non-league pyramid. Formed just five years ago, the Leafe are debuting in the Isthmian Premier and are three points clear of the bottom four.

Atkins Arrives On Time

Louie Atkins scored the winner on the weekend, his first senior league goal for the club. The academy graduate was introduced late on in the game and after five minutes he netted the decisive goal. Earlier, player manager Greenhalgh gave Dartford the lead with a scrappy goal. In the previous two games the Darts lost from a goal up. Wingate and Finchley threatened to become the third team in a row to come from behind when they equalised through Anointed Chukwu. However, the hosts had other ideas and made sure a 2-1 victory was secured.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Keeping Pace

Last time Greenhalgh’s side lost consecutive games they then went on a nine match unbeaten run in all competitions, winning eight. That streak included seven straight victories. The Darts will be hoping Saturday’s triumph has ignited another positive run to keep pace at the summit of the Isthmian Premier. Midweek results elsewhere meant Greenhalgh’s side dropped to fourth and are now three points behind top spot.

New Signing’s Hat-Trick

AFC Whyteleafe hosted Whitehawk on Wednesday night and pulled further away from the relegation zone in style. Toby Aromolaran made his full debut on the weekend after joining from Aveley and four days later he bagged three against the Hawks.

It was sweet revenge for the Leafe having lost in the F.A Trophy to Whitehawk. This time Aromolaran stole the show from his team mate Paris Francis, who bagged a brace himself. AFC Whyteleafe led after five minutes through the new signing and his strike partner doubled the advantage. Aromolaran went on to complete a hat-trick before Francis added further gloss the the scoreline.

Finding Their Feet

It took the Leafe seven games to claim a maiden Isthmian Premier win after promotion via the playoffs last season. The Surrey side picked up a pair of 2-2 draws at home to Wingate and Finchley and Cheshunt in that time. After a heavy defeat at Ramsgate, Enzo Gonnella’s side claimed their first victory against fellow promoted side Stanway Rovers. Four second half goals from Nile Ranger, Dean Gunner, Helge Orome and Jedd Hobbs secured a much needed 4-0 victory

Triumphant Travels

One point in their next three outings left AFC Whyteleafe in the bottom four until last weekend when they picked up their first away triumph in the Isthmian Premier. Another win over a fellow promoted side eased some pressure on the side ahead of Wednesday’s fixture.

Substitute, Mannie Mensah made the difference scoring the winner against Maldon and Tiptree. Corey Holder gave the visitors the lead, but the Jammers were level in no time at all. Mensah was brought on and the midfielder was ready to get on the end of a cross to help his side to all three points.

Manager’s View

Ben Greenhalgh felt his side learnt from the defeat at home to Ramsgate by not letting frustration get the better of the team in the win over Wingate and Finchley. The player manager spoke to Dartford FC TV and explained that against Ramsgate: “We created our own frustration and we created frustration around the ground and that’s something we’ve got to do a little bit better at and we’ve got to control our emotions better”.

Compared to Saturday’s performance, he added: “To concede a goal in the manner that we did, when we were completely on top, I think that’s a great test to our character, that’s pushed us again. We didn’t see that frustration and it’s great to come out the other side of it and get the three points”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Team News

Dartford are still without defenders Ben Swift and Joe Tennent, who continue their recovery from long term injury. Luke Exal is continuing to build up fitness after being out since pre-season.

Current League Form

DARTFORD (WWWWLW)			AFC WHYTELEAFE (WDLLWW)
Wingate and Finchley	H	2-1	Whitehawk	H	5-0
Ramsgate	H	1-2	Maldon and Tiptree	A	2-1
Whitehawk	H	2-1	Welling United	A	0-1
Enfield Town	A	2-0	Brentwood Town	H	1-2
Carshalton Athletic	A	3-0	Leatherhead	A	0-0
Chatham Town	H	1-0	Stanway Rovers	H	4-0

Statistics

Dartford have won their last four against newly promoted teams. Since returning to the Isthmian Premier, the Darts have won 5, drawn 6 and lost 2 versus promoted sides.
The Darts have scored in 13 consecutive games in all competitions and have drawn just one blank in their last 30 outings stretching back to 14 February 2026

On This Day

Noor Husin scored the only goal of the game on this day in 2020. The midfielder’s low drive gave the Darts a 1-0 win against Bath City at Princes Park. A last minute Ryan Hayes equaliser saved a point at home versus Hemel Hempstead Town five years earlier. Dartford came from two down with Danny Harris starting the comeback. In 2009, Allan Tait was the matchwinner in the F.A Trophy when the Darts knocked out Sittingbourne in the first qualifying round.

Back in 1891, Dartford recorded an 18-0 victory against Old Wilkinson in a friendly. In 1970, the Darts put seven past Harrow Borough without conceding in the F.A Cup second qualifying round.

Dartford v Wingate and Finchley

October 8, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

Dartford hope to get back to winning ways against Wingate and Finchley at Princes Park this weekend.

After an excellent run of seven wins in a row, the Darts came crashing down to earth with a shock F.A Cup exit and a Kent derby loss. Tuesday night’s reverse has seen Ben Greenhalgh’s side slip to third in the Isthmian Premier.

Wingate and Finchley will be pleased to get back to league action after almost a month in cup competitions. The Blues bowed out of the F.A Cup in midweek, but will now be focusing on climbing the standings.

Ex-Darts Hit Back

It was a night for former Dartford players and one in particular on Tuesday evening. Callum Jones came back to haunt his former club with the match winning goal that condemned the Darts to a third league defeat this season.

Greenhalgh made three changes to the side that suffered the F.A Cup shock against Tadley Calleva. Emmanuel Oke was back after nursing an injury, Tyler Ibe and Ikechukwu Orji also returned to the lineup. Featuring on the bench was new dual registration signing Vladimir Paternoster from National South side Braintree Town. The 20-year-old defender moved to the Essex club from Luton Town under 21’s.

The evening started well for the Darts, Oke cleverly flicked in the opener after just five minutes. By half time the Rams were in front, the first coming whilst Dan Smith was off the pitch having treatment to an injury. Ramsgate took advantage of having an extra player and Billy Munday equalised. A minute before the break Jones came back to haunt his former side with an acrobatic finish.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Home Blues

Dartford have lost two of the last three matches against Wingate and Finchley including the previous two at Princes Park. The Blues were the first visiting side to beat the Darts last season. An injury time strike ended Dartford’s 11 game unbeaten league run at the time.

A tight first half saw the score level at the break, but the deadlock was finally broken by the hosts on 69 minutes. Wingate and Finchley failed to clear a free kick and when Jacob Bland anticipated Eddie Dsane’s scuffed shot he tapped home his first for the club.

The visitors levelled when Caoilan McGettigan squared for an unmarked Logic Hernandez who slotted the ball through Jonny Henley’s legs. Wingate and Finchley grabbed a winner through Romeo Akinola’s curling shot from just outside the box in second half stoppage time.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

In March, Wingate and Finchley completed a double over the Darts. First half goals from Mackye Townsend-West and Camilo Restrepo and an early third in the second half by Ryan Lowe left Dartford with too much to do. Dan Smith scored a consolation in the 3-1 loss.

Turning Point

During the 2024/2025 season, a second half fightback became one of the turning points in Dartford’s campaign. The Darts found themselves three down at home after just 21 minutes. Andronicos Georgiou scored a brace and Ben Frempah added a third. In the second half Olly Box and Ade Yussuf pulled goals back for the hosts. After that game Dartford went on a club equalling 21 match unbeaten run in the league. Frempah went on to play for the Darts last season making 11 appearances before rejoining Wingate and Finchley.

Cup Distractions

It’s been almost a month since Wingate and Finchley played a league fixture. That was an entertaining 4-3 away victory against Aveley. Both Scott Kashket and David Oupoh scored a brace. The Blues let a 3-1 lead slip before Oupah netted an injury time winner.

Since then Ahmet Rifat’s side have played six matches across three cup competitions. In the F.A Cup second qualifying round they knocked out National South side Hemel Hempstead Town in a replay, drawing 1-1 in Hertfordshire before winning 2-1 at home.

Two clean sheets followed on the road at Real Bedford in the F.A Trophy third qualifying round, then at Cockfosters in the London Senior Cup. The Blues progressed in each competition beating Real Bedford 3-0 and Cockfosters 1-0.

Giantkilling Denied

On the weekend, the Blues came close to causing their own cup upset against National North side Bedford Town. Anointed Chukwu gave Wingate and Finchley the lead twice, but two George Moncur penalties made sure the tie would go to a replay.

Bedford Town took a two goal lead on Tuesday night. First, Louie Kudiabor put the Eagles in front, then Moncur netted again a minute before the interval. Two minutes into first half stoppage time Ashley Nzala halved the deficit. Kudiabor added another ten minutes into the second half to end Wingate and Finchley’s F.A Cup progress.

Tough Schedule

In league action Wingate and Finchley have already come up against their fair share of in-form teams. After an opening day draw against Cray Wanderers they were beaten by Carshalton Athletic. They have also been defeated by both Enfield Town and Welling United. The Blues have also been involved in some high scoring games, winning 3-2 at Chatham Town and in their last league fixture they won 4-3 at Aveley.

Manager’s View

In recent games Tadley Calleva and now Ramsgate have benefitted from set pieces. Ben Greenhalgh acknowledges his side need to be more physical in those situations, he told Dartford FC TV: “You saw on Saturday, at the moment we’re probably not physical enough dealing with set pieces” and that’s been answered”. After falling behind before half time, the Darts found the second half frustrating and Greenhalgh was unhappy with the performance, he added: “I am disappointed and I have given a bit of criticism in the bravery from everyone. People have to step up in their moments and show a bit more quality”.

Greenhalgh is expecting plenty of hard work in training ahead of this weekend’s match and is determined to get the Darts back on track, he commented: “We will be there to bounce back. We need to show desire. I don’t want the fans coming to a game at home and not seeing that extra bit of effort that gets us over the line”, he continued: “It’s back-to-back losses, we’ve had that before this season and had a brilliant bounce back. So we need to put ourselves in a similar position”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Team News

Dartford are still without defenders Ben Swift and Joe Tennent, who continue their recovery from long term injury. Vladimir Paternoster awaits his debut after signing on dual registration.

Current League Form

DARTFORD (LWWWWL)			WINGATE & FINCHLEY (DWWLLW)
Ramsgate	H	1-2	Aveley	A	4-3
Whitehawk	H	2-1	Welling United	A	1-4
Enfield Town	A	2-0	Enfield Town	H	1-4
Carshalton Athletic	A	3-0	Chatham Town	A	3-2
Chatham Town	H	1-0	Dulwich Hamlet	H	1-0
Burgess Hill Town	A	1-2	AFC Whyteleafe	A	2-2

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 4 / Wingate and Finchley wins: 5 / Draws: 2

Previous Meetings

Wingate and Finchley 3 – 1 Dartford (07/03/2026 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 1 – 2 Wingate and Finchley (08/11/2025 – Isthmian Premier)
Wingate and Finchley 1 – 2 Dartford (18/01/2025 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 2 – 2 Wingate and Finchley (19/10/2024 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 1 – 0 Wingate and Finchley (26/04/2008 – Isthmian Division One North)
Wingate and Finchley 0 – 2 Dartford (03/11/2007 – Isthmian Division One North)

Statistics

Dartford have lost three of the last four against Wingate and Finchley (W1)
The Darts have lost their last two home games against the Blues, their only two home losses versus the North London side
Both teams have scored in 9 of the 11 meetings. Dartford are the only team to have kept a clean sheet in this fixture, both games in the 2007/2008 Isthmian North title winning season.

On This Day

Dartford last won on this day in the pre Princes Park era. Almost a month before the Darts’ homecoming they beat Tonbridge Angels 3-1 in the Isthmian League Cup second round. Since then, Dartford were knocked out of the F.A Cup against Chelmsford City in 2009 after a 4-1 home defeat. During Covid, the Darts drew 0-0 away at Hampton and Richmond six years ago.

In 1891, Dartford hit double figures in a friendly against Stone with a 10-2 victory, The Darts have scored ten or more in 11 matches, eight of them before 1906. Only twice have they scored ten or more after World War Two (11-1 v Faversham Town in 1966 and 10-0 v Crawley Town in 1975).

Dartford v Ramsgate

October 5, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

Dartford aim to finish the evening back on top when they welcome Ramsgate to Princes Park on Tuesday night.

The Darts were in F.A Cup action on the weekend and suffered an upset, bringing their outstanding run of seven straight wins to a crashing halt. At the same time they slipped off the summit in the league due to results elsewhere. However, Ben Greenhalgh’s side will be desperate to return to winning ways and claim a fifth consecutive victory in the Isthmian Premier.

Ramsgate manager Adrian Pennock returns to Princes Park with a number of former Darts looking to avenge the Kent Senior Cup defeat a fortnight ago. The Rams are outside the playoff places after a defeat on the weekend.

They Think It’s Call-eva

For the fourth time in eight years Dartford bowed out of the F.A Cup to lower league opposition on Saturday. The Darts visited Tadley Calleva in the third qualifying round and despite leading through an early George Whitefield goal, the hosts came from behind with a late winner.

Greenhalgh made four changes to the side that beat Whitehawk with Adrian Gyamera, former Ramsgate loanee Jordan Higgs, Lorenzo Duncan and Jez Pinder returning to the starting eleven.

Whitefield scored his first of the season heading the Darts in front from a Greenhalgh cross after four minutes. In the second half, Ryan Sandford saved Kieran Rodgers’ penalty. Tadley Calleva equalised with 15 minutes left, Charlie Barlow levelling. The Romans caused a shock in the 88th minute with Brad Passfield netting the decider.

Defence v Attack

Although disappointing to have fallen to defeat on Saturday, Dartford have been in great form. After consecutive losses leading up to the Bank Holiday, the Darts have shown before that they can bounce back. Greenhalgh’s side went on their seven match winning streak across four separate competitions.

Four of those wins have been in the league with the Darts overcoming Chatham Town, Carshalton Athletic, Enfield Town and Whitehawk. In those fixtures only the Hawks have managed to breach Dartford’s defence, the joint best backline in the league.

However, the defence will be tested against Ramsgate, the division’s second highest scorers. Former Dartford striker Callum Jones has scored six of those goals and sits joint top in the league’s goalscoring charts.

Future Darts Shine

Dartford have successfully kept Ramsgate out already this season beating them 2-0 in the Kent Senior Cup. Both teams made plenty of changes with the Darts displaying a youthful side. Greenhalgh handed six debuts to academy players during the 2-0 win. Lorenzo Duncan netted the opener and his maiden Dartford goal. Wrapping up the win, Louis Atkins celebrated his first senior start with a first senior goal for the club.

Narrow Kent Derby Win

Pennock was in the Dartford dugout in the last league meetings between the two sides. The former Darts boss claimed a home win when Denzelle Olopade scored the only goal of the game. Also lining up for Dartford that day was Jonny Henly, Callum Jones and Dave Winfield. The trio followed a Pennock to Ramsgate over the summer. A further three have also represented the Darts in the past, Jacob Bland, Rowan Liburd and Tom Clifford.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Eight Goal Thriller

The reverse fixture on the Kent coast was a more dramatic affair. Nine man Dartford earned an entertaining 4-4 draw helped by an Eddie Dsane hat-trick. The Darts came back from 3-1 down at half time, then after falling behind again they needed a stoppage time strike from Dsane to take a point. The Rams also ended the game one player short due to a red card.

Ram Raided

Ramsgate were in league action on Saturday and lost 3-2 to Carshalton Athletic. The Robins led twice in the first half yet still went in at the break all square. Nathan Young-Coombes put the Surrey side ahead only for Alfie Paxman to equalise. Carshalton Athletic went in front again through Tope Fadahunsi, but this time Cameron James pegged the visitors back. Finally, the Robins edged into the lead once more and this time they made it stick after Hani Hechachena scored five minutes from time.

Ady’s Familiar Woes

Pennock’s poor cup and away record last season with Dartford has seemed to have resurfaced on the Kent coast at Ramsgate. Winless in their previous four outings, the Rams have already exited the F.A Cup, the Kent Senior Cup and F.A Trophy.

The former Darts boss may have gone one better in the F.A Cup by beating Bracknell Town, the side he lost to a year earlier at Dartford, but Ramsgate were beaten in the next round against National South side Tonbridge Angels. In the F.A Trophy his side lost to Leatherhead on penalties.

Away from Southwood Stadium, the Rams won their first road trip of the season against newly promoted Stanway Rovers. Since then, they are winless in six attempts in all competitions.

Manager’s View

A disappointed Ben Greenhalgh spoke to Dartford FC TV after Saturday’s cup upset, he said: “The second half was inexcusable. We didn’t show enough energy, we didn’t win enough second balls and we didn’t battle enough. We got beaten up”.

By contrast the first half was better for the Darts, but missed opportunities cost the side especially after a poor performance in the second half, the player manager added: “I said at half time, I was happy with where we were at because we needed to be patient and we were creating loads of chances. I believed if we had continued in that manner we’d have won the game, but looking back now we have got to score those chances”.

Greenhalgh does not want to see a repeat of what happened after the interval, he continued: “We’ve been on a brilliant run, so I’m not going to question too many things, but that can’t be seen again”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Team News

Emmanuel Oke was a late withdrawal on Saturday and will need to be assessed to see if he can take part on Tuesday. Ben Swift and Joe Tennent remain out injured.

Current League Form

DARTFORD (LLWWWW)			RAMSGATE (WLWDWL)
Whitehawk	H	2-1	Carshalton Athletic	H	2-3
Enfield Town	A	2-0	Maldon & Tiptree	H	2-0
Carshalton Athletic	A	3-0	Burgess Hill Town	A	2-2
Chatham Town	H	1-0	AFC Whyteleafe	H	5-1
Burgess Hill Town	A	1-2	Welling United	A	0-1
Welling United	H	0-3	St Albans City	H	4-0

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 23 / Ramsgate wins: 15 / Draws: 9

Previous Meetings

Dartford 2 – 0 Ramsgate (22/09/2026 – Kent Senior Cup)
Dartford 1 – 0 Ramsgate (03/03/2026 – Isthmian Premier)
Ramsgate 4 – 4 Dartford (25/08/2025 – Isthmian Premier)
Ramsgate 0 – 3 Dartford (05/04/2011 – Kent Senior Cup)
Ramsgate 2 – 2 Dartford (10/11/2009 – Isthmian League Cup)*
Dartford 4 – 0 Ramsgate (18/04/2009 – Isthmian Premier)

Statistics

Dartford are unbeaten in their last seven matches against Ramsgate (W5, D2)
The Darts are unbeaten in eight at home against the Rams (W6, D2)
Dartford have won the last four home games against Ramsgate without conceding (an aggregate score of 10-0)
Dan Smith could make his 50th Dartford appearance. The striker has scored 16 goals in 39 starts and ten substitute appearances.

On This Day

Dartford’s first ever fixture took place on this day in 1888 at Brent Recreation Ground, a 3-1 friendly defeat at home to Erith. Alf Mace made history as Dartford’s first ever goalscorer.

The latest ever opening league game took place on this day six years ago. Covid delayed the start of the 2020/2021 season and when the campaign finally got underway, the Darts beat Chelmsford City at Princes Park. Lockdown prevented any supporters from attending the 1-0 win, Kyjuon Marsh-Brown scoring the only goal of the game.

In 2012, the Darts claimed a memorable victory over Grimsby Town in the National League. Dartford went up to Blundell Park and came home with all three points thanks to goals from Tom Champion and Adam Birchall.

Tadley Calleva v Dartford

October 1, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

A place in the F.A Cup fourth qualifying round is at stake when Isthmian Premier leaders Dartford take on ninth tier side Tadley Calleva on Saturday.

It’s been five years since the Darts progressed further than the third qualifying round. An eighth consecutive win in all competitions will put Ben Greenhalgh’s side in the draw and within touching distance of the first round proper.

Standing in the way will be history makers Tadley Calleva who have set a club record run. The Combined Counties Premier South side have made it through four rounds already to beat their previous best achieved in the last two campaigns.

White Hawk Downed

Dartford prepare for the F.A Cup tie having climbed to the top of the Isthmian Premier. A fourth league win in a row and eighth consecutive victory over Whitehawk put them three points clear.

Max Fiddes is also in excellent form netting a brace in each of his last three appearances. His two goals on Tuesday night made the difference in the 2-1 home win against the Hawks. The striker scored in each half finishing a good move for the opener, then netting a winner. Fiddes has now scored ten goals in 13 games for the Darts.

The only blemish on Dartford’s performance is that they conceded a goal. Karmani Ryan, also in top form for Whitehawk rounded Ryan Sandford to equalise. The striker ended a run of three league matches without conceding for the Darts. However, the back line remains strong having kept six clean sheets in their last nine outings.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Squad Game

Dartford’s packed schedule has seen Greenhalgh use the squad and it was no different in midweek. In came Brandon Davey, Ikechukwu Orji and Tyler Ibe for Adrian Gyamera, Lorenzo Duncan and Jez Pinder, who took their places on the bench. Jordan Higgs was not involved after picking up a dead leg against Leiston, he was replaced by Scott Wagstaff.

In the eight matches Dartford played in September they have won all but one, which was a draw in the last round of the F.A Cup. All that with Greenhalgh making a total of 35 changes to the starting lineups.

Senior Cup Success

Tadley Calleva are unbeaten in their last four matches in all competitions. Last season’s league Combined Counties Premier South runners up and playoff semi-finalists, had a Tuesday night win of their own.

The Romans were involved in their eighth cup tie this season beating Westfield in the Aldershot Senior Cup. Substitute, Mal Thomas came on after just four minutes and scored a brace. Tadley Calleva secured a passage into the next round with a 4-2 triumph, which also saw Charlie Barlow and Connor Thorne find the Westfield net.

Playing Catch Up

Having played the fewest matches in their division, Tadley Calleva have ground to make up. However, they have games in hand, sit mid-table and have scored in every league fixture this season.

The Romans are five unbeaten in the Combined Counties Premier South and at home they have scored 13 times in their previous four outings. Only one side has visited Barlows Park and won and that was Roman Glass St George in the F.A Vase first qualifying round.

Journey so far – Dartford

The Darts were taken to a replay in the second qualifying round after a 1-1 draw with Westfield. The Isthmian South Central side took the lead on their own patch with a wonderful James Roberts free-kick. Dartford equalised through Fiddes to earn a second chance back at Princes Park.

Fiddes was at it again in the replay by setting Dartford on their way. The striker got on the end of Greenhalgh’s cross to put the host ahead. Dan Smith made an impact later on when he challenged for a header which landed in the Westfield net.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Journey so far – Tadley Calleva

On the day Dartford were beginning their Isthmian Premier campaign, Tadley Calleva began their now historical F.A Cup journey. The Romans made it through the extra preliminary round with a 2-1 victory against Wessex Premier side Bemerton Heath Harlequins.

A replay was required in the following F.A Cup tie after drawing with Hamble Club. The replay back in Tadley finished 3-1, a scoreline they were to repeat in the next round versus Laverstock and Ford.

After three rounds against Wessex Premier League opposition, the Romans had to step up when they were drawn out against Bishops Cleeve. Tadley Calleva caused an upset beating the Southern League South side 1-0, Brad Neal’s goal sending the Hampshire club to the third qualifying round for the first time.

Manager’s View

Ben Greenhalgh was delighted with Tuesday night’s win, but could also see room for improvement, he spoke to Dartford FC TV and said: “I thought it was actually an incredible performance. We had a really sloppy 15 minutes at the end of the first half”, he added: “We got a little bit ahead of ourselves…we got a bit too aggressive, a bit too open”.

The Darts had a “brilliant start” to the second half according to the player manager. However, had the team taken their chances the closing stages would have been less nervy. Greenhalgh summed up the night, he commented: “In general a great home performance and another three points”.

Looking towards the F.A Cup tie with Tadley Calleva, Greenhalgh is certain his squad will be ready, he explained: “I think we are very level headed as a team, we don’t disrespect any opponents”, he continued: “I know as a team how hard we will work against any opponent”. Despite the gap between to the two sides Greenhalgh is expecting the Romans to raise their game, he said: “They are probably one of the lowest ranked teams, so they are going to be absolutely up for getting a cup upset”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Team News

Jordan Higgs was unavailable in midweek after suffering a dead leg against Leiston. Ben Swift and Joe Tennent remain out with longer term injuries.

Current Form

DARTFORD (WWWWWW)			TADLEY CALLEVA (WLWWDW)
Whitehawk	H	2-1	Westfield (ASC)	A	4-2
Leiston (FAT)	A	3-0	Sutton Common Rovers	H	3-3
Ramsgate (KSC)	H	2-0	Bishops Cleeve (FAC)	A	1-0
Hayes & Yeading Utd (FAC)	H	4-2	Camberley Town	H	4-2
Enfield Town	A	2-0	Fleet Town (HSC)	A	3-4
Carshalton Athletic	H	3-0	Laverstock & Ford (FAC)	H	3-1

FAC – F.A Cup / KSC – Kent Senior Cup / FAT – F.A Trophy
HSC – Hampshire Senior Cup / ASC – Aldershot Senior Cup

Statistics

Dartford have won seven consecutive matches. The Darts last won eight games in a row during their ten match winning streak from December 2024 to February 2025, a joint club record
The Darts have failed to win their last four F.A Cup ties on the road (D2, L2). The last away victory was a 3-0 win against rivals Maidstone United in 2019.
Dartford have played lower league opposition in the F.A Cup 15 times in the last ten years. The Darts have won 11, drawn one and lost three.

On This Day

Dartford have won twice in the F.A Cup on this day, the last of those victories came in 2001. The Darts beat Croydon Athletic 4-2 in a second qualifying round replay after a 2-2 draw in the original tie. In 1964, Dartford won 3-1 in the third qualifying round against Bexley United. On this day in 1896, Dartford thrashed Wycombe Wanderers 9-0 in the Southern League Second Division.