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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.

Dartford v Whitehawk

September 28, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

Dartford can go top of the Isthmian Premier when they host Whitehawk to close out September.

Unbeaten in eight games in all competitions and on a run of six consecutive wins, the Darts will reach pole position with just a point at Princes Park. The league has taken a backseat over the last fortnight with Ben Greenhalgh leading Dartford through to the next round in three cup competitions.

The Hawks have struggled since late February and their poor form spilled into this season. However, Jay Lovett will be hoping some green shoots are starting to emerge after consecutive victories ended a winless run of 21 matches.

Victory Road to Wembley

Dartford’s cup exploits will be interrupted on Tuesday night after making it through in the F.A Cup, Kent Senior Cup and more recently the F.A Trophy. The Darts eased into the third qualifying round of the trophy on the weekend with a 3-0 win at Southern Premier Central side Leiston.

Greenhalgh made nine changes to the side that beat Ramsgate 2-0 in the Kent Senior Cup a week ago. George Whitefield and Lorenzo Duncan remained in the starting eleven, Duncan the only difference from the 4-2 F.A Cup win over Hayes and Yeading United. Sam Odaudu made his 150th appearance for the club.

Duncan scored against Ramsgate and in his first league start he set up Max Fiddes to open the scoring. Dan Smith was unselfish in the build up to the second, the striker made it easy for player manager Greenhalgh to net his third in his last four games. On Jez Pinder’s 100th appearance for the Darts, the midfielder assisted Fiddes for his second of the afternoon and fourth goal in his previous two matches.

Seven Heaven

Dartford have won seven in a row against Whitehawk and the last four at Princes Park. Last season, Olly Box returned from suspension, grabbed a brace and set up the third in a 3-0 victory. The forward fired a shot in the top corner before curling another beyond the Whitehawk keeper. Box then set up Callum Jones to add further gloss to the scoreline.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Double Delights

The return fixture completed a third consecutive double over the Hawks. Once again Box scored twice, but this time in a 2-1 triumph. In the previous season, Josh Hill scored the goal of the season in the 4-1 victory at Princes Park and three months later it was Box once more who found the net in a 1-0 win. In the 2017/2018 National South campaign the Darts won 4-0 at the Enclosed Ground and 3-1 at Princes Park.

Returning to League Action

Since the Bank Holiday, the Darts have also been in good league form. Greenhalgh will be hoping they can extend their winning run in the Isthmian Premier to four matches.

In the previous three league outings Dartford have beaten full timers Chatham Town 1-0 in the last minute, defeated an in form Carshalton Athletic 3-0 and took all three points against leaders Enfield Town. In each of those games Dan Smith has netted from the penalty spot and Ryan Sandford has kept a clean sheet.

Hawks Fall

Seven months ago Whitehawk were in tenth place and four points shy of the playoffs. The Hawks had just enjoyed a derby day win over Lewes and things were looking up under Shaun Saunders. Little did the Sussex side know that was to be their last win until a fortnight ago.

Saunders stepped down in the summer and former Burgess Hill Town joint boss, Jay Lovett arrived at the Enclosed Ground. The new Whitehawk manager had to wait for his ninth game to claim a win, then two came along at once.

Ryan On Song

The Hawks will arrive at Princes Park having beaten two of the newly promoted sides, Three Bridges in the league and AFC Whyteleafe in the F.A Trophy. The star man in those games has been Kamarni Ryan. The forward scored all four against AFC Whyteleafe on Saturday and a brace in the 3-2 win over Three Bridges two weeks ago.

An away win at Princes Park coupled with a draw between AFC Whyteleafe and Brentwood Town on Wednesday night will see the Hawks climb out of the bottom four.

Manager’s View

After a long journey and an interrupted warm up the Darts knocked Leiston out of the F.A Trophy, Ben Greenhalgh was delighted with the outcome, he spoke to Dartford FC TV and said: “It was an absolute superb performance all round. We could have scored more at the end, we could have got loads of goals”.

Dartford now turn their focus back to the league and Greenhalgh wants to end the month on another high, he commented: “We’ve played six games in September with different teams every time. We’ve barely been able to get the same eleven that often. We’ve got four clean sheets in six games and won five out of six. It’s been incredible so far and we’ve got one more job to do on Tuesday to finish off a brilliant September”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Team News

A few players were struggling with minor injuries before the weekend. However, Emmanuel Oke, Adrian Gyamera, Ikechukwu Orji and Tyler Ibe were all able to feature in the F.A Trophy. Jordan Higgs came off at half-time with a dead leg, but Greenhalgh confirmed it is nothing major and the midfielder will need assessing for Tuesday. Ben Swift and Joe Tennent remain out with longer term injuries.

Current League Form

DARTFORD (WLLWWW)			WHITEHAWK (LLLDLW)
Enfield Town	A	2-0	Three Bridges	H	3-2
Carshalton Athletic	A	3-0	Maldon & Tiptree	A	2-3
Chatham Town	H	1-0	Burgess Hill Town	H	1-1
Burgess Hill Town	A	1-2	Enfield Town	A	1-5
Welling United	H	0-3	Chatham Town	H	0-3
Maldon & Tiptree	A	2-1	Aveley	A	2-3

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 9 / Whitehawk wins: 3 / Draws: 0

Previous Meetings

Whitehawk 1 – 2 Dartford (25/11/2025 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 3 – 0 Whitehawk (14/10/2025 – Isthmian Premier)
Whitehawk 0 – 1 Dartford (12/04/2025 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 4 – 1 Whitehawk (04/01/2025 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 3 – 1 Whitehawk (27/01/2018 – National South)
Whitehawk 0 – 4 Dartford (05/09/2017 – National South)

Statistics

Dartford have won their last seven games against Whitehawk and have completed a double in the last three campaigns, in which the two sides have been in the same division
The Darts have won their last four home games against the Hawks
Dartford have kept six clean sheets in their last eight games in all competitions.

On This Day

Ben Greenhalgh set up Lee Noble for the opening goal against Weston-super-Mare in 2018. Noble headed in at the far post, but the visitors levelled through Gethyn Hill. The Darts ran out 2-1 winners after Jamie Philpot netted the decisive goal.

Dartford have lost just one of their last ten on this day. A pair of 2-2 F.A Cup draws took place in 2001 and 2007. The Darts drew with Croydon Athletic 25 years ago and with Camberley Town six years later, Brendon Cass and John Guest both scoring. On each occasion Dartford went on to win the replay.

Leiston v Dartford

September 24, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

Dartford begin their F.A Trophy campaign with a long journey to Leiston this weekend.

The Darts are looking for their first F.A Trophy tie victory in almost five years having gone out at the first hurdle in the last four attempts. Joint top of the Isthmian Premier League, Ben Greenhalgh’s side will be desperate to progress in the competition.

Leiston have made it to the first round in five of the last six seasons. Chris Wigger’s team are hovering just outside the playoff places in the Southern Premier Central division.

Famous Cup Run

It’s been 16 years since Dartford secured a place in the F.A Cup first round by beating Leiston. At the time three divisions separated the two sides with the Darts in the National South and the Blues in the Eastern Counties League.

Led by Tony Burman, Dartford avoided a cup upset by drawing 0-0 in their last visit to Victory Road. In an uneventful game Charlie Sheringham came closest for the Darts, but a replay was required three days later.

The Darts booked a place in the first round with a 3-2 win back at Princes Park and were awarded with a tie against Port Vale. The hosts went two up through Danny Harris and Carl Rook. Leiston pulled a goal back almost immediately when Stuart Broadley scored. However, Tom Bonner restored the two goal advantage before a last minute consolation from Leon Ottley-Gooch.

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Highlights courtesy of the late sonytino

Bright Future

Saturday will be Dartford’s third cup game in a row after the F.A Cup win over Hayes and Yeading United and the Kent Senior Cup victory over Ramsgate. Success is adding more fixtures to the list leading Greenhalgh to use his squad wisely.

The player manager made ten changes to the side that progressed in the F.A Cup 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.

Lorenzo Duncan netted the opener and his maiden Dartford goal against a Ramsgate side led by former Darts boss Adrian Pennock. Wrapping up the win, Louis Atkins celebrated his first senior start with a first senior goal for the club.

Squad Confidence

Once again Greenhalgh is likely to shuffle the pack when naming the starting line up. A run of seven matches unbeaten, which includes five wins on the spin gives the squad the confidence to rotate players. What is more impressive is that despite a number of injuries to defenders, the Darts have managed five clean sheets during this current run.

Since Bank Holiday Monday, Dartford have collected a maximum of nine points in the league and progressed through two cup competitions. Two of those Isthmian Premier victories came against the top two. Now the Darts are joint top and if they avoid defeat next Tuesday they will be outright leaders.

Steady Blues

Leiston have finished in tenth place for the past two seasons in the Southern Premier Central. The Suffolk side switched from the Isthmian Premier in 2019 and are in their 15th campaign at step three.

This term they are sitting in ninth after a midweek defeat at Peterborough Sports, who leapfrogged the Blues in the standings. Tuesday’s loss ended a run of four unbeaten in all competitions.

A last gasp winner by Eddie Jackson helped Leiston into the next round of the F.A Cup last weekend. Adam Mills had earlier put the Blues in front with his eighth of the season. Mills enjoyed a purple patch in August scoring six over five consecutive matches.

Trophy Record

When it comes to the F.A Trophy, Leiston reached the first round last season going out to AFC Sudbury, but they did beat Lewes on the way. The Blues have reached at least the first round in five of their last six attempts. In 2022/2023 they set a club record of reaching the fourth round (last 32) finally getting knocked out by National League side Aldershot Town.

In the event of a draw after 90 minutes the tie will go straight to penalties.

Manager’s View

The win over Ramsgate was a proud moment for Greenhalgh who has been developing players from the academy. Being able to work with the youngsters means a sense of consistency in how they play and a degree of trust, he told Dartford FC TV after the game: “I thought it was absolutely brilliant, just a great occasion in general. I’ve said all along, we’re not just going to give players opportunities for the sake of it. You can see their quality and they were so dominant all night”, he continued: “It’s rare to find in any game of football 14 out of 16 players being academy players and that’s something that we’re almost celebrating now”.

Focus now shifts to another competition and the player manager can’t wait, he added: “I’m looking forward to it. It’s something different. We want to be effective in every competition we’re playing”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Team News

Greenhalgh is hoping the majority of the players that picked up injuries last Saturday will be back, that includes Tyler Ibe, Emmanuel Oke, Adrian Gyamera and Ikechukwu Orji. Longer term absentees include Ben Swift and Joe Tennent.

Current Form

DARTFORD (DWWWWW)			LEISTON (LDWWWL)
Ramsgate (KSC)	H	2-0	Peterborough Sports	H	0-2
Hayes & Yeading Utd (FAC)	H	4-2	Hitchin Town (FAC)	A	2-1
Enfield Town	A	2-0	Banbury United	A	2-1
Carshalton Athletic	H	3-0	Grays Athletic (FAC)	H	5-0
Westfield (FAC)	H	2-0	Grays Athletic (FAC)	A	0-0
Westfield (FAC)	A	1-1	Bury Town	A	3-4

FAC – F.A Cup / KSC – Kent Senior Cup

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 1 / Leiston wins: 0 / Draws: 1

Previous Meetings

Dartford 3 – 2 Leiston (26/10/2010 – F.A Cup)
Leiston 0 – 0 Dartford (23/10/2010 – F.A Cup)

Statistics

Dartford have won two of their last 16 F.A Trophy ties (D6*, L8) – * includes penalty shoot outs
The Darts have scored once in their last five F.A Trophy matches
If selected, Sam Odaudu will make his 150th appearance for Dartford (142 starts, 7 sub, 8 goals) and Jez Pinder his 100th (60 starts, 39 sub, 9 goals)

On This Day

Dartford have never played a F.A Trophy match on this day, however their last two fixtures on 26 September have been in the F.A Cup. The second qualifying round games had different results. In 2015, Uxbridge caused an upset by visiting Princes Park and winning 1-0. The Essex side were two divisions below the Darts at the time.

Six years earlier Dartford avoided an upset by beating Worthing 2-1 on the road. The Darts led the Sussex side a division below them with goals from Elliot Bradbrook and Jay May. A late Jamie Brotherton goal set up a nervy finish.

Dartford v Ramsgate

September 21, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

A former manager returns to Princes Park when Dartford’s Kent Senior Cup campaign gets underway against Ramsgate on Tuesday night.

The Darts are hoping to extend their unbeaten run to seven games and progress to the last sixteen. Standing in their way is Adrian Pennock and his Ramsgate side packed with former Dartford players.

Cup Brace for Max

Dartford already had cup success this week with a 4-2 win over Hayes and Yeading United on Saturday. Ben Greenhalgh’s team navigated through the F.A Cup second qualifying tie despite falling behind. The player manager put the hosts ahead finishing off a fine team move. Greenhalgh timed his run to perfection to get on the end of Max Fiddes’ cut back. Hayes and Yeading United went in at the break level after a well worked counter attack saw Amari Fashanu equalise.

United took the lead in the second half when Kurtis Cumberbatch hit a long range effort past Ryan Sandford. The Darts were back level after Scott Wagstaff’s persistence won the ball close to goal and the midfielder set up Fiddes to level. Jordan Higgs opened his account in style with a wonderful volley on the edge of the box and Fiddes completed his brace from close range.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Momentum Building

Since Bank Holiday Monday, the Darts have won six of their last seven in all competitions. The 1-0 home win in the Kent derby against Chatham Town was followed up with a draw in the F.A Cup. Dartford overcame Westfield in the replay before beating early Isthmian Premier pacesetters Carshalton Athletic and Enfield Town. Victory over Hayes and Yeading last time out is one of three consecutive cup games for the Darts.

Ravens Await

Now Greenhalgh’s side turn their focus to the Kent Senior Cup, a competition the Darts have won 13 times. The last time they drew out Ramsgate in the county cup was in the 2011 semi-final. A brace from Charlie Sheringham and a goal from Ryan Hayes led Dartford to the final, which they won 4-1 against Bromley. The winners of Tuesday night’s tie will face the Ravens in the next round.

Familiar Faces

Last season Adrian Pennock was sitting in the home dugout as manager of Dartford. The league fixture in March was decided by Denzelle Olopade in 1-0 triumph for the Darts. Three of the starting line up followed Pennock to the Rams over the summer. Callum Jones spent two seasons at Princes Park scoring 24 goals in 93 games. Goalkeeper, Jonny Henly made 45 appearances and kept 12 clean sheets in his only season. Dave Winfield played four times for Dartford last term and is now the Ramsgate’s captain.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Another three former Darts are also part of Pennock’s squad. Midfielder, Jacob Bland appeared 22 times in a Dartford shirt scoring once. Rowan Liburd recorded just three games during the 2019/2020 season. Tom Clifford made seven appearances whilst on loan in 2023/2024.

Angels KO Rams

All six former Darts were on display in Ramsgate’s F.A Cup tie on the weekend. The Rams were knocked out by National South side Tonbridge Angels. Pennock’s side went in front when last season’s top scorer Alfie Paxman scored a penalty. Angels pegged the visitors back with a Jephte Tanga equaliser. The winner came from Bunmi Babajide to send the Angels through.

Steady Start

Saturday’s defeat ended a run of four games unbeaten in all competitions for Ramsgate. After defeat at Welling United, the Rams thrashed AFC Whyteleafe 5-1 with Paxman grabbing a brace. Liburd, Jones and Solomon Ogunwomoju also found the back of the net.

Last season Pennock was knocked out of the F.A Cup at Dartford against Bracknell Town. This time the Rams boss avenged defeat with Jones scoring the decisive goal in a 1-0 win. Over the next two fixtures, Billy Munday netted three times, once in the 2-2 draw with Burgess Hill Town and twice in the 2-0 victory against Maldon and Tiptree.

Pennock will be hoping to become the second ever Ramsgate manager to lift the Kent Senior Cup. The club’s only triumph in the competition was in 1964 when they were known as Ramsgate Athletic, they beat Maidstone United 3-1 in the final.

Manager’s View

Although Dartford made it through the F.A Cup second qualifying round, the win was not without it’s challenges. Ben Greenhalgh spoke to Dartford FC TV and said: “We achieved what we set out to do. There was a little bit of a hiccup along the way. I think we can use excuses because we got to the final 30 minutes and we’re playing with one conventional defender, and that’s George Whitefield”. The player manager explained he’d rather not risk further injury to the likes of Tyler Ibe and Emmanuel Oke, hence their afternoon being cut short.

At 2-1 down Greenhalgh was pleased with his team’s response, he commented: “We showed great character because from there we had a lot of the ball, we moved the ball well enough and we were patient”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Team News

A mixture of senior and academy players will feature in the Kent Senior Cup. A packed schedule and lack of defenders will impact Greenhalgh’s selection. Ben Swift is out through injury for longer than expected and Joe Tennent continues his recovery from surgery. Tyler Ibe, Emmanuel Oke and Adrian Gyamera are unlikely to feature, the trio are nursing minor hamstring injuries.

Current Form

DARTFORD (WDWWWW)			RAMSGATE (LWWDWL)
Hayes & Yeading Utd (FAC)	H	4-2	Tonbridge Angels (FAC)	A	1-2
Enfield Town	A	2-0	Maldon & Tiptree	H	2-0
Carshalton Athletic	H	3-0	Burgess Hill Town	A	2-2
Westfield (FAC)	H	2-0	Bracknell Town (FAC)	H	1-0
Westfield (FAC)	A	1-1	AFC Whyteleafe	H	5-1
Chatham Town	H	1-0	Welling United	A	0-1

FAC – F.A Cup

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 22 / Ramsgate wins: 15 / Draws: 9

Previous Meetings

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)
Ramsgate 0 – 1 Dartford (30/12/2008 – Isthmian Premier)
*Dartford won 5-4 on penalties

Statistics

Dartford are unbeaten in their last six matches against Ramsgate (W4, D2)
The Darts are unbeaten in seven at home against the Rams (W5, D2)
If selected, Sam Odaudu will make his 150th appearance for Dartford (142 starts, 7 sub, 8 goals) and Jez Pinder his 100th (60 starts, 39 sub, 9 goals)
In the Kent Senior Cup, Dartford lead the head to head record over Ramsgate 3-2 with one draw.

On This Day

Dartford escaped an early F.A Cup upset on this day seven years ago. The away trip to AFC Uckfield Town went down to the final nine minutes before the Darts turned the tie around. The Southern Combination League side led through Callum Smith, but goals from Tom Murphy, Charlie Sheringham and Elliot Bradbrook made sure Dartford beat the side three divisions lower than them.

Lee Noble scored a last minute equaliser to claim a draw against Wrexham 14 years ago. Danny Harris had given the Darts a fourth minute lead at the Racecourse Ground, but the Welsh side went ahead after goals from Danny Wright and Rob Bishop. Noble’s free-kick went all the way in from long range to rescue a point.

Dartford also won on this day during their last two title winning campaigns. In the Isthmian North, current assistant manager Adam Flanagan scored the only goal at home against AFC Sudbury in 2007. Two years later, the Darts beat Sutton United 3-0 on their way to the Isthmian Premier title. A Rob Haworth brace and an own goal on the road earned Dartford maximum points.

Dartford v Hayes and Yeading United

September 17, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

The F.A Cup returns with Dartford hosting Hayes and Yeading United this weekend in the second qualifying round.

Ben Greenhalgh’s side needed a replay against lower league opposition in their last F.A Cup outing. This time they will be hoping to make home advantage count and avoid any slip up. Victory will put the Darts in the third qualifying round for just the second time in five years.

Hayes and Yeading United have already progressed through three rounds, starting their F.A Cup journey on the same day the Darts began their league campaign. A win for the Isthmian South Central side will put them in the third qualifying for the first time in five years, when they last made it to the first round proper.

Brothers Make Their Mark

The last pair of brothers to have scored for Dartford in the same game was Elliott and Tom Bradbrook in March 2016, that was against Hayes and Yeading United. The Bradbrook’s also netted in the reverse fixture in October 2015 as well. A decade on and history could repeat itself should Louie and Richie Atkins get the chance this weekend.

Back on Halloween 11 years ago, the Darts hosted Hayes and Yeading United and won the National South fixture 2-0. Tom Bradbrook gave Dartford the lead 20 minutes into the game with a far post header. With ten minutes remaining Elliot Bradbrook arrived late to powerfully head home the second.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

The same duo made their mark in the reverse fixture, only this time it ended in a draw. All four goals came in the first half with United taking a two goal lead through Elliot Benyon and Shepherd Murombedzi. Six minutes before the break Tom Bradbrook pulled a goal back and on the stroke of half-time his brother Elliot equalised.

Story So Far – Dartford

Dartford have already taken on a side from the Isthmian South Central and needed a replay to progress. At Woking Park, the Darts drew 1-1 with Westfield after finding themselves a goal down. James Roberts struck a wonderful free-kick before Max Fiddes levelled.

The replay was more comfortable with Fiddes opening the scoring. Substitute, Dan Smith came on and made an immediate impact. The striker challenged for a header which came off the defender to seal a 2-0 win.

Story So Far – Hayes and Yeading United

United started their F.A Cup campaign in the extra preliminary round against Harpenden Town. The Middlesex side took an early lead through Ben Purcell, the advantage was doubled courtesy of Harry Grant and Kurtis Cumberbatch made it three. Harpenden Town pulled one back when Jon Clements scored a penalty.

In the preliminary round Hayes and Yeading United came out on top in a nine goal thriller against White Ensign. United were two up at half-time when Ross Derham and Purcell both scored. White Ensign were level within five minutes of the restart only for Purcell to restore United’s lead. Once again, the Essex side hit back with an equaliser, but eventually Hayed and Yeading United moved clear. Derham’s second and a couple more from Kaylen Hinds and Kyle Daniel-Spray made it 6-3.

Hinds was on target again in the following round as United beat Camberley Town 2-1 at home. Their opponents managed to draw level before Brendan Matthew netted the winner from the spot. Captaining the side was former Dart, Amos Nasha who made six appearances for Dartford in the 2019/2020 season.

Darts Topple Towners

Dartford claimed a statement win on Tuesday night when they toppled Enfield Town on the road. After a convincing 3-0 victory over Carshalton Athletic, Greenhalgh named an unchanged side for the first time. Dan Smith scored his fifth of the season and third from the spot at the former league leaders.

In the second half, Tyler Ibe netted his first goal for the club since joining at the start of the season to double the lead. The Darts became the first side to keep Enfield Town at bay to record a fifth clean sheet in all competitions this term and go level on points with their opponents at the summit.

United’s Cup Runs

Hayes and Yeading United have played more cup games than league. Alongside the F.A Cup, they got their F.A Trophy campaign underway with a penalty shoot out win over Jersey Bulls, a 4-0 triumph against Marlow and a 4-1 victory versus Peacehaven and Telescombe.

In the Isthmian South Central they sit in 17th place after a defeat on Tuesday night at Cobham, their first league match on the road. Having fought back from two down, United conceded a penalty with five minutes on the clock to lose 3-2. That was United’s second loss of their league season. On the opening day they drew 2-2 with Bedfont Sports, then went down 2-0 against Raynes Park Vale before an entertaining 4-3 win at home to Harrow Borough.

Manager’s View

A month and a half into the current campaign Ben Greenhalgh is seeing the squad improve. The victory at league leaders became the latest example of the progress the team has made, he spoke to Dartford FC TV and said: “Very similar to Saturday. I thought we were absolutely superb throughout. The brilliant thing we could be critical about is I think we should have been three or four up in the first half. We had a lot of good chances where we broke on them and we showed good quality, which was a massive improvement to probably where we were at the start of season”.

The player manager continued: “We’re so much more attacking than what we were at the start of the season. We’ve been consistent with what we’ve said. From the beginning we wanted to build a strong defence, which we did, and we weren’t too worried about not creating so many chances. Last two games we’ve created nearly ten chances in each game and it’s as positive as it can be.”

Another lower league opposition awaits this weekend, but Greenhalgh has still prepared for the cup tie in the same way, he commented: “Hayes and Yeading are a good outfit. They’ve been playing some good football. We’ve watched a lot of them already. It’s going to be their cup final. We know what F.A Cups are like, they’re going to come to Dartford and they’re going to turn on their game and we know upsets can happen. So, we just need to look at ourselves and keep doing what we’ve being doing”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Team News

Ben Swift is out through injury for longer than expected. Greenhalgh confirmed the defender may need a couple of months. Joe Tennent continues his recovery from surgery to repair facial fractures. Brandon Davey picked up an injury in the last round, but came off the bench on Tuesday to feature.

Current Form

DARTFORD (LWDWWW)			HAYES & YEADING UNITED (LWWWWL)
Enfield Town	A	2-0	Cobham	A	2-3
Carshalton Athletic	H	3-0	Peacehaven & T’scombe (FAT)	H	3-1
Westfield (FAC)	H	2-0	Camberley Town (FAC)	H	2-1
Westfield (FAC)	A	1-1	Harrow Borough	H	4-3
Chatham Town	H	1-0	Marlow (FAT)	A	4-0
Burgess Hill Town	A	1-2	Raynes Park Vale	H	0-2

FAC – F.A Cup / FAT – F.A Trophy

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 1 / Hayes and Yeading United wins: 0 / Draws: 1

Previous Meetings

Hayes and Yeading United 2 – 2 Dartford (01/03/2016 – National South)
Dartford 2 – 0 Hayes and Yeading United (31/10/2015 – National South)

Statistics

Dartford have won 31 times in the F.A Cup second qualifying round, drawn seven and lost 17
The Darts have won three of their last four F.A Cup games at home (L1)
Dartford have kept four clean sheets in their last five games and have not conceded in just over three and a half hours of football
The Darts last kept four clean sheets in a row back in April 2018

On This Day

Dartford have won all but one F.A Cup tie on 19 September, the last of which was 26 years ago. The Darts beat Chertsey Town in a replay 2-0 in 2000. Twice Dartford have beaten Sheppey United 4-1 in the F.A Cup in 1908 and again in 1959. Chatham were defeated 4-2 in 1964 and six years later the Darts went to Hampton and won 1-0. The only blip was in 1998 when Fleet Town got the better of Dartford.

In the Isthmian Premier League, the Darts thrashed Carshalton Athletic 4-0 with goals from Lee Burns, Jamie Day, Rob Haworth and Jamie Coyle in 2009.

Enfield Town v Dartford

September 14, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

Dartford take on Isthmian Premier league leaders Enfield Town under the lights on Tuesday night.

The Darts are four games unbeaten in all competitions and moved up to fourth on the weekend. Ben Greenhalgh’s team have the opportunity to go level on points with Enfield Town by claiming victory at the Dave Bryant Stadium, the first meeting between the two sides in 18 years.

Billy Holland’s side have had a great start to life back in the division. Relegated from the National South last term, the Towners are looking to bounce straight back and are currently on target in these early stages of the season. Enfield Town have won their last six matches in all competitions and are scoring for fun.

Victory on the Road

Dartford secured their biggest away win under Ben Greenhalgh and the player manager was one of the scorers. The Darts put in an excellent performance to defeat Carshalton Athletic 3-0 in Surrey and join their opponents on 15 points.

Jez Pinder scored his second goal in three league games with a good finish. The midfielder curled in the opener as the midway point of the first half approached. Greenhalgh doubled the lead with a brilliant free kick four minutes before the break. Dan Smith was one of three changes to the lineup and his penalty added another.

Darts Defence

Since the double defeat to Welling United and Burgess Hill Town, the Darts have tightened up at the back. Ryan Sandford kept his first clean sheet on the road since returning to the club on the weekend. His defence also kept out Chatham Town and Westfield over the last four outings. In fact, the last open play goal conceded was in the late defeat at Burgess Hill Town five games ago.

Long Time No See

Dartford have won without conceding in their only two visits to Enfield Town. The Towners were formed as the first fully fan-owned football club in 2001 and four years later the Darts crossed paths with them for the first time. In the 2005/2006 Southern League Division One East, Dartford beat Enfield Town 1-0 early in the campaign. The reverse fixture also ended 1-0 to the away side with the Towners taking maximum points.

The last meetings came during Dartford’s Isthmian Division One North title winning season. Current assistant manager, Adam Flanagan scored twice in a 6-1 victory at Princes Park. The remaining goals came from Jay May, Ryan Hayes, Eddie McClements and Brendon Cass.

Flanagan was also on target in the return match with two of his defensive partners. John Guest opened the scoring and Jamie Coyle added a third in a 3-0 triumph.

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Highlights courtesy of sonytino

Top Towners

Enfield Town will provide a tougher test this time. Under new manager Billy Holland they top the standings with by far the best goal difference in the division. The former Waltham Abbey boss was praised for producing an attacking side whilst at the Essex club, a trait he’s been able to continue with the Towners. Already Enfield Town have scored 23 goals in seven league matches. Even though their only clean sheet came in the 4-0 win on the opening day over Lewes, the Towners feel they can always outscore their opponents. Only St Albans City have got the better of Holland’s side, otherwise it has all been victories this season.

Creative Spark

Some of the attacking quality arrived in the summer when the new Enfield Town boss brought along some of the players he’d worked with at Waltham Abbey, former Dartford loanee Amrit Bansal-McNulty is just one example. The Darts saw glimpses of his creativity in 2020 when he made six appearances scoring twice. The midfielder is topping Enfield Town’s assist chart and already has four goals to his name this term, including the winner on Saturday.

At one stage it looked as though Enfield Town would lose their winning streak when they were 2-1 down at home to Cray Wanderers. However, a Sam Youngs penalty and a Bansal-McNulty winner turned the score around. That was the sixth match in a row in which the Towners netted three goals or more. Enfield Town knocked out Essex Senior side Frenford 4-0 in the F.A Cup the week before, put four past Wingate and Finchley and hit Whitehawk for five. They also put three past Brentwood Town and Ramsgate, a great run of form after the defeat to St Albans City on matchday two.

Manager’s View

Going two goals up in the first half on the weekend gave Dartford a platform to take all three points. Ben Greenhalgh spoke to Dartford FC TV after the game and explained he wanted his team to keep up the high standards to produce an all round performance, he commented: “I said at half time that we didn’t want to drop off and we didn’t drop off. That was by far our best performance. We stepped it up again, we pressed well, we won the ball back a lot. I thought defensively we’ve got three academy players and I thought they were unbelievable”.

Enfield Town should provide a tough task and Greenhalgh is expecting nothing less, he said: “We’ve already done a little bit of research and what I’ve heard is they might be one of the best teams in the division at the moment. Clearly they are because they are top of the league, but from the way they are playing, they are a good outfit”.

Yet their opponents current position in the division doesn’t concern the player manager, he added: “We don’t fear anyone in this league. Every game we go into we want to win. Two away games of football with two teams that were both top of the league, I think you would have taken any points, but we look to win these games” of football “, he continued: “It’s going to have to be an organised performance because of the way they move the ball”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Team News

Captain, Ben Swift is out longer than hoped and may not feature for a month or two. Vice-Captain, Joe Tennent is a long term injury after suffering facial fractures last month. Ikechukwu Orji and Brandon Davey may be back available.

Current League Form

DARTFORD (WWLLWW)			ENFIELD TOWN (LWWWWW)
Carshalton Athletic	A	3-0	Cray Wanderers	H	3-2
Chatham Town	H	1-0	Wingate & Finchley	A	4-1
Burgess Hill Town	A	1-2	Whitehawk	H	5-1
Welling United	H	0-3	Brentwood Town	A	3-1
Maldon & Tiptree	A	2-1	Ramsgate	H	3-2
Brentwood Town	H	1-0	St Albans City	H	1-2

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 3 / Enfield Town wins: 1 / Draws: 0

Previous Meetings

Enfield Town 0 – 3 Dartford (15/03/2008 – Isthmian Division One North)
Dartford 6 – 1 Enfield Town (01/12/2007 – Isthmian Division One North)
Dartford 0 – 1 Enfield Town (04/03/2006 – Southern League Division One East)
Enfield Town 0 – 1 Dartford (23/08/2005 – Southern League Division One East)

Statistics

Dartford have won three of the four meetings against Enfield Town (L1)
The Darts have a perfect record against Enfield Town on the road (W2)
Another clean sheet will make it three in a row in all competitions for the first time since March 2025

On This Day

Dartford’s last win on this day came 14 years ago when they shocked Hereford United 4-0 in the National League. In a memorable first season back in non-league’s top division, the Darts finished as the highest part-time team in the country. On 13 September, Ryan Hayes, James Rogers, Danny Harris and Jon Wallis all scored at Princes Park to sweep the Bulls aside.

Carshalton Athletic v Dartford

September 10, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

Dartford return to Isthmian Premier action this weekend with a road trip to second place Carshalton Athletic.

The Darts can go level on points with the Robins with a win at Colston Avenue, which would cap off a good fortnight for Ben Greenhalgh’s side. After a Bank Holiday Monday derby day victory, Dartford also progressed to the next round of the F.A Cup.

Carshalton Athletic stayed in this division with a final day win back in April. Under Steve Bates, the Surrey side have been quick out of the blocks, winning five consecutive league games to become one of the early pacesetters. However, the Robins have failed to win their last three fixtures in league and cup.

Dan-cing in the Cup

Although Dartford required a replay to knock out Isthmian South Central side Westfield, they managed to reach the second qualifying round of the F.A Cup last time out. Greenhalgh made four changes to the team that drew in Woking last weekend. Emmanuel Oke returned from suspension, Gianluca Botti replaced Dan Smith up front, whilst Jordan Higgs and Jez Pinder were also named in the starting eleven.

Any nerves around Princes Park settled in the opening 15 minutes when Greenhalgh’s cross was met by Max Fiddes. The striker moved on to four goals for the season to put the hosts in front. In the second half, Dan Smith was introduced and with his first touch added a second of the evening. With cup progression almost secured, Greenhalgh brought on Sonny Smith for his senior debut.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Aiming High

If results go their way this weekend, the Darts could join a number of teams on 15 points at the summit. With an upcoming fixture against league leaders Enfield Town on the horizon there is opportunity to make an early statement. Ryan Sandford kept his second clean sheet in three games on Tuesday night and his defence will need to be on high alert against the top two.

Quickfire Treble

Just over a year ago, the Darts netted three goals in 12 second half minutes to beat Carshalton Athletic 4-1 at home. The result avenged the last day of the season reverse by the same score four months earlier.

The Robins led via a Tommy Bradford penalty, but the hosts were level before the break through Olly Box. A first goal for the club from Dan Smith turned the game around and gloss was added by Pinder and another for Box.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Drama at Both Ends

The two sides had to wait until April for the return fixture, just when both clubs had something riding on the result. A 2-2 draw dented Dartford’s playoff hopes whilst boosting the Robins’ survival ambitions.

Again, Dartford fell behind and changed the narrative with two quick goals. Robert Huke scored for Carshalton Athletic, but the Darts hit back when Sam Odaudu and Rohan Vaughan netted within six minutes of each other. In injury time, the hosts found a leveller through Fabio Saraiva.

Robins Flying

Carshalton Athletic won their opening five games scoring twice in each outing. The Surrey side have yet to take on a team in the upper half of the table in the early stages of the season.

A pair of 2-0 victories kickstarted their campaign against newcomers AFC Whyteleafe and then Wingate and Finchley. Former Dartford midfielder Jack Jebb scored the second in the season opener, one of two he has scored this term. Jebb played for the Darts between 2019 and 2022 and scored nine times in 67 appearances.

Cray Wanderers became the first side to breach Carshalton Athletic’s defence. Even though the Wands put one past Ben Dudzinski, they still lost 2-1. The goalkeeper is another to have represented Dartford making 13 appearances in the 2022/2023 campaign keeping five clean sheets. Stanway Rovers and Brentwood Town were the next victims, leaving Steve Bates and company sitting pretty at the top of the division.

Surprise Defeat and Cup KO

On Bank Holiday Monday, Three Bridges picked up their first win in the Isthmian Premier by inflicting a first defeat on Carshalton Athletic. In a game that saw both sides reduced to ten men, Renedi Masampu getting sent off for the Robins, Bates’ side fell to a 3-2 defeat.

After finding themselves two down, Carshalton Athletic pulled a goal back when Tope Fadahunsi scored. Three Bridges restored the two goal cushion before a late Nathan Young-Coombes consolation.

Last weekend, Young-Coombes found the net again in the F.A Cup at Chertsey Town. However, the Robins were unable to hang onto the lead with the tie needing a replay. Chertsey Town proved too much for Carshalton Athletic winning 2-1 at the second attempt.

Manager’s View

Ben Greenhalgh was relieved the Darts progressed in the cup after the club falling short in recent years. The player manager felt his side should have been more ruthless in front of goal, he spoke to Dartford FC TV after the replay win and said: “First half we created a lot of chances, we got in behind them, we used our width well and should have scored more”. In the end the result was important, something he stressed to the players, he added: “All that mattered and what we said before the game was, in the F.A Cup get through”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Team News

Greenhalgh confirmed the squad has struggled with illness this last week. Although Emmanuel Oke and Dan Smith were two of the players that have suffered, they took to the field on Tuesday night to play a part in the victory. Ben Swift will need assessing, but Greenhalgh is hoping the defender will be available and back in action in one of the next two league games.

Ikechukwu Orji was left out of the squad in mid-week, possibly another suffering with illness. Joe Tennent remains out for the long term and there has been no further updates on Hugo Taylor and Luke Exal.

Current League Form

DARTFORD (WWWWLLW)			CARSHALTON ATHLETIC (WWWWWL)
Chatham Town	H	1-0	Three Bridges	A	2-3
Burgess Hill Town	A	1-2	Brentwood Town	H	2-0
Welling United	H	0-3	Stanway Rovers	A	2-1
Maldon & Tiptree	A	2-1	Cray Wanderers	H	2-1
Brentwood Town	H	1-0	Wingate & Finchley	H	2-0
Three Bridges	A	3-2	AFC Whyteleafe	A	2-0

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 5 / Carshalton Athletic wins: 2 / Draws: 4

Previous Meetings

Carshalton Athletic 2 – 2 Dartford (04/04/2026 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 4 – 1 Carshalton Athletic (23/08/2025 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 1 – 4 Carshalton Athletic (26/04/2025 – Isthmian Premier)
Carshalton Athletic 0 – 1 Dartford (24/08/2024 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 1 – 1 Carshalton Athletic (23/01/2010 – Isthmian Premier)
Carshalton Athletic 0 – 4 Dartford (19/09/2009 – Isthmian Premier)

Statistics

Dartford have lost just one of their last seven against Carshalton Athletic (W4, D2)
Last season, the Darts became the first home side to win this fixture in the tenth meeting between the two sides (Total – Home wins 1, Draws 4, Away wins 6)
Dartford are unbeaten in all six away games versus Carshalton Athletic (W4, D2)
After failing to score in the first ever meeting against the Robins in 1991, the Darts have scored in each of the last ten matches in this fixture.

On This Day

Dartford have rattled in ten goals in their last two outings on this day. Nine years ago, Ryan Hayes made his 400th start in a 4-2 win over Eastbourne Borough. Alex Brown, Alfie Pavey, Elliot Bradbrook and Tom Murphy all found the back of the net.

Eight years earlier, Dartford brushed aside Chipstead in the F.A Cup first qualifying round. The Darts ran out 6-2 winners with goals from Hayes, Lee Burns, Billy Burgess, Adam Gross, James White and Rob Haworth.

The Darts have won six of their last eight on 12 September and even the draw resulted in a penalty shoot out win over Folkestone Invicta. The Isthmian League Cup tie in 2006 finished 1-1 with Dartford winning 5-3 on penalties.

Dartford v Westfield

September 7, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

Dartford host Isthmian South Central runners up Westfield in the F.A Cup first qualifying round replay on Tuesday night.

Ben Greenhalgh’s first F.A Cup game as Darts boss ended all square on the weekend to take the tie back to Princes Park. The player manager will be hoping to progress to the next round and spark a long awaited cup run for the club.

Westfield will have other ideas and be aiming to cause an upset in Kent. The Field will equal a club record should they go through to the second qualifying round.

Still in the Cup

The Darts were trailing at the break and another upset was on the cards. In his 100th game for the club George Whitefield gave away the foul which led to the hosts taking the lead. James Roberts struck a wonderful free-kick leaving goalkeeper, Ryan Sandford with no chance. A better second half performance and another set piece was pivotal in keeping the visitors in the cup. Max Fiddes finished well to make sure Dartford get a second chance.

Defensive options were limited on Saturday meaning Greenhalgh had to shuffle his side. Five changes were made to the side that beat Chatham Town partly caused by Emmanuel Oke’s suspension and Ben Swift’s injury. Adrian Gyamera lined up in defence and Tyler Ibe made his first start. Greenhalgh and Brandon Davey returned to the midfield and Dan Smith up front.

Getting Results

The draw at Woking Park was Dartford’s first of the season having won four out of six league fixtures. The Kent side won their opening three Isthmian Premier games beating Three Bridges, Brentwood Town and Maldon and Tiptree along the way. Consecutive defeats to Welling United and Burgess Hill Town set the Darts back, but they overcame Chatham Town on Bank holiday to leave them fifth in the table.

Another Replay

Westfield have played as many cup matches as league games so far this season. The Surrey side opened their campaign with a draw against AFC Portchester, lost to Winchester City before beating Littlehampton Town. In the F.A Cup, the Field needed two attempts to get past Hassocks, then in the F.A Trophy they went out to Egham Town. Westfield avenged their trophy exit by beating the Sarnies in the league.

Assistant Manager’s View

Although Dartford’s second-half pressure after the equalising goal didn’t result in a win, Adam Flanagan is ‘pleased to still be in the draw’. The assistant manager drew on past experience whilst at Margate and told Dartford FC TV after Saturday’s game: “Previously at our other club we’ve been here a couple of times, so we knew this is a very difficult place to come and traditionally Dartford have struggled against teams lower down the pyramid”.

The squad showed flexibility as the defence needed reshuffling and Flanagan praised the back line as well as the substitutes, he commented: “I thought the defenders did really well”, he continued: “We’ve got lads that were playing wing back a few weeks ago playing right centre half and they’ve done really well. George (Whitefield) was good in the middle and he was our only established centre half”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Team News

Defender, Emmanuel Oke will return after serving his one match ban. Joe Tennent is out for the long term and Ben Swift will be unavailable through injury too.

Current Form

DARTFORD (WWWLLW)			WESTFIELD (LWDWLW)
Westfield (FAC)	A	1-1	Dartford (FAC)	H	1-1
Chatham Town	H	1-0	Egham Town	H	4-0
Burgess Hill Town	A	1-2	Egham Town (FAT)	A	1-2
Welling United	H	0-3	Hassocks (FAC)	A	3-1
Maldon & Tiptree	A	2-1	Hassocks (FAC)	H	1-1
Brentwood Town	H	1-0	Littlehampton Town	A	3-1

FAC – F.A Cup / FAT – F.A Trophy

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 0 / Westfield wins: 0 / Draws: 1

Previous Meetings

Westfield 1 – 1 Dartford (05/09/2026 – F.A Cup)

Statistics

The Darts have progressed from one of their last four F.A Cup replays beating Ebbsfleet United 1-0 in 2013
Dartford’s exit at this stage last year was the first time in 19 years they failed to get beyond the first qualifying round
Prior last season’s F.A Cup defeat, the Darts had progressed from their previous four first qualifying round ties, scoring 20 goals in those victories.
Westfield have played in the first qualifying six times. The Field have progressed on two occasions, in 2022 and last year

On This Day

Dartford have played two F.A Cup ties on this day. After a 2-2 draw with Redhill, the Darts lost the replay 1-0 in 1981. Seventy years ago, Dartford drew a Kent derby against local rivals Gravesend and Northfleet. The preliminary round tie ended 2-2, before Dartford lost the replay. In the space of a fortnight, the two sides met four times having drawn each other in the Southern League Cup as well.

Westfield v Dartford

September 3, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

Dartford begin their F.A Cup campaign on the road at Westfield in the first qualifying round this Saturday.

Ben Greenhalgh takes charge of his first F.A Cup game as the Darts boss and will want to avoid a slip up against the Isthmian South Central side based in Woking.

The Darts have gone out at the first hurdle in two of the last three seasons, losing at this stage last term. Westfield will equal a club record should they progress to the next round by causing an upset.

Late Winners

Dartford have won four out of six league games this season, good preparation for the cup tie this weekend. The latest victory came on Bank Holiday Monday in the Kent derby against Chatham Town.

Three days earlier, the Darts lost to a last minute goal at Burgess Hill Town. This time it was Dartford’s turn to benefit from a late winner. Two substitutes were pivotal in the 1-0 win over the Chats. Louie Atkins won the penalty and Dan Smith kept his cool to score from the spot.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Up for the Cup

It is likely Greenhalgh will utilise his squad considering the potential absentees in defence. Whilst players like Gianluca Botti, who made his first start on Monday, may get a chance to impress at the other end of the pitch. Other available players yet to make a start this season include Louie and Richie Atkins as well as Tyler Ibe.

The Dartford player manager will also know a bit about Westfield having come up against the Surrey side last season as Margate boss. The Yellas knocked out the Gate in the F.A Trophy first qualifying round winning 4-2 just under a year ago.

Yellas Progress

Westfield started out in the F.A Cup preliminary round when they hosted a side they faced last season. Hassocks were relegated and are now a division below the Yellas, but they managed to take the Surrey club to a replay. Manolis Gogonas showed his pace and finishing ability when he put Westfield in front, but his goal was cancelled out by Devon Fender’s curler.

The replay was more straightforward with Westfield securing a 3-0 win. Sam Folarin scored mid way through the first half to hand the visitors a lead at the break. Four minutes into the second half, Alex Cruikshank doubled the advantage. The tie was wrapped up with ten minutes to go through Aderi Dede.

Double Header

Last season’s Isthmian South Central runners up have taken seven points from their opening four fixtures this term to leave them fourth in the table. The Yellas have already exited the F.A Trophy in the first qualifying round, going out to Egham Town on Saturday, the side they also played in the league on Monday.

The Bank Holiday double header began with a 2-1 reverse in the trophy. George Hedley’s injury time goal was merely a consolation. Forty eight hours later, Westfield had the chance to avenge their opponents and they did with a 4-0 win. Sam Folarin grabbed a brace, Hedley added a third and Kameron English finished the scoring.

Westfield have now claimed two victories in the league this term after beating Littlehampton Town 3-1 as well. Previously, the Yellas were beaten by early pacesetters Winchester City and drew their opening match at AFC Portchester.

Manager’s View

Victory over Chatham Town on Monday was Dartford’s best display under Ben Greenhalgh according to the player manager, he spoke to Dartford FC TV and explained: “I thought that was probably our best performance out of all six games. I thought we really controlled the ball well and we didn’t force things. We were patient and I think everybody was that little bit braver”.

Despite consecutive defeats prior Bank Holiday Monday, Greenhalgh is pleased with his side hitting the targets set out at the beginning of the season, he said: “We would have liked more after the first few games, but all along it was 12 points. We’ve had two clean sheets, and we wanted a lot of goals from set pieces and we’ve had that”.

This weekend gives the club a respite from league action, Greenhalgh commented: “It’s good to go into the F.A Cup and have a separate buzz. We know how the F.A Cup runs have gone in the past. We are a new team so sometimes that could work because we haven’t felt that pressure in the past”.

Although Westfield sit in the division below Dartford are not to take their opponents lightly, he added: “They’re an effective team and their pitch is a difficult pitch. So, we’re going to respect them, but at the same time we want to have a good F.A Cup run”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Team News

Dartford have defensive concerns with Joe Tennent out of action. The defender has had surgery on his facial injury. Emmanuel Oke is suspended for this game and will be available next weekend. Ben Swift came off injured against Chatham Town. Adrian Gyamera not been involved in last three squads, whilst Hugo Taylor and Luke Exal have been recovering from injury.

Current Form

DARTFORD (WWWLLW)			WESTFIELD (LWDWLW)
Chatham Town	H	1-0	Egham Town	H	4-0
Burgess Hill Town	A	1-2	Egham Town (FAT)	A	1-2
Welling United	H	0-3	Hassocks (FAC)	A	3-1
Maldon & Tiptree	A	2-1	Hassocks (FAC)	H	1-1
Brentwood Town	H	1-0	Littlehampton Town	A	3-1
Three Bridges	A	3-2	Winchester City	H	0-4

FAC – F.A Cup / FAT – F.A Trophy

Statistics

If selected George Whitefield will make his 100th appearance. Out of the current squad the defender is the club’s top scorer with 13 goals, joint with Dan Smith.
Dartford’s exit at this stage last year was the first time in 19 years they failed to get beyond the first qualifying round
Prior last season’s F.A Cup defeat, the Darts had progressed from their previous four first qualifying round ties, scoring 20 goals in those victories.
Westfield have played in the first qualifying six times. The Yellas have progressed on two occasions, in 2022 and last year

On This Day

Dartford have played three F.A Cup ties on this day. The last was 22 years ago when they beat Horsham YMCA 5-0. In 1981, the Darts drew 2-2 with Redhill, but lost the replay three days later. They also beat Cray Wanderers 5-0 in a Kent derby back in 1964.

On their way to the 2009/2010 Isthmian Premier title, the Darts swept aside Hendon 5-0 on this day. Goals from Lee Burns, Rob Haworth, two for Jay May and another from Lee Noble made it six wins and a draw in their opening seven matches.