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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.

Dartford v Chatham Town

August 30, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

Dartford conclude the Bank Holiday weekend with a local derby against Chatham Town at Princes Park.

The Darts will want to put their previous two games behind them when they host the Chats. Ben Greenhalgh’s team lost in the Kent derby to Welling United and fell to a late defeat at Burgess Hill Town. Monday’s match gives the side an opportunity to bounce back and aim for a fifth win in a row against Chatham Town.

Kevin Hake and company have aspirations of reaching the National South for the first time and will be keen to take home maximum points. Chatham Town also lost on the weekend, which ended their three game winning streak.

Play Up Popey

Dartford suffered their first away defeat since March down in Sussex on Friday night. A red card and last minute winner proved costly as Burgess Hill Town came out on top.

Last season at the same venue the Hillians won 2-1 and they repeated the score thanks to Ben Pope. The forward was sent off against the Darts in the corresponding fixture last term, this time he grabbed a brace.

Pope hit a superb shot past Ryan Sandford to put the hosts in front, but his strike was cancelled out when Jez Pinder equalised with the final kick of the half. Emmanuel Oke, who started for the injured Joe Tennent, was dismissed in the second half for a second yellow card handing an advantage to the Hillians. In the 89th minute Pope made the extra man count. The forward finished Shamir Fenelon’s cut back to condemn the Darts to consecutive defeats for the first time since December 2025.

Kent Derby Setback

Prior the Bank Holiday weekend both Dartford and Chatham Town picked up three wins from four. The Darts opened their campaign positively winning by single goal margins against Three Bridges, Brentwood Town and Maldon and Tiptree. Set pieces were key in those games as well as the defensive displays to hold on to the victories.

At Three Bridges, the Darts came from two down to win 3-2. The home game versus Brentwood Town saw the visitors have the majority of possession, but an early goal was enough for Greenhalgh’s side. Then in Essex, Dartford had to dig deep at 2-1 up to claim all three points.

However, prior the Burgess Hill Town match on Friday night, momentum was halted just over a week ago with a 3-0 loss at home to Welling United in Dartford’s first Kent derby of the season.

Smith at the Double

Last time the Darts hosted Chatham Town, Dan Smith opened the scoring at Princes Park with a confident finish seven minutes in to the game. A superb solo effort from Box gave the Darts a two goal cushion just before the break.

The Chats got back into the derby through Jordy Robins, but the two goal margin was restored after Smith fired home to complete his brace. There was still time for former Dart, Ben Allen to grab a consolation. However the hosts ran out 3-2 winners.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Darts Strike Early

Joe Tennent scored after just three minutes in the reverse fixture last season. The defender headed home from a corner to give the visitors a foothold in the game. The lead was doubled five minutes later when George Whitefield expertly swept a shot into the net from a Callum Jones cross. Chatham Town halved the deficit in the second half through Sam Sene-Richardson, but a strong Dartford defensive display kept the hosts at bay.

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Highlights courtesy of Chatham Town Football Club

Bank Holiday Comeback

Dartford also did the double over Chatham Town in the previous season winning on Bank Holiday August, then on New Year’s Day. In the first meeting at Princes Park, the Darts left it late to claim a 3-1 triumph.

The hosts had to come from behind when Jamie Vila scored for the visitors. In the second-half Sam Odaudu hit a 25 yard drive to level the score. With six minutes to go Jones fired a shot off the underside of the crossbar to put the Darts ahead. The deal was sealed in stoppage time when Eddie Dsane was fouled in the Chatham Town box. The striker took his chance from the spot to secure three points.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

The return fixture on New Year’s Day saw Dartford win 2-0 thanks to an own goal and a Eddie Dsane strike. The breakthrough came just past the hour when Whitefield’s cross was deflected goalwards and into the Chatham Town net. Dsane entered the game later on and added a second from a tight angle.

Loss at Wingate

Chatham Town were beaten in their first Bank Holiday weekend fixture losing 3-2 at home to Wingate and Finchley. The Chats stay ahead of the Darts on goal difference, two places further up the standings in sixth place.

The Chats fell behind as early as the third minute when Ashley Nzala scored. Wingate and Finchley extended their lead through Billy Cracknell. The hosts needed a good start in the second half and they got it when Jack Lyons halved the deficit. However, the Blues restored the two goal cushion just three minutes later through Anointed Chukwu. Chatham Town’s Ollie Evans made it 3-2, but his side were unable to find an equaliser.

Born to be Wild

Prior the Bank Holiday weekend, Chatham Town had nine points on the board. Ahead of Saturday’s clash with Wingate and Finchley, the Chats were on a three game winning streak. Responding to the opening day 3-1 loss at St Albans City, Kevin Hake’s side scored three in each of their victories.

New summer signing Jimmy Wild will be one to watch having arrived from Chichester City. The striker missed a lot of last season through injury and managed seven goals in 20 appearances. In the two campaigns before last he scored 45 times in 62 games for the Sussex club winning the 2024/2025 Isthmian Premier golden boot . He is already on three this term including a brace in a 3-0 win at Whitehawk. Prior Chatham Town’s win in Sussex they beat Three Bridges and Dulwich Hamlet, both 3-1 at home.

Former Players

Ikechukwu Orji started out at Chatham Town before joining Gillingham in 2023. The defender returned on loan to the Chats to gain more experience. Meanwhile, Ben Allen has mainly been used as a substitute with Chatham Town this term, a role he was familiar with at the Darts. During his time at Princes Park, Allen never made a start but featured ten times as a substitute at the start of 2024/2025 season. Allen was amongst the goalscorers in Chatham Town’s 3-1 win over Three Bridges just over a fortnight ago.

Manager’s View

Ben Greenhalgh was disappointed to suffer a second defeat in a row, but feels his side is due some good fortune. In the previous two outings Tennent was left with a serious injury in which the opponent only received a yellow card. Then on Friday night Oke was given a second yellow card even though Greenhalgh felt the foul should have gone Dartford’s way.

The player manager felt frustrated after his team lost in the last minute despite the hard work the players put in, he spoke to Dartford FC TV and said: “I feel sorry for the boys because we’d started the second half really well. It was us on top”, he continued: “All that hard work in the end was for nothing and it’s disappointing because we came with a game plan”.

That game plan was hindered when Dan Smith was substituted before the break. Greenhalgh revealed the striker wasn’t in perfect condition, but ‘wanted to give it a go’ and some of the squad have been suffering with norovirus.

Greenhalgh acknowledged the importance of Monday’s Kent derby, he explained: “We now need to make sure we get a good reaction against Chatham. If we go and get three points at home, our target in August was to get 12 points”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Team News

Dan Smith has been feeling unwell, but managed some game time on Friday. Emmanuel Oke will be available, but is facing a suspension next weekend.. Joe Tennent is out after suffering facial fractures. Hugo Taylor remains an injury, whilst Luke Exal, Jordan Higgs and Gianluca Botti are all working their way up to full fitness.

Current League Form

DARTFORD (WWWLL)			CHATHAM TOWN (LWWWL)
Burgess Hill Town	A	1-2	Wingate & Finchley	H	2-3
Welling United	H	0-3	Whitehawk	A	3-0
Maldon & Tiptree	A	2-1	Three Bridges	H	3-1
Brentwood Town	H	1-0	Dulwich Hamlet	H	3-1
Three Bridges	A	3-2	St Albans City	A	1-3

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 34 / Chatham Town wins: 40 / Draws: 11

Previous Meetings

Dartford 3 – 2 Chatham Town (06/04/2026 – Isthmian Premier)
Chatham Town 1 – 2 Dartford (27/12/2025 – Isthmian Premier)
Chatham Town 0 – 2 Dartford (01/01/2025 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 3 – 1 Chatham Town (26/08/2024 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 1 – 3 Chatham Town (09/04/2007 – Isthmian Division One South)
Chatham Town 2 – 3 Dartford (26/12/2006 – Isthmian Division One South)

Statistics

Dartford have won six of the last seven league meetings against Chatham Town (L1) and are on a winning streak of four against their Kent rivals
The Darts have won three of their last four in the league at home versus the Chats (L1)
Dartford have scored in each of the last seven games against Chatham Town, but have only kept one clean sheet in that time

On This Day

Dartford have struggled in the cup in recent years, but they breezed past Marlow in the F.A Cup first qualifying round two years ago. Ben Allen scored his only two goals for the club that day, Olly Box bagged a brace, Eddie Dsane opened the scoring and Callum Jones netted the last in a 6-2 win.

The Darts were beaten in their last Kent derby on this day when they lost 1-0 to Ebbsfleet United in 2015. But the Darts were victorious against the Fleet when they won 2-0 (5-1 on aggregate) in the Southern League first round back in 1982.

Burgess Hill Town v Dartford

August 27, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

Dartford begin the Bank Holiday weekend with a trip to Burgess Hill Town on Friday night.

The Darts will be smarting from tasting defeat at home to local rivals Welling United last Saturday. A result that saw Ben Greenhalgh’s side lose their perfect start to the campaign and drop to fifth in the table.

Burgess Hill Town may have lost their opening game, but the Hillians are unbeaten in their previous three matches drawing the last two.

Derby Defeat

Dartford lost at home in the league for the first time against Welling United since December 2013. From trying to win their opening four games for the first time in five years to suffering their heaviest home defeat in 16 months, the Darts were second best last Saturday.

Greenhalgh made two changes to the side that beat Maldon and Tiptree giving Ikechukwu Orji his debut after signing from Isthmian Premier champions Folkestone Invicta last week. Jez Pinder returned to the starting lineup, Lorenzo Duncan and Scott Wagstaff were replaced. The player manager was also forced to substitute Joe Tennent shortly before conceding the opening goal after he was clattered by Nahum Melvin-Lambert. Dartford’s centre back suffered facial fractures and required cheekbone surgery.

The Kent derby was done within in an hour with Welling United taking the lead minutes before half time then striking twice early in the second half. Nathan Cooper gave the visitors the advantage approaching the break, Melvin-Lambert scored five minutes into the second half and former Dart, Fumnaya Shomotun added a third just shy of the hour.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Dartford will hope last Saturday was just a bad day after winning their first three fixtures. An opening day comeback victory over Three Bridges was followed by a single goal triumph against Brentwood Town. The Darts then went to Maldon and Tiptree and claimed all three points in Essex. Striker Max Fiddes scored twice across those games and will hope he can add to his tally against one of his former clubs on Friday night.

Hill Too Big to Conquer

Last time Dartford travelled to Sussex to take on Burgess Hill Town they fell to a 2-1 loss. The Hillians claimed their first ever home win over the Darts at the fifth attempt, ending the visitors perfect record at Leylands Park.

George Vorster scored a brace either side of Denzelle Olopade’s fantastic strike. The Hillians opened the scoring through a penalty, which Vorster put away. The Darts levelled just before the interval thanks to Olopade. Then Vorster headed a winner in the second half. The hosts held on despite having Ben Pope sent off with half hour remaining.

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Highlights courtesy of Hillians TV

Six Goal Thriller

The reverse fixture at Princes Park included six goals, two red cards, a missed penalty and a late equaliser. Olly Box had a mixed evening by opening the scoring, then getting sent off late on. Callum Jones put the Darts two up before Eddie Dsane missed his spot kick. The Hillians fought back when Marcus Allen was introduced, the defender scored with his first touch and added a second either side of the visitors being reduced to ten. Sam Odaudu’s free-kick put Dartford ahead, but Chris Whelpdale replied in injury time with a free kick of his own.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Stuck in the Wood

The Hillians picked up a second consecutive draw last weekend in their away fixture at Cheshunt. Featuring in the starting eleven was Luther Williams, who spent the previous two seasons with the Darts making over 70 appearances for the club before joining Burgess Hill Town.

It was another signing that gave the Sussex side the lead when Shamir Fenelon headed his first goal for his new team, the forward arrived from Horsham in the summer. With just over ten minutes to go, Tommy Wood levelled from close range.

Mixed Start

A draw continued Burgess Hill Town’s mixed start to the campaign. The opening day didn’t go to plan as they went down to Brentwood Town losing 2-0. However, the Hillians replied with an impressive 3-0 home win against newcomers AFC Whyteleafe. Gary Mansell’s side hosted another promoted side four days later drawing 2-2 with Leatherhead, Whelpdale netted a brace either side of two goals from the visitors.

Manager’s View

Greenhalgh knew what sort of game the Kent derby with Welling United would be, but felt the injury to his central defender was crucial, he spoke to Dartford FC TV after the defeat and commented: “First half was as we expected. I thought it was going to be a feisty game”, he added: “I think a really key part was losing Joe Tennent”. However, Dartford’s player manager admitted his team “went a bit off script” after the break resulting in a “poor performance in the second half”.

Ahead of Friday night’s game, Greenhalgh is hoping his players can return to the form that earned the Darts three victories in a row, he said: “We need to get back to doing what we’re good at. We didn’t get enough crosses in the box, we’ve spoke about set pieces, spoke about crossing the ball and that is something we will look at and work hard at this week”.

With two Bank Holiday fixtures in the space of a few days, Greenhalgh feels it is a good time to show a positive response, he exclaimed: “We’ve got an opportunity against two good teams now to try and react. I expect a really good reaction from everyone in training and we’ve got some decisions to make from there”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Team News

Joe Tennent is out with a broken cheekbone, the defender was due to have surgery in the week. Emmanuel Oke, Hugo Taylor and Luke Exal were missing from last weekend’s squad having been out with injury prior the Kent derby. Jordan Higgs is yet to make his first start since joining in the summer, he has also missed out on the last two matchdays.

Current League Form

DARTFORD (WWWL)			BURGESS HILL TOWN (LWDD)
Welling United	H	0-3	Cheshunt	A	1-1
Maldon & Tiptree	A	2-1	Leatherhead	H	2-2
Brentwood Town	H	1-0	AFC Whyteleafe	H	3-0
Three Bridges	A	3-2	Brentwood Town	A	0-2

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 7 / Burgess Hill Town wins: 2 / Draws: 1

Previous Meetings

Burgess Hill Town 2 – 1 Dartford (24/01/2006 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 3 – 3 Burgess Hill Town (30/09/2025 – Isthmian Premier)
Burgess Hill Town 0 – 1 Dartford (14/10/2017 – F.A Cup)
Burgess Hill Town 1 – 2 Dartford (10/01/2015 – F.A Trophy)
Dartford 3 – 1 Burgess Hill Town (25/10/2014 – F.A Cup)
Dartford 7 – 2 Burgess Hill Town (13/01/2007 – Isthmian Division One South)

Statistics

Dartford have lost just once in the league versus the Hillians (W4, D1)
The Darts lost away in the league for the first time against Burgess Hill Town last season ending a perfect record of four away wins out of four in all competitions
The last four league games between the two sides have averaged 6.25 goals per game (Dartford 17 Burgess Hill Town 8)

On This Day

Samir Carruthers was at the double against his former side on this day in 2022. The creative midfielder scored twice at Hemel Hempstead Town in a 2-0 win. First he curled a shot in to the top corner, then he scored directly from a free-kick.

The Darts won a Kent derby at Margate in 2015 with Lee Noble opening the scoring. Lee Burns was sent off ten minutes into the second half, but Elliot Bradbrook secured the 2-0 victory.

Four years earlier, Dartford hosted Bromley on August Bank Holiday Monday. Bradbrook was on target again as well as Charlie Sheringham from the spot and Danny Harris in a 3-1 triumph.

Dartford v Welling United

August 20, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

Dartford hope to maintain a perfect start in their first Kent derby of the season against Welling United this weekend.

Ben Greenhalgh has guided the Darts to three consecutive victories leading his side to second in the table. Dartford have become one of the early front runners after wins over Three Bridges, Brentwood Town and Maldon and Tiptree.

Welling United spent most of last season fighting relegation and are expecting a better campaign this time. Under Ryan Maxwell, the Wings have won two of their opening three matches.

Dsane’s Derby Double

The Darts approach Saturday’s local clash with an exceptional record over the Wings. Currently 12 unbeaten in the league against their Kent rivals, Dartford have won nine and drawn three. Last term they achieved the double with a 3-1 triumph at Princes Park in November and 1-0 win at Park View Road in February. Greenhalgh will want to continue that sort of form when he faces one of his former clubs.

Welling United went a goal up inside the opening minutes during their previous trip to Princes Park, Ruben Shakpoke hit a shot in off the post. The Darts hit back in the second half with three unanswered goals including a quick fire brace from Eddie Dsane. The points were secured when Olly Box expertly curled in a third.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

A very late goal from a loanee gave Dartford a derby day win in the reverse fixture. With the game at Park View Road heading for a goalless draw Rohan Vaughan pounced from close range.

Darts End Jammers Run

Last weekend, Dartford became the first side to beat Maldon and Tiptree in the league as a visiting team in over 18 months. The Darts ended the Jammers unbeaten home record of 28 matches with a 2-1 win.

Greenhalgh made two changes to the side that beat Brentwood Town. Scott Wagstaff and Lorenzo Duncan made their first starts since joining this summer, coming in for Adrian Gyamera and Jez Pinder.

Set pieces have been key to Dartford’s early success with another two leading to goals against Maldon and Tiptree. Greenhalgh’s free-kick wasn’t dealt with by the hosts and when the ball fell to Max Fiddes the striker tapped home. However, Maldon and Tiptree equalised before the half was out through Samuel Adeyeye. The Darts grabbed a winner with five minutes left when Ben Swift scored his first for the club. The captain got on the end of Greenhalgh’s corner to claim the decisive goal.

Former Darts on the Scoresheet

It’s been almost eight years since Welling United’s last league win at Princes Park, but they did have F.A Cup success in DA1 back in September 2023. The Wings won 3-2 that day and will want to call on that experience as well as taking momentum from last Saturday.

After a defeat to Isthmian South Central champions Leatherhead, Ryan Maxwell made four changes. One of which was the introduction of former Dart, Fumnaya Shomotun. The winger played 19 times for the Darts during the 2023/2024 campaign scoring twice.

Demaray Anyadike scored in both halves either side of a goal from another ex-Dart, Tyrell Miller-Rodney. The midfielder played alongside Shomotun at Dartford and scored three times in 35 appearances. The fourth arrived when Ade Azeez slotted in after Anyadike missed the chance to claim a hat-trick from the spot. Azeez had a prolific start when he was at Dartford in 2021/2022 and ended that campaign with 18 goals.

Two more former Darts were in the squad, Sam Smith who was at Princes Park last term and John Ufuah, who graduated through the academy in 2017.

Wings Take Leathering

After a solid 2-0 opening day home victory over Whitehawk, the Wings were second best in their only away fixture so far. Leatherhead were four up at the break with two goals from Anas Igozouln, one from James Dickson and another by Mark Waters. Welling United managed a second half consolation courtesy of Ufuah.

Manager’s View

Greenhalgh admitted the first run of games to kick start a busy opening month of the season has been tough. The Dartford player-manager spoke to Dartford FC TV after the win in Essex and said: “We really focussed on getting three points and that’s something we’ve obviously done in the previous two games. We’ve had three games in eight days, so to get maximum points is absolute credit to this group”.

Greenhalgh praised his side’s efficiency and patience to earn the win and highlighted the importance of the substitutes. Those qualities will be needed again this weekend in his first Kent derby as Dartford boss.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Team News

The Dartford squad were given a rest on Tuesday to help recovery. Emmanuel Oke, Hugo Taylor and Luke Exal may benefit the most after being unavailable through injury last weekend.

Current Form

Dartford (WWW)			Welling United (WLW)
Maldon and Tiptree	A	2-1	Stanway Rovers	H	4-0
Brentwood Town	H	1-0	Leatherhead	A	1-4
Three Bridges	A	3-2	Whitehawk	H	2-0

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 28 / Welling United wins: 11 / Draws: 13

Previous Meetings

Welling United 0 – 1 Dartford (28/02/2026 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 3 – 1 Welling United (01/11/2025 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 1 – 1 Welling United (30/12/2023 – National South)
Welling United 0 – 1 Dartford (26/12/2023 – National South)
Dartford 2 – 3 Welling United (16/09/2023 – F.A Cup)
Welling United 2 – 2 Dartford (04/02/2023 – National South)

Statistics

Dartford are unbeaten in 12 league games against Welling United (W9, D3)
In the league, the Darts are unbeaten in ten home games (W8, D2) and have only lost one league match at home (W11, D3) versus the Wings ever
Dartford won half of their Kent derbies in the league last season (W6, D4, L2)
Welling United won just three Kent derbies in the league last term (L9), losing all six against Kent sides finishing in the top six

On This Day

It’s been over a decade since Dartford played on 22 August and the last two at home have been against Gosport Borough. The Darts lost 3-2 with the Bradbrook brothers both getting on the scoresheet 11 years ago. In 1989 at Watling Street, Dartford were more convincing in a 5-1 Southern Premier victory.

In between those home matches, Dartford had mixed results. However, on this day in 2009, the Darts went to the Sussex coast and beat Hastings United 3-1 in the Isthmian Premier League. Lee Burns grabbed a brace and Rob Haworth scored the other to secure three wins out of three to start the 2009/2010 title winning campaign.

Maldon and Tiptree v Dartford

August 13, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

Dartford will have the chance to extend their perfect start when they visit Isthmian North champions Maldon and Tiptree this weekend.

The Darts have won their opening two league games for the first time in four years. Victory against newly promoted Three Bridges was followed up with another win over last season’s playoff finalists Brentwood Town.

Following a difficult summer, Maldon and Tiptree had a disastrous start to their campaign. The Jammers lost heavily to Dulwich Hamlet. However, Mark Hawkes’ side bounced back by maintaining an 18 month unbeaten home record in the league with a late win over Aveley.

Dartford’s Decent Defence

Dan Smith was the match winner on Tuesday night as the Darts claimed a gritty three points. The striker nodded in the only goal of the game at home against Brentwood Town.

Ben Greenhalgh made one change with George Whitefield coming in for Emmanuel Oke. As well as Whitefield, the Dartford defence were exceptional all night and deservedly kept their first clean sheet of the season.

The Darts 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 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

Opening Day Comeback

Greenhalgh has already led Dartford to victory over a title winning side and hopes to repeat that this weekend. The Darts defeated Isthmian South East champions Three Bridges in this season’s opener.

The Bridges went two goals up through a couple of penalties, but Dartford’s player manager sparked a comeback. A well taken strike by Greenhalgh pulled a goal back before half-time. The player manager then grabbed an assist from a free-kick which Joe Tennent nodded home, then Max Fiddes headed in the winner on his debut.

May Saves the Day

Dartford have never played the Jammers in their current guise, but they did face Maldon Town before they amalgamated with Tiptree United. That was back in 2007 when Dartford lifted the Isthmian North title. Tony Burman’s side twice came from behind to draw 2-2. Ryan Hayes followed up a long range effort to level. The winger also put in the corner that resulted in Jay May’s equaliser.

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Highlights courtesy of the late sonytino

Hammered by Hamlet

It’s been a turbulent summer for Maldon and Tiptree. Title celebrations didn’t last long before the club’s co-owners were charged with multiple offences. Manager, Kevin Horlock then quit the Jammers leaving the Essex side little time to prepare for the new campaign. In came new manager Hawkes, who couldn’t have got off to a worse start.

Playing in the Isthmian Premier for the first time as Maldon and Tiptree, the Essex side travelled to Dulwich Hamlet on the first weekend of the season. Just like the Darts visit to Champion Hill last term, the Jammers were comprehensively beaten. The match was sewn up in the first half with Hamlet four up at the break. Nyren Clunis scored twice, David Smith opened his account and former Dart, Luke Wanadio added another. In the second half, Gaspar Mico and Sol Baugh wrapped up the three points with only an hour played.

Fortress

Hawkes made three changes for their county clash with Aveley. Kai Christopher Ray Redgrave, Eze Ebuzoeme and TQ Addy replaced Hedley Ogbebor, Jaden Brissett and Iffy Allen. Former Dart, Ibby Akanbi kept his place in the side, the striker played five times in the 2023/2024 campaign for Dartford.

Up against last season’s runners up and after a heavy defeat, the Jammers bounced back with maximum points. Maldon and Tiptree took confidence from their outstanding home record and extended their unbeaten run at Park Drive to 28 league matches, this time with a late Allen goal.

Manager’s View

Dartford’s narrow win on Tuesday night was far from perfect, but Ben Greenhalgh couldn’t fault his player’s work ethic. The player manager felt his team wasn’t ‘good enough’ on the ball or in their pressing game, but highlighted the squad’s positive attitude, he told Dartford FC TV: “I think all we can talk about is the desire and hunger everyone had and the three points”.

Greenhalgh compared the performance to the last 25 minutes of the win at Three Bridges, where the team had to dig in. He commented: “It happened again tonight, all that matters is we are a new team and we’re building. To have character to win a game like that is incredible at this stage”.

Ahead of the Maldon and Tiptree match, Greenhalgh isn’t reading too much into their 6-0 loss on the opening day, he said: “I warned people that it’s not a bad eleven. They’ve got a lot of players that you would be interested in”, he continued: “We had someone watch the game and they said that they almost just gave up for that Saturday. So we don’t know the goings on there, but when they’re at it they’re going to be good”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Team News

Defender, Emmanuel Oke has a slight shoulder issue and is likely to be unavailable for Saturday. Luke Exal has only featured in the first pre-season friendly due to a hip injury.

Current Form

Dartford (WW)			Maldon and Tiptree (LW)
Brentwood Town	H	1-0	Aveley	H	1-0
Three Bridges	A	3-2	Dulwich Hamlet	A	0-6

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 0 / Maldon and Tiptree* wins: 2 / Draws: 2
*previously Maldon Town

Previous Meetings

Maldon Town 2 – 2 Dartford (22/12/2007 – Isthmian Division One North)
Dartford 2 – 2 Maldon Town (18/08/2007 – Isthmian Division One North)
Dartford 0 – 5 Maldon Town (26/03/2005 – Southern League Division One East)
Maldon Town 3 – 2 Dartford (01/01/2005 – Southern League Division One East)

Statistics

The Darts last won their opening three league games in 2021
Dartford have yet to concede a goal in open play
The Darts have never beaten Maldon and Tiptree in four attempts
Dartford have drawn the last two by the same score (2-2)

On This Day

Dartford have never lost on 15 August in their six previous games on this day. The last outing ended 1-1 three years ago. Manager, Alan Dowson faced his former club and Brandon Barzey was sent off against his old side. Harvey Bradbury put Dartford ahead at Princes Park, only for Dean Inman to equalise before Barzey’s dismissal.

The Darts beat Concord Rangers in 2017 with a goal in either half from Elliot Bradbrook and Lyle Della-Verde. Two years earlier Dartford drew 2-2 with Sutton United having twice led through a pair of Tom Bradbrook goals. In 2009, Dartford won their opening Isthmian North match at home to Horsham winning 3-2. Elliot Bradbrook claimed a brace and Adam Flanagan scored the other.

Dartford v Brentwood Town

August 11, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

The Darts will be back at Princes Park for a league game on Tuesday night against Brentwood Town.

Dartford have a tough test for their opening home game of the season. Whilst the Darts missed out on the playoffs last term, one of the teams they were unable to catch were this weekend’s opponents.

Brentwood Town followed up their Isthmian North title with a playoff final appearance in May. The Essex side almost won back-to back promotions, but were denied late in extra time by Billericay Town.

Opening Day Comeback

The Darts came from two goal down to win on their opener and spoil Three Bridges’ day. The Sussex side benefited from two penalties in the first half. Emmanuel Oke conceded a spot kick and Charlie Bennett became the first Bridges player to net in the Isthmian Premier. The same player added another from 12 yards after Adrian Gyamera fouled Kevin Riveria in the box.

Player manager, Ben Greenhalgh sparked the comeback on the stroke of half time with his first strike since returning to the club. The equaliser arrived in the second half when Joe Tenent headed home Greenhalgh free-kick. Two minutes later the turn around was complete with Max Fiddes getting his first goal in a Dartford shirt on his debut.

Back of the Nat

Brentwood Town began their camping with a clean sheet and a 2-0 victory. The Blues kept Burgess Hill Town at bay and also needed their first of the campaign on the stroke of half time. Charlee Adam’s free-kick found Bradley Sachs who headed the Essex side ahead. New signing Nat Mardell made sure of maximum points late in the second half with a guided finish.

Fighting Spirit

Last time Dartford entertained Brentwood Town at home they had to show plenty of grit and determination. Back in January, with both sides aiming for the playoffs an entertaining five goal ensued. The hosts had to win it the hard way when Sam Odaudu was sent off with a little over a quarter to play.

Dartford went two up with the first coming from Sam Okoye after a couple minutes. The advantage was doubled when Olly Box put the Darts in control. Yet the visitors came back through Kymani Thomas, then Daniel Ogunleye after the hosts were reduced to ten men. The winner was finally struck by Eddie Dsane after a brilliant solo run from Dan Carter.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Draw in Essex

The earlier meeting last season saw the two sides draw 1-1. 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. Charlee Hughes equalised for the Blues to share the spoils.

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Highlights courtesy of BrentwoodTownTV

Summer Changes

The fact that the goalscorers from both games last term have all left their respected clubs highlights the changes to both squads over the summer. Dartford have replaced Box and Dsane with Gianluca Botti and Max Fiddes. Brentwood Town lost Ogunleye up front and taken a punt on former Stanway Rovers top scorer Nat Mardell.

Keith Rowland has also bolstered his squad with promotion winners. The Blues have added Mikey Berry from champions Folkestone Invicta, whilst Tommy Davis and Ben Steward were signed from Billericay Town. He has also introduced new faces from the National South bringing in Malachi Linton from AFC Totton, Harry Gibbs from playoff winners Hornchurch and Charlee Adams from Chelmsford City.

Manager’s View

Ben Greenhalgh was delighted with how his players responded to adversity on the weekend. He spoke to Dartford FC TV after the win and said: “We showed a little bit of everything, positive and negative. One thing we spoke about is the graft and character these boys are going to have and that’s attacking and defensively”.

The player manager admits the opening ten minutes was ‘too emotional’ when a decision didn’t go Dartford’s way. Harry White in the Three Bridges goal could have been sent off. Afterwards the Darts found themselves two down. At that point the team ‘could have imploded’ according to Greenhalgh.

Dartford’s boss was pleased with how his side saw the game out at 3-2 up, he commented: “The comeback is great, but it’s also the mentality to accept for the last fifteen minutes we had to defend for our lives. For us not to let in an open play goal is credit for the group”.

Brentwood Town visit the Darts on Tuesday night. Greenhalgh is expecting his players to be fully focussed, he explained: “There are good teams in this division and we have to accept that. We have to not be complacent against anyone. We’re going to go to Princes Park and we’re going consistent. We go again Tuesday and hopefully get another three points, it will be a brilliant start”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 4 / Brentwood Town wins: 2 / Draws: 3

Previous Meetings

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)
Brentwood Town 2 – 1 Dartford (08/03/1969 – Southern League First Division)

Statistics

Dartford’s win in January was their first in the league against Brentwood Town in 58 years (D3, L2)
The Darts have hosted the Blues four times in all competitions and have a 50% win rate (W2, D1, L1)
Dartford have lost just one of their last 11 opening home games (W5, D5), but are winless in their last three (D2, L1)

On This Day

Dartford have played four time on this day all at home. Six years ago, the Darts drew 0-0 with Hemel Hempstead Town. Three years earlier a goal from Tom Bradbrook after six minutes saw Dartford beat Eastbourne Borough.

In 2012, Dartford’s long awaited return to the National League ended in defeat against Tamworth. Peter Till and Adam Cunnington put the Lambs ahead. Elliot Bradbrook scored a free-kick before Cunnington added a third for the hosts. Harry Crawford set up a tense finish. In another season opener, the Darts drew 1-1 with Yeovil Town in the Southern Premier back in 1973.