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.
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.
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.
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”.
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.
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