Category: Match Preview (Page 2 of 29)

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.

Pre-season Friendlies

July 2, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

Dartford v Charlton Athletic – Friday 3rd July

Ben Greenhalgh’s first proper look at his squad of players will be against Championship side Charlton Athletic. A common fixture in Dartford’s warm up to a new campaign, the Darts have hosted the Addicks in the last five years. In the seven Princes Park friendlies against the London side, Dartford have lost the lot. A year ago the score was 3-2 to Nathan Jones’ team. Callum Jones levelled after Daniel Kanu put the visitors in front. Greg Docherty restored Charlton Athletic’s lead, but Samir Carruthers netted from the spot. The winner came from Micah Mbick.

Dartford v Ebbsfleet United – Tuesday 7th July

Olly Box will not have to wait long for his return to Princes Park. No doubt it will be strange to see the forward in the red of Ebbsfleet United. The last three friendlies against the Fleet have ended in draws. Carruthers and Jones were on the scoresheet again 12 months ago as it finished 2-2. The Fleet missed out on the National South playoffs last season on goal difference.

Folkestone Invicta v Dartford – Saturday 11th July

Dartford’s first away friendly will be against Isthmian Premier champions Folkestone Invicta. On their way to the title Invicta were one of three teams to win at Princes Park in the league. The return fixture finished all square with a Callum Jones putting Dartford ahead twice only for Nathan Paul-Lavaly and Joe Pigott to level. The Darts have won the last three friendlies without conceding. Ben Greenhalgh scored in the previous one as the Darts won 2-0.

Sutton Athletic v Dartford – Tuesday 14th July

A youthful Dartford side featuring Ebou Adams started in the last friendly against Sutton Athletic, which the Darts won 4-0 in 2013. The Southern Counties East Premier division side finished ninth last season and begin their fourth campaign at step five. Away fans travelling the very short distance may bump into former Dartford goalkeeper, Deren Ibrahim who is now Chairman of the club.

Whitstable Town v Dartford – Saturday 18th July

The Darts travel to the Southern Counties East Premier champions Whitstable Town, a side who return to the Isthmian Division One South East after four years away. Now managed by Lee Martin, the 2025 F.A Vase winners will be Dartford’s penultimate hosts in the pre-season schedule. The Darts won 4-0 in a 2008 friendly with Lee Noble on the scoresheet. In competitive football Dartford have won the last two games 6-1 both in the Kent Senior Cup, the most recent in the delayed 2020 final.

Dartford v Billericay Town – Tuesday 21st July

Back at Princes Park, Dartford take on Isthmian Premier playoff winners Billericay Town. The previous pre-season meeting was just three years ago when the Essex side won 1-0. Over recent seasons this fixture has had a competitive edge. Two years ago both sides were challenging for the Isthmian Premier title with the home side winning 4-0 in both fixtures. Last term Dartford drew 1-1 at home with Olly Box scoring, but lost 3-1 on the road.

Faversham Town v Dartford – Saturday 25th July

A repeat of a pre-season warm up match from last summer, Dartford drew 0-0 a year ago. Greenhalgh will know about the Lilywhites as they finished one place and a point below Margate, just outside the playoff places. Steve Watt is the new man in charge at Faversham and he will have promotion ambitions. Dartford fans may recall meetings with the coastal club in the early to mid-nineties Kent League days.

Dartford v Chelmsford City – Tuesday 28th July

The history and club size of these two clubs are comparable and that has led to a little rivalry over the years. Post World War Two through to the nineties this was a permanent fixture in the Southern League. After Dartford’s decline it took a while for the clubs to renew that rivalry in the National South. The Clarets are a bogey side for the Darts. Since the millennium, Dartford have won seven to Chelmsford City’s 16 with only six draws. Good job this fixture is just a friendly.

Dartford v Ashford United – Saturday 1st August

One final warm up before the new season starts will give Greenhalgh his last chance to look at the squad in action before the opening game. Two years ago, the Darts won in a friendly against the Isthmian South East side. Olly Box, Callum Jones and Ashdon Day scored the goals that day in a 3-1 win. Ashford United came ninth last season but still smashed in 92 goals in the process.

Dartford v Cray Valley Paper Mills

April 23, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

Dartford conclude their Isthmian Premier season with a Kent derby against Cray Valley Paper Mills at Princes Park this weekend.

The Darts will be disappointed Saturday’s fixture only has consequences for their opponents. Adrian Pennock’s side failed to take their playoff hopes to the final day. The Millers need victory to potentially avoid relegation.

Dartford’s Hopes Dashed

A draw was not enough last time out for Dartford, who are now guaranteed a sixth place finish. Despite extending an unbeaten run to eight, results elsewhere meant the Darts fell short and will spend a third campaign in the Isthmian Premier.

Pennock stuck to the same starting eleven that won the previous two against Chatham Town and Canvey Island for their visit to mid-table Chichester City. The Darts fell behind when Isaac Bello scored for the hosts. However, the visitors were level through Joe Tennent.

Dan Smith was forced off with an injury and Eddie Dsane entered the fray before the break. The substitute put Dartford in front in the second half, his 15th goal of the season. Just like the away draw a fortnight earlier at Carshalton Athletic, the Darts conceded late when Joseph Clarke equalised. The curtain came down on Dartford’s playoff hopes with confirmation that both Brentwood Town and Chatham Town won their games.

Lifeline for Millers

Meanwhile, Cray Valley Paper Mills gave themselves a lifeline with a draw at home against champions Folkestone Invicta last weekend. The Millers have to claim maximum points this time and rely on other results to maintain their step three status.

Position	Team	Pld	Pts	GD
18	Hashtag United	41	42	-26
19	Carshalton Athletic	41	41	-13
20	Cray Valley Paper Mills	41	39	-27

Victory for Cray Valley Paper Mills will give them a shot of staying up. The Kent side will also need Carshalton Town to lose at home to tenth place St Albans City. Should that game finish level, goal difference hugely favours the Robins and Cray Valley Paper Mills will face the drop.

To finish outside the relegation zone, Kevin Lisbie’s side also need Hashtag United to lose at home to ninth place Dulwich Hamlet. However, with the Tags requesting voluntary relegation, the Millers may only need to leapfrog Carshalton Athletic to earn a reprieve.

A Princes Park Playoff Classic

Princes Park could be set for some drama once again in this fixture, even if it’s at the wrong end of the table this time. Almost a year ago, the Darts were on the verge of losing a playoff semi final before Sam Odaudu scored a last gasp free-kick to take the tie into extra time. Dartford prevailed 4-3 in the end to finish Cray Valley Paper Mills debut campaign in the Isthmian Premier.

The visitors had taken a two goal lead with a brace from Danny Waldren. Then with twenty minutes to go, an off the ball incident in the penalty box saw Crossley Lema sent off. Samir Carruthers netted the spot kick to give Dartford hope of a comeback. That hope was realised with seconds remaining when Odaudu levelled. In extra time, Hayden Bullas and George Whitefield moved the Darts clear. Yet there was still time for a tense finale after Adam Coombes pulled a goal back.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Former Dart Denies Old Team

The reverse fixture this season was less dramatic. A former Dart denied Pennock’s side maximum points in a 1-1 draw back in November. Dan Smith opened the scoring, but his goal was cancelled out by Rowan Liburd. The striker played three times for Dartford during the 2019/2020 season.

The previous league meeting at Princes Park between the two teams also finished level last term. No one was able to break the deadlock in a goalless draw, which turned out to be the first game of Dartford’s record equalling 21 match unbeaten run.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Dartford’s Joe Tennent could potentially stand in the way of his former club. On the other side four ex Darts could help lead the Millers to safety. As well as the aforementioned Liburd, Fumnaya Shomotun, Sanchez Ming and Chris Dickson have all had spells at Princes Park too.

Cray Valley’s Final Push

All four were involved in Cray Valley’s 1-1 draw versus Folkestone Invicta last weekend. The Millers desperate for points to increase their chances of staying up went in front when Alfie Newby scored just past the hour. Lisbie’s side were denied victory in the final minute conceding to a Ben Mason goal. Had the Millers held on, then they would have just needed to better Carshalton Athletic’s result this Saturday. Instead the Kent side need a win against the Darts to stand a chance of survival.

Steve McKimm departed Cray Valley Paper Mills in February with the club one point from safety. Since Kevin Lisbie was appointed the Millers are still within range thanks largely to the last month of results.

Back to back wins over St Albans City and Ramsgate aided their chances of survival. Although the Millers lost a local derby with Cray Wanderers on Easter Monday, they picked up two more points with draws at Hashtag United and at home last weekend.

Manager’s View

Adrian Pennock is disappointed he couldn’t lead the Darts to this season’s playoffs, but doesn’t put it all down to one game. The Dartford boss gave an interview to www.dartfordfc.com and said: “We’ve been great over the past 10 games and finished the season so strongly as one of the most inform teams. But we can’t blame one match. We should have finished in the play-off places and should have already been up there.”

After a slow start to the campaign, suspensions, injuries and poor away form cost the Darts in the end. At Princes Park this weekend, a win could see Dartford top the home form table, Pennock added: “Our form at the beginning of the season wasn’t good enough. We had a hangover from losing out in the play-off final. We then had to play a host of games with nine or 10 men, had injuries to Dan Smith, Samir (Carruthers), Eddie, and the Sams (Okoye and Odaudu, to name a few”, he continued: “Then we look at our form. The home form is one of the best in the division, but our away form hasn’t been good enough”.

Team News

Dan Smith and Olly Box were substituted in the draw at Chichester City with injuries. Samir Carruthers and Dean Nayler will be out for the final game of the season.

Current League Form

Dartford (WWDWWD)			Cray Valley Paper Mills (LWWLDD)
Chichester City	A	2-2	Folkestone Invicta	H	1-1
Canvey Island	A	4-0	Hashtag United	A	1-1
Chatham Town	H	3-2	Cray Wanderers	H	1-2
Carshalton Athletic	A	2-2	Ramsgate	A	1-0
Hashtag United	H	7-0	St Albans City	H	2-0
Lewes	H	4-1	Chichester City	H	1-4

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 2 / Cray Valley Paper Mills wins: 0 / Draws: 2

Previous Meetings

Cray Valley Paper Mills 1 – 1 Dartford (22/11/2025 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 4 – 3 Cray Valley Paper Mills (30/04/2025 – Isthmian Premier Playoff)
Dartford 0 – 0 Cray Valley Paper Mills (02/11/2024 – Isthmian Premier)
Cray Valley Paper Mills 1 – 2 Dartford (10/08/2024 – Isthmian Premier)

Statistics

Dartford are on their longest unbeaten run in all competitions this season of eight games
The Darts will record their lowest finish in the football pyramid since 2009 when they ended up 8th in the Isthmian Premier
Dartford have gained 12 points from losing positions this season versus 22 points lost from winning positions
In the final ten minutes of games, the Darts have won five points and lost 15 points

On This Day

Dartford defended their Southern League Cup title by completing a 3-1 aggregate victory over Burton Albion on this day in 1989. A 2-0 win in Staffordshire sealed the cup for a third time in the club’s history.

The Darts bid farewell to the National League with a 0-0 draw against Lincoln City on the final day of the 2015 campaign. The Imps have just won promotion to the Championship.

Charlie Sheringham enjoyed a Kent derby brace in the penultimate game of the 2010/2011 season. The striker scored twice at home against Dover Athletic in a 4-0 victory. Tom Champion and Danny Harris scored the other two.

Chichester City v Dartford

April 17, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

The race for an Isthmian Premier playoff place heats up this weekend as Dartford visit Chichester City in the penultimate game of the season.

Adrian Pennock’s side have just two matches to try and topple those above them and extend their campaign. Unbeaten in seven, the Darts are two points adrift of fifth place and one more slip up could be costly.

Chichester City are guaranteed Isthmian Premier football next term. The Sussex side can still finish inside the top ten, but they are winless in their previous three home matches.

Darts Find Form

Dartford are in the best form of their season with five wins and two draws during their current unbeaten run. The Darts have been more prolific in attack recently averaging four goals a game in their previous five outings.

Last weekend they hit already relegated Canvey Island for four. The comfortable victory preserved Dartford’s perfect away record against the Essex side in league meetings. Pennock’s team dominated from start to finish with Callum Jones opening the scoring on nine minutes. Olly Box was on the scoresheet again with his 17th goal of the season to give the Darts a two goal lead at the break. It took Jones six minutes into the second half to complete his brace and a fourth was added when Eddie Dsane slotted home.

The Darts have been on a roll since their 1-0 away win at Cheshunt just over a month ago. A decent draw on the road at champions Folkestone Invicta before brushing aside Lewes and Hashtag United back at Princes Park. The only slight blemish was conceding a last minute equaliser at Carshalton Athletic to start April. However, Dartford got through a crucial Kent derby versus Chatham Town before last weekend’s triumph.

How Can Dartford Stay in the Playoff Picture?

A Dartford win will take their chances to the final day.

A draw means the Darts will need Brentwood Town or Chatham Town to drop points in their games against already safe Cheshunt and relegated Potters Bar Town respectively.

A defeat for the Darts will require Brentwood Town to lose and realistically Chatham Town to be beaten too. Mathematically, a draw for Chatham Town will mean Pennock’s side can go level on points with the Chats on the final day, but the Darts will also need a 14 goal swing in their last two games.

Current Standings

Position	Team	Pld	Pts	GD
4	Brentwood Town	40	74	+17
5	Chatham Town	40	73	+41
6	DARTFORD	40	71	+27
7	Cray Wanderers	40	67	+11

Remaining Fixtures

Brentwood Town	Chatham Town	Dartford
Cheshunt (A) – 13th	Potters Bar (A) – 21st	Chichester City (A) – 12th
Chichester City (H) – 15th	Lewes (H) – 15th	Cray Valley (PM) (H) – 20th

Smith’s Double

Dan Smith was the difference maker earlier in the season when the Darts hosted Chichester City. The striker’s calmness and hard work paid dividends in front of goal. First, he kept his cool after being put through on goal by Jez Pinder to put the Darts ahead. Then in the second half, Smith’s endeavour resulted in another goal. After closing goalkeeper Kieran MaGee down, all Smith had to do was tap the ball into an empty net.

Stalemates

Dartford’s only previous visit to Oaklands Park ended in a 2-2 draw with the Darts squandering a two goal lead. Box opened the scoring before an own goal from Ben Pashley. In the second half the hosts fought back to earn a point. First, Ethan Prichard started the comeback, then Isaac Bello equalised.

The only other time the two sides met was when Chichester City denied the Darts a club record. Dartford were bidding to set a run of 11 straight league wins, but the streak was ended in a 0-0 draw at Princes Park.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Potential Disruptors

Chichester City haven’t been able to replicate their debut campaign in the Isthmian Premier league when they took their playoff push to the final day. They lost out in the winner takes all match against Dover Athletic to finish three points shy of the top five. Although the Sussex club look set to finish mid-table, they could have a big say in this season’s playoff lineup. After this weekend’s fixture Chichester City finish the campaign away at fourth place Brentwood Town, who the Darts are aiming to chase down.

Last weekend, Chi condemned Potters Bar Town to relegation with a 1-0 win. Jimmy Wild netted the only goal of the game to end a run of three straight loses. The striker got on the end of Bello’s long throw to score the decider.

Assistant Manager’s View

Although Dartford cruised to a 4-0 win over Canvey Island on Saturday, Roland Edge described the match as tough due to the hardness of the pitch and the windy conditions. The assistant boss told Dartford FC TV: “I know we could have been out of sight by half time but the pitch, you had to be on it to believe it really”.

Despite the state of the playing surface he was pleased with how the team performed, he added: “The actual quality the boys played was very good”. Yet, Edge still feels there was room for improvement, especially in the first half, he commented: “The only thing was the boys chose wrong choices in their box. We went in 2-0, but realistically on the day that half deserved to be four or five. So we went in knowing we had a job to do in the second half”.

Now the goals are flowing, Edge has drawn experience from last season, he explained: “Points are vitally important but the goals. Last year it affected our run in, this year it’s great because the last few games we’ve topped that up, so that could be worth a point or two”.

Momentum has been growing over the past few weeks, but with two more challenges to go Edge is not expecting an easy ride, he described Chichester City as: “A very tough team, especially at home, they play the right way. They have got a good side, good players”, he continued: “We’ve just got to go to Chichester and perform again as good as we can and see where we end up”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Team News

Samir Carruthers and Dean Nayler will be out for the rest of the season. Denzelle Olopade and Sam Okoye picked up injuries last weekend, but will hopefully be available.

Current League Form

Dartford (DWWDWW)			Chichester City (DWLLLW)
Canvey Island	A	4-0	Potters Bar Town	A	1-0
Chatham Town	H	3-2	Burgess Hill Town	H	0-2
Carshalton Athletic	A	2-2	Welling United	A	1-3
Hashtag United	H	7-0	Ramsgate	H	1-2
Lewes	H	4-1	Cray Valley Paper Mills	A	4-1
Folkestone Invicta	A	2-2	St Albans City	H	1-1

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 1 / Chichester City wins: 0 / Draws: 2

Previous Meetings

Dartford 2 – 0 Chichester City (15/11/2025 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 0 – 0 Chichester City (11/02/2025 – Isthmian Premier)
Chichester City 2 – 2 Dartford (26/11/2024 – Isthmian Premier)

Statistics

Dartford are unbeaten against Chichester City after three previous meetings
The Darts could go five unbeaten away games in the league for the first time this season
Dartford have scored in each of their last 11 league games including in their last six away games
Jez Pinder could make his 50th start for the club. The midfielder has made 86 appearances for the Darts, scoring 7 goals.

On This Day

Dartford set up a decisive Southern League Cup Final second leg on this day with a 1-1 home draw with Burton Albion in 1989. Defending that title, the Darts reached the halfway point level. A week later they went up to Burton and secured a 2-0 win to lift the cup again.

Last season, the Darts beat Kent rivals Dover Athletic 3-1 at Princes Park to keep their Isthmian Premier League title hops alive. Samir Carruthers, Denzelle Olopade and Josh Hill put the hosts in a commanding position before Dover’s Ruben Soares-Junior scored a consolation.

On the road, Dartford are winless in their last seven on 18 April, losing four in the league as well as two Kent Senior Cup semi-finals. The only league away point picked up in that time was the local derby versus Gravesend and Northfleet in 1992, a game that finished 1-1.

Canvey Island v Dartford

April 10, 2026 / Stuart Maidment / 0 Comments

Dartford have three games to break into the playoff places starting with an away trip to already relegated Canvey Island this weekend.

The Darts kept their hopes alive with a vital victory in the Kent derby against Chatham Town on Easter Monday. The win stretched Dartford’s unbeaten run to six and narrowed the gap to fifth place to just two points.

Canvey Island were sent down on Easter Monday despite a late fightback in their Essex derby at Billericay Town. The Gulls are winless in six matches and have taken only two points in those outings.

On form Dartford are favourites this Saturday, but away from home they have beaten just one team in the current bottom eight. The Darts only have to look back to the reverse fixture against Canvey Island as a warning not to be complacent.

Old Boss Returns

Peter Taylor was in charge of the Gulls back in September and his team had lost all five leading up to their visit to Princes Park. Taylor led the Darts as Player Manager in the late eighties, seven months ago he guided Canvey Island to their first ever league point versus a Dartford side in a 2-2 draw.

The hosts got off to a terrible start conceding twice in the opening six minutes. Jonny Henly failed to hold on to a shot for Canvey’s Charlie Stimson to score. Then the goalkeeper was lobbed by Max Fiddes.

Dartford’s youngsters fought back in the second half to earn a point. George Whitefield nodded in Olly Box’s cross. Then, Box hit a low strike to equalise a couple of minutes later.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Happy Hunting Ground

The Darts have won all their away games in the league against Canvey Island. Last term Eddie Dsane netted the decisive goal to close out 2024. Almost 15 years earlier to the day, Dartford claimed a 5-2 win with a brace from Lee Burns and goals from Jamie Coyle, Rob Haworth and Danny Harris.

Cody McDonald scored a hat-trick and got sent off in a 3-2 victory back in December 2008 and six months earlier Brendon Cass was the match winner in a 1-0 triumph.

Closing the Gap

Over the last three games Dartford have chipped away at the deficit to the playoffs a point at a time. After the 4-1 home victory against Lewes, the Darts were five points behind. A comprehensive 7-0 win versus Hashtag United and a 2-2 draw at Carshalton Athletic closed the gap further. On Easter Monday a Kent derby triumph at home to Chatham Town has left the Darts only two points adrift.

Dan the Man Again

Pennock made three changes over Easter welcoming Joe Tennent and Jacob Bland back in place of Michael Olarewaju and Dan Carter. Box also returned to the side with Evans Kouassi named on the bench.

The Darts were two up in eight minutes when they beat Chatham Town in December. This time 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.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Dartford’s attack is playing with confidence after netting 16 goals in the last four games. After a series of injury setbacks earlier this season Smith has managed to get a run in the side and the striker has hit form. In his previous seven appearances the 26 year old has scored six times.

Playoff race

Maximum points for the Darts will give them a good chance of gatecrashing the top five, but they still need results elsewhere to go their way. Aveley and Billericay Town have all but booked a place in the playoffs. That leaves Dartford chasing down Chatham Town, who host almost safe Wingate and Finchley and Brentwood Town, who go to relegation threatened Carshalton Athletic.

Position	Team	Pld	Pts	GD
2	Aveley	39	77	+36
3	Billericay Town	39	75	+30
4	Brentwood Town	39	71	+15
5	Chatham Town	39	70	+37
6	DARTFORD	39	68	+23
7	Cray Wanderers	39	64	+8
8	Burgess Hill Town	39	64	-3

If results go perfectly the Darts could end the day in fourth. A win for Pennock’s side and defeats for both Chatham Town and Brentwood Town will put playoff ambitions in Dartford’s control.

A Season to Forget

Canvey Island have spent all season in the relegation zone and their only point in the opening nine games was the 2-2 draw at Princes Park. After a loss to Benfleet in the Essex Senior Cup, Peter Taylor stepped down with the Essex side on five points in 11 matches. His last two league fixtures resulted in a win and a draw. Ironically, Taylor left during what was to be the Gulls’ best spell in the Isthmian Premier, an unbeaten run of five. Garry Kimble is now in charge and with just six victories all season, the Islanders will return to the Isthmian North after four years away.

Downed by Blues

The Essex club drew consecutive games ahead of their local derby with Billericay Town last time out. The Blues took a commanding lead and with nine minutes to go were three up and almost home a dry. Goals from Charlie Ruff, Alfie Cerulli and Macauley Bonne sealed Canvey Island’s relegation. However, Kimble’s team kept going until the end and were rewarded with two goals of their own through Conor Hubble and Freddie Price.

Manager’s View

Adrian Pennock was delighted with completing a double over Chatham Town, he spoke to Dartford FC TV after the game and said: “I thought we were excellent, especially the first half. We came out on the front foot and thoroughly deserved to be two up at half-time”, he continued: “It’s a very good win, a very important win, but it hasn’t changed too much, we’re just hanging in there at the moment. It’s a good boost for our supporters and everyone connected to the football club”.

The Dartford boss admitted he had to make some difficult decisions with his selection by leaving out captain Michael Olarewaju and an in form Dan Carter. Pennock wanted to manage their minutes and use the squad available, especially as Carter also played for Leyton Orient prior the Good Friday draw with Carshalton Athletic.

There is not much room for error this weekend if the Darts want to extend their campaign. Pennock commented: “It’s got to be three points at the end of the day. We’re playing catching up and it’s always tough when you’re playing catch up. I’d rather have the points on the board”, he added: “Canvey are a good side and it’s a tough place to go, but we’ve got to turn up again like we have done in the last few games. We’re in good form, long may it continue”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Team News

Jacob Bland returned on Easter Monday after missing nine games with a broken nose. Eddie Dsane has been ill, but could still feature. Samir Carruthers and Dean Nayler will be out for the rest of the season.

Current League Form

Dartford (WDWWDW)			Canvey Island (LLLDDL)
Chatham Town	H	3-2	Billericay Town	A	3-2
Carshalton Athletic	A	2-2	Dulwich Hamlet	H	1-1
Hashtag United	H	7-0	Lewes	A	2-2
Lewes	H	4-1	Hashtag United	H	1-3
Folkestone Invicta	A	2-2	Chatham Town	H	0-1
Cheshunt	A	1-0	Chatham Town	A	0-3

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 8 / Canvey Island wins: 0 / Draws: 3

Previous Meetings

Dartford 2 – 2 Canvey Island (06/09/2025 – Isthmian Premier)
Canvey Island 0 – 1 Dartford (28/12/2024 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 2 – 0 Canvey Island (17/08/2024 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 3 – 3 Canvey Island (12/10/2010 – F.A Cup)*
Canvey Island 2 – 2 Dartford (09/10/2010 – F.A Cup)
Dartford 2 – 1 Canvey Island (05/04/2010 – Isthmian Premier)
* – Dartford won 9-8 on penalties

Statistics

Dartford are unbeaten on the road against Canvey Island in all competitions (W4, D1)
The Darts could go four unbeaten away games in the league for only the second time this season if they avoid defeat this weekend

On This Day

The Bradbrook brothers both scored in a 3-1 win at Princes Park on this day in 2015. The Darts fell behind in a relegation six pointer, but came back to all but send Nuneaton Town down. Andy Brown put the visitors in front until Elliot Bradbrook scored from the spot. His brother Tom added a second and Harry Crawford made certain of the win.

Twice Dartford missed out on a trip to Wembley with F.A Trophy second leg defeats on this day. In 1987, the Darts lost 2-0 against Burton Albion going out 4-1 on aggregate. Six years earlier a 2-1 loss versus Bishop’s Stortford came after the first leg finished 1-1.