Dartford v Queens Park Rangers

Dartford will be hoping to progress into the last eight of the London Senior Cup for a third year in a row when they host a Queens Park Rangers development side on Tuesday night.

The Darts won their last county cup tie in the Kent competition beating Sevenoaks Town a week ago. Victory against the Oaks booked a place in the semi-final. That winning feeling didn’t last long though as they fell to defeat on the weekend at Farnborough in the National South.

Tony Burman made six changes to the side won in the Kent Senior Cup. Coming straight into the side, Fumnaya Shomotun made his debut after lining up against the Darts as a Sevenoaks Town player. Tommy Block made his first league appearance since the end of August. Approaching the National South fixture, both Dartford and Farnborough were without a win in four league matches, Boro were looking for their first points of 2024.

It was all square at the break, but five minutes into the second-half Farnborough won a penalty at Cherrywood Road. Aaron Kuhl stepped up and scored from 12 yards. The lead lasted just two minutes as the Darts got back on level terms. Tyrell Miller-Rodney scored his third goal for the club. However, Burman’s side were unable to hold on and with 12 minutes remaining Reggie Young scored the winner for Boro. Dartford have now gone five league games without a win for the first time since the start of the 2019/2020 season under Adam Flanagan and Jamie Coyle.

The Darts made it to round two of the London Senior Cup back in September. Drawn against Harrow Borough of the Isthmian Premier League, Dartford won 1-0. That was Block’s last start for the Darts before his return on the weekend. Despite the low scoreline Dartford were dominant, but still had to rely on an own goal by Borough’s Henry Lukombo.

QPR under 21’s are going strong in the Premier League Professional Development division under former player Paul Furlong. The R’s are unbeaten in their last eight league matches and have not lost at home. Sitting in third place they are two points away from Sheffield United under 21’s and six points behind Birmingham City under 21’s, although they have three games in hand over the Blues.

A week ago, QPR’s development side beat Cardiff City under 21’s with a couple of second half strikes from Harry Murphy and Micah Anthony. Their league victory came after making it through the first round of the London Senior Cup at Corinthian Casuals. The R’s included first team player Albert Adomah in the line up against the Isthmian Premier League side. Whilst Murphy and Anthony found the back of the net again, Lorent Talla and Arkell Jude-Boyd also got themselves on the scoresheet in a 4-1 win.

Current Form

KSC – Kent Senior Cup / LSC – London Senior Cup / Fr – Friendly

Statistics

• This will be the third campaign in the London Senior Cup for the Darts. On the previous two occasions they reached the quarter-finals.
• Dartford have won five of their seven London Senior Cup ties scoring 19 and conceding six
• The Darts have kept four clean sheets in the London Senior Cup and only failed to score once, versus Brentford B, another development team

On This Day

Dartford have progressed in four of their five cup games on this day. The last was 11 years ago which sent the Darts to within a two legged tie of Wembley. In the F.A Trophy last eight replay against FC Halifax Town. After falling behind before the break, two goals in as many minutes had Dartford ahead. First, Lee Noble equalised and then Elliot Bradbrook scored. Ryan Hayes scored a trademark curler, but the Darts were hanging on after the Shaymen netted late. In 1982, Dartford were knocked out of the same competition at the second round stage losing 2-0 versus Northwich Victoria. Other cup ties on this day include a 4-0 win at Tonbridge in the 1979 Eastern Floodlit Cup quarter-final, a 1-0 Kent Senior Cup victory against Bromley in 1935 and a 4-0 triumph in the Chatham Charity Cup last eight in 1909 at home to Sheppey United.