Dartford host their first Kent derby of the season when they face last season’s runners up Chatham Town on Bank Holiday Monday.
The two sides meet for the first time in 17 years and are are both expected to be challenging for promotion this term. The Darts are looking for a way back to the National South at the first attempt, despite making wholesale changes over the summer. The Chats missed out last time losing the playoff final.
A victory on Saturday saw Dartford move above their opponents Carshalton Athletic and into fourth. Adrian Pennock has now guided the Darts to three wins in their opening four matches, their best start in three years. Chatham Town also took maximum points on the weekend and sit two points and four places further back.
The Darts have already tasted triumph in a Kent derby beating newly promoted Cray Valley Paper Mills on the opening day. Although Pennock’s side fell to defeat in their first home game against Potters Bar Town, they bounced back with a 2-0 Princes Park win over Canvey Island.
On Saturday, Dartford travelled to unbeaten Carshalton Athletic and Eddie Dsane’s first goal for the club was enough to bring home all three points. Tyler Christian-Law was back in the side after his strike against Canvey Island replacing defender Mert Apat. Meanwhile, returning from injury Samir Carruthers was named on the bench and was introduced with just over ten minutes to go.
Duane Ofori-Acheampong remained an absentee, whilst young defender George Whitefield missed out on selection. Former West Ham United academy full back, Samuel Caiger joined the Darts after impressing on trial. The 22 year-old has returned from a long term injury and will now spend a month on loan at Southern League Premier Central side Hitchin Town.
Dsane opened his account in the first half netting a maiden goal since his move from Kingstonian in the summer. Good work from Denzelle Olopade set up the striker to give Dartford a lead inside the first twenty minutes. The Darts held off Carshalton Athletic late on with spirited defending and a good goalkeeping performance by Matt Kerbey. For the first time in a year Dartford have now kept back to back clean sheets in the league.
Brendon Cass was Dartford’s scorer last time this fixture was played in April 2007. However, it was to no avail as the hosts went down 3-1 in the Isthmian Division One South. The reverse fixture four months earlier went better for Tony Burman’s side as they won 3-2 thanks to goals from Ryan Hayes, Jay May and Lew Watts.
At the end of that season Dartford switched to the Isthmian Division One North and won the title at the first attempt. A couple of years later the Darts were Isthmian Premier champions. After two more campaigns they were up from the National South to the National League via the playoffs. In that same period Chatham Town remained in Isthmian Division One bouncing between the South and North divisions until relegation to the South Counties East in 2017.
Fortunes have changed with Dartford now back in step three joining Chatham Town. The catalyst for the Chats seems to be chairman and now manager Kevin Hake, who took over the club seven years ago following the drop to step five. Hake became manager after the Covid years and won consecutive promotions before almost making it three in a row last term.
Labelled as one of the favourites for the title prior to the start of the season, Chatham Town lost their opening day fixture at Lewes. At a goal down, Jamie Yila missed a late penalty for the Chats before the Rooks went on to score another. Their first home match of the season ended in a draw with another side expecting to be challenging for promotion in Billericay Town. With Chatham Town a goal down two minutes into second-half stoppage time, a point was rescued when Kofi Anokye-Boadi equalised.
Four days later two former Dartford players found the back of the net as the Chats recorded their first win of the season. Jack Evans and Rowan Liburd scored in a 2-0 victory over Bowers and Pitsea. Evans made 16 appearances for the Darts in the 2012/2013 season scoring twice. Liburd featured just three times whilst on loan in 2019/2020.
On the weekend Chatham Town hosted Dulwich Hamlet and secured a second win in a row. Yila scored his first of the season to make sure the home side went into the interval with an advantage. Three minutes into the second half former Dartford winger Luke Wanadio levelled, but the hosts restored their lead through former West Ham United striker Freddie Sears. A two goal cushion was assured when Sam Sene Richardson added a third. Maxwell Statham made his Chatham Town debut on loan from Hemel Hempstead Town and could face his former side. The ex-Dart left this summer after making 78 appearances for the club.
Current League Form
| Dartford (WLWW) | Chatham Town (LDWW) | ||||
| Carshalton Athletic | A | 1-0 | Dulwich Hamlet | H | 3-1 |
| Canvey Island | H | 2-0 | Bowers and Pitsea | A | 2-0 |
| Potters Bar Town | H | 0-1 | Billericay Town | H | 1-1 |
| Cray Valley Paper Mills | A | 2-1 | Lewes | A | 0-2 |
Head to Head
Dartford wins: 30 / Chatham Town wins: 40 / Draws: 11
Previous Meetings
Dartford 1 – 3 Chatham Town (09/04/2007 – Isthmian Division One South)
Chatham Town 2 – 3 Dartford (26/12/2006 – Isthmian Division One South)
Dartford 3 – 1 Chatham Town (15/04/2006 – Southern League Div One East)
Chatham Town 1 – 0 Dartford (27/09/2005 – Southern League Cup)
Chatham Town 1 – 0 Dartford (20/09/2005 – Southern League Div One East)
Chatham Town 1 – 1 Dartford (16/11/2004 – Southern League Div One East)
Statistics
- Dartford have won just two of the last 10 league meetings against Chatham Town (D2, L6)
- The Darts have won one of their last five in the league at home versus the Chats (D1, L3)
- An average of 4.33 goals per game have been scored in the last three meetings with the winning side scoring three on each occasion (W2, L1)
On This Day
Dartford are unbeaten in their last five games on 26 August winning four of them. Last season, Harvey Bradbury’s injury time winner against Aveley earned the Darts their first victory of the campaign. Hungerford Town are the only side to take points from Dartford in the unbeaten sequence. The Darts let a 2-1 lead slip with two minutes to go after Darren McQueen and Luke Wanadio both scored in the first-half at Bulpit Lane. Two Elliot Bradbrook penalties helped Dartford beat Hemel Hempstead Town 3-0 on the road in 2019, Alfie Pavey chipped in with the third. In the National League 11 years ago, Danny Harris and Kenny Clark scored in a 2-0 away win at Tamworth. In 2006, Jay May scored the only goal in a home win over Kingstonian in the Isthmian Division One South.
