Dartford FC Previews

Tag: Folkestone Invicta

Season Preview 2025/2026

July 30, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Folkestone Invicta

An Isthmian League side since non-league was restructured 21 years ago. Folkestone Invicta have spent the last nine campaigns in the Premier division. Invicta became the only club in the town in 1990 and didn’t take long to get out of the Kent League. From the Southern League they switched to the Isthmian. The Kent side suffered defeat in consecutive playoff finals. However, they won the Division One South by some distance in 2016. Invicta have been mainstays in the Premier ever since.

2024/2025 Season
Isthmian Premier: 12th
F.A Cup: 1st Qualifying Round
F.A Trophy: 2nd Round
County Cup: 1st Round
Top League Scorer: Daniel Smith (15 goals)

A patchy season for Invicta saw them pretty much mid-table across the board. Inconsistent form up until November meant the Kent side never recorded back-to-back league results for the first three months of the season. Then a couple of runs for good and bad evened form out. Four straight wins in November were followed by four consecutive defeats. From Boxing Day, Folkestone Invicta hit their peak with one loss in eight games, then inconsistent service resumed.

Manager – Jay Saunders

Jay Saunders gets to reshape Invicta’s squad in his first summer at the club. He left Tonbridge Angels in the National South at the tail end of last season. In management he took Maidstone United from the Isthmian Division One South to the National League within four years. Saunders won the Isthmian Premier League title between two playoff triumphs to get the Stones to the top flight of non-league. His shock departure from the Gallagher Stadium benefited Margate. He reached the League Cup Final with the Gate. Then moved to Tonbridge Angels and now Folkestone Invicta.

Summer Transfers

The new boss didn’t hang around in talking to his players and the club published the retained list three days after the campaign ended. The list included former Darts, Jack Jebb and Ade Yusuff who remain at the club. Jebb represented Dartford 67 times and scored nine goals. Yussuff was with the Darts last term scoring once in six appearances.

The first summer signing became a statement of intent for Saunders when he persuaded Kevin Lokko to reunite with him. Arriving from Maidenhead United, the central defender worked with Invicta’s boss at Maidstone United before moving to League Two Stevenage in 2016. Lokk also has National League experience with Dagenham and Redbridge and Aldershot Town. 

Mikey Berry and Jeremy Santos have also worked with the Invicta boss, both join from Tonbridge Angels. Youth product, Brad Walledge is now part of the senior team, although he has made eight appearances previously. Ollie Black arrives from Worthing and spent some of last season on loan at Hastings United. Jake Hutchinson also makes the step down a division from National South side Enfield Town.

As a 16-year-old, Liam Smith was part of a Tonbridge Angels side that won promotion to the National South in 2019. Last season he came close to another promotion with Sittingbourne. Now 25, Smith gets another move up a division by joining Invicta. Narrowly missing out on the Isthmian Premier title with Billericay Town, Montel McKenzie will provide an option at full back.

Back to where he played his youth football, Josh Strouts impressed in pre-season and signs from Loughborough Students. Ben Mason is a new arrival from Dulwich Hamlet. Midfielder, Donell Thomas moves from Cheshunt. Ronnie Dolan left Invicta two years ago. He returns to Cheriton Road from Lydd Town to add to his previous nine years of service at Folkestone Invicta.

Invicta will have to replace the goals of their top scorer and Supporters Player of the Year, Dan Smith. The striker became Dartford’s first new arrival of the summer. Following the striker to Princes Park is goalkeeper Jon Henly. Another keeper to depart is Dan Kennedy, who moves to Hythe Town. Eventually Invicta found a shot-stopper in Ted Collins from Chelmsford City.

Meanwhile, two ex Darts, Sam Blackman and Nathan Green were released Blackman suffered an injury hit time at Dartford making just one appearance in January 2020. Green was at Princes Park on loan during the 2014/2015 season, made 15 appearances and scored twice.

Last season’s Young Player of the Year, Frankie Morgan has joined Cray Wanderers. Player’s Player of the season Amadou Kassarate has departed to join Dulwich Hamlet. Defender, Ian Gayle is another to depart moving further south to join Lewes. Winger Evans Kouassi leaves for Hashtag United.

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 8 / Folkestone Invicta wins: 10 / Draws: 5

Previous Six Meetings

Dartford 2 – 2 Folkestone Invicta (05/04/2025 – Isthmian Premier)
Folkestone Invicta 0 – 1 Dartford (21/12/2024 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 6 – 2 Folkestone Invicta (17/05/2022 – Kent Senior Cup Final)*
Dartford 4 – 0 Folkestone Invicta (25/02/2020 – Kent Senior Cup)
Folkestone Invicta 1 – 4 Dartford (07/12/2011 – Kent Senior Cup)
Dartford 2 – 2 Folkestone Invicta (12/09/2006 – Isthmian League Cup)**
* played at Chatham Town
** Dartford won 5-3 on penalties

Next Meetings

Dartford v Folkestone Invicta – Saturday 13th December 2025
Folkestone Invicta v Dartford – Saturday 14th March 2026

Statistics

  • Dartford are unbeaten in their last six against Folkestone Invicta in all competitions (W4, D2).
  • A victory for the Darts in December ended a run of five straight league defeats versus Invicta stretching back to 1998
  • In the league Dartford are winless in the last four at home against Folkestone Invicta (D1, L3).

Match Highlights 2024/2025

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Match Highlights courtesy of Invicta TV

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Match highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Dartford v Folkestone Invicta

April 3, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Title ambitions continue for Dartford when they host Folkestone Invicta in the Isthmian Premier this weekend.

Leading the table by a single point, the Darts have five games to hold their nerve as they bid for a return to the National South at the first attempt. Although a draw will secure a playoff place on Saturday, Adrian Pennock’s side know realistically a victory will move Dartford one step closer to their target.

Folkestone Invicta will be the first of three Kent derbies remaining for the Darts in the regular season. Invicta are mid-table and set for a tenth consecutive campaign in the Isthmian Premier when August comes around again, by which time they will have Jay Saunders in charge.

The Darts recorded another away win last time out when they beat Dulwich Hamlet 3-0 in front of a full house. George Whitefield returned to the starting lineup replacing Luther Williams, who along with Louis Dunne wasn’t in the matchday squad. Dunne has now missed the last two games with a strain. Although it took a while to settle into the match, Dartford ran out comfortable winners and were set on their way when Hayden Bullas opened the scoring. Callum Jones doubled the lead before the interval and the striker netted another to seal the victory. Since defeat at Lewes, the Darts have taken maximum points in their last three fixtures taking pole position.

Assistant manager, Roland Edge called last weekend’s result ‘a fantastic victory’, and was pleased with his team’s display, he told Dartford FC TV: “You know when you come to Dulwich, if you don’t perform you go away with nothing. I thought as a team performance it was one of the best of the year so far, which means loads as well because pressure is coming. We know where we are in the league, and we know what we’ve got to do”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

For the final promotion Dartford’s management team are sticking to the same message for their squad, Edge commented: “You’ve got to go out there and believe first and foremost. They have done well; they are top of the league for a reason. If they can maintain what they have done for the majority of the season, then they will end there”.

Despite the pressure a title race can bring the assistant boss urged his players to ‘go and enjoy’ the run in and work hard, he added: “In the next five games they’ve just got to roll their sleeves up and fight. Everyone is tired, everyone in the league is tired, mentally and physically now. We’ve just got to work as hard as we can and see where we end up”.

Dartford won the reverse fixture against Folkestone Invicta just before the Christmas period. The Darts had started to find their groove, approaching the match unbeaten in ten, but were made to scrap it out at Cheriton Road and take a 1-0 away victory. In an even contest it took until almost ten minutes from time for Jones to break the deadlock. Invicta struggled to clear their lines, Michael Olarewaju kept the ball alive to find Jones, who scored the winner from close range.

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Match Highlights courtesy of Invicta TV

It’s been just over 21 years since Dartford last hosted a league game against Folkestone Invicta and that didn’t end well at all. In the days when the Darts played their home games at Stonebridge Road, Invicta ran out 6-1 winners during the 2003/2004 Southern League Division One East campaign. Just over a fortnight later Dartford lost the return match 1-0.

Sandwiched between those fixtures and this season’s win, the Darts have met Invicta in cup competitions. Most notably the Kent Senior Cup Final in May 2022 when Dartford lifted silverware after a 6-2 triumph. Samir Carruthers was part of that side with second-half goals coming from Luke Allen, Ali Mansaray, Connor Essam, a brace from Ade Azeez and Danny Leonard.

In the early part of March and with Folkestone Invicta still hoping for a playoff push, the club parted company with Andy Drury. The former boss was at Cheriton Road since November 2023 and steered Invicta away from relegation last term. Since Drury’s departure, former Folkestone Invicta player Tim Dixon has been in charge. This week the club announced former Tonbridge Angels boss, Jay Saunders as the new manager on a four year deal. Originally due to take charge in August, the Angels have since let Saunders leave early. At the time of writing it has yet to be confirmed if he will be in the away dugout this weekend.

In the time Dixon has been interim manager he has guided his team to a single victory in four matches at the helm. Dixon’s first match finished in a 3-1 defeat at home to Chichester City, in which former Dartford midfielder Jack Jebb came off injured and has not featured since. Jebb made 67 appearances for the Darts scoring nine goals during his time at Princes Park. At the same venue Invicta beat Whitehawk four days later with Daniel Smith scoring the only goal of the game.

Since their last victory Folkestone Invicta have lost two in a row. They were beaten 1-0 on the road by Cheshunt and last weekend they lost against Chatham Town. In a squad that featured former Darts, Ade Yusuff and Luke Allen, Invicta went down 3-1 with Amadou Kassarate netting for Invicta. Yusuff was with Dartford this season and scored one goal in six appearances, whilst Allen departed in the summer after playing 123 games for the Darts and scoring 15 times.

Current League Table (Top 5)

Team

Played

Points

GD

DARTFORD

37

76

+28

Billericay Town

37

75

+34

Horsham

37

72

+29

Cray Valley (PM)

37

68

+17

Dover Athletic

37

66

+32

Current League Form

Dartford (LWLWWW) Folkestone Invicta (DWLWLL)
Dulwich Hamlet A 3-0 Chatham Town H 1-3
Bognor Regis Town A 2-0 Cheshunt A 0-1
Hastings United H 2-0 Whitehawk H 1-0
Lewes A 1-3 Chichester City H 1-3
Horsham H 2-1 Bognor Regis Town A 2-1
Cheshunt A 0-3 Potters Bar Town H 1-1

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 8 / Folkestone Invicta wins: 10 / Draws: 4

Previous Six Meetings

Folkestone Invicta 0 – 1 Dartford (21/12/2024 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 6 – 2 Folkestone Invicta (17/05/2022 – Kent Senior Cup Final)*
Dartford 4 – 0 Folkestone Invicta (25/02/2020 – Kent Senior Cup)
Folkestone Invicta 1 – 4 Dartford (07/12/2011 – Kent Senior Cup)
Dartford 2 – 2 Folkestone Invicta (12/09/2006 – Isthmian League Cup)**
Dartford 1 – 2 Folkestone Invicta (18/01/2005 – Kent Senior Cup)
* played at Chatham Town
** Dartford won 5-3 on penalties

Statistics

  • Dartford have won their last four games against Folkestone Invicta in all competitions
  • The Darts beat Invicta in December for the first time in the league since 1998, ending a run of five straight league losses against their opponents
  • Callum Jones was the first Dartford player to score more than once in a game since Boxing Day, when Olly Box bagged a brace against Cray Wanderers.
  • The Darts have kept three clean sheets in a row for first time since October 2020. Last time Dartford kept four in a row was in April 2018.

On This Day

Charlie Sheringham and Ryan Hayes helped Dartford into the Kent Senior Cup Final on this day in 2011. Sheringham scored twice against Ramsgate before Hayes added a third. The Darts went on to lift the county cup a month later.

Three years ago in the same competition, Dartford defeated Margate 4-2 in the quarter final. Luke Allen opened the scoring, but that was cancelled out by Margate’s James Bessey-Saldanha. In the second-half, Kalvin Kalala put Dartford back in front, Ade Azeez added a third and Ody Alfa a fourth. There was still time for Vance Bola to pull one back for Margate. Once again the Darts went on to win the Kent Senior Cup.

Dartford’s last home game on this day was back in 2010 when they beat Canvey Island in the Isthmian Premier. Danny Harris and Elliot Bradbrook both scored to move the Darts within three points of claiming the title.

Folkestone Invicta v Dartford

December 19, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Dartford will be aiming to maintain their unbeaten run and stay in the playoff places when they visit Folkestone Invicta in this weekend’s Kent derby.

The Darts are unbeaten in the league throughout November and December and if Adrian Pennock’s side avoid defeat again it will take the Darts to 11 without a loss in the Isthmian Premier. The club are now enjoying their best run for two years and victory will guarantee fourth place at Christmas. Folkestone Invicta will be hoping to edge closer to the playoff zone even after a run of three consecutive away defeats. However, they have taken maximum points in their last three matches at Cheriton Road.

Pennock’s squad now seems settled and playing with confidence and for a fourth game in a row the Dartford boss named an unchanged team for the mid-week fixture at Horsham. The Darts kept up their good form over Sussex sides with another victory. It was the second consecutive game in which the Darts earned points after falling behind. Pennock was pleased with the character and togetherness shown by his team, which in pointed out in the post match interview.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

The Hornets led halfway into the first half, but Samir Carruthers equalised almost immediately. Maximum points were secured in the second-half when Olly Box took his tally to nine for the season, with his sixth goal in seven starts. Denzelle Olopade made it 3-1 to make sure the Darts picked up points for a fifth away match in a row.

Since the start of November, Dartford have won five and drawn five to take them from thirteenth in the table to fourth. On the road they have won the last two following on from three successive draws. The Darts last went six away league games unbeaten in the same season back in 2018, when they closed out the campaign with six straight victories under Tony Burman.

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Match highlights courtesy of Hornets TV

It’s been 20 years since the previous meeting between the two sides back in the Southern League Division One. Since then, they have played in several cup matches with the last being the Kent Senior Cup final in May 2022. Samir Carruthers was part of the winning side that retained the county cup after a 6-2 victory.

Life at Princes Park didn’t really work out for Ade Yusuff in the early part of this season, the forward opened the scoring for Invicta in the final. In the second-half Luke Allen headed Dartford level before the hour mark, the Ali Mansaray nodded in a second. The scores were even again once David Smith netted for Folkestone Invicta, but afterwards the Darts strolled away in the last 15 minutes. Connor Essam, an Ade Azeez double and Danny Leonard added more to Dartford’s tally.

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Match Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Josh Hill was involved in the previous meeting before the Kent Senior Cup triumph. In the same competition two years earlier, the Darts won 4-0 in the quarter-final. Liam Nash set the Dartford on their way and Tyrique Hyde, doubled the lead. Billy Crook and Elliot Romain extended Dartford’s advantage to send them into the final four. That campaign was delayed due to Covid and eventually the Darts claimed county honours in the following season.

Folkestone Invicta were beaten last weekend by an in-form Chatham Town side. Former Premier League striker, Freddie Sears scored a brace and two ex-Darts, Rowan Liburd and John Ufuah added to Chatham Town’s tally. Invicta’s goal came from Joe Turner who had earlier levelled the match. Defeat completed a trio of losses on the road following trips to Potters Bar Town where they lost 3-2 and Whitehawk where they were beaten 1-0.

Former Dart, Sam Blackman featured last weekend in the loss at Chatham Town. The midfielder was part of the 2019/2020 squad, but an unfortunate pre-season leg break restricted him to just one appearance for Dartford. Jack Jebb was unavailable on Saturday but was back in light training. Jebb played 66 times for the Darts scoring nine goals in his three seasons at Princes Park.

At home, Invicta have won three on the spin after losing to league leaders Dover Athletic on 5 November. Andy Drury’s side won their Kent derby with Cray Wanderers thanks to Dan Smith’s goal. Ten days later, an Amadou Kassarate brace helped Invicta beat Dulwich Hamlet 2-1. Just under a month ago Smith scored a hat-trick as they breezed past strugglers Bognor Regis Town 4-1. A fourth consecutive win followed at Horsham beginning the aforementioned run of away matches.

Current League Form

Dartford (WDWWDW) Folkestone Invicta (WWWLLL)
Horsham A 3-1 Chatham Town A 1-4
Dulwich Hamlet H 2-2 Potters Bar Town A 2-3
Bognor Regis Town H 4-0 Whitehawk A 0-1
Hastings United A 3-0 Horsham A 1-0
Chichester City A 2-2 Bognor Regis Town H 4-1
Lewes H 2-0 Dulwich Hamlet H 2-1

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 7 / Folkestone Invicta wins: 10 / Draws: 4

Previous Meetings

Dartford 6 – 2 Folkestone Invicta (17/05/2022 – Kent Senior Cup Final)*
Dartford 4 – 0 Folkestone Invicta (25/02/2020 – Kent Senior Cup)
Folkestone Invicta 1 – 4 Dartford (07/12/2011 – Kent Senior Cup)
Dartford 2 – 2 Folkestone Invicta (12/09/2006 – Isthmian League Cup)**
Dartford 1 – 2 Folkestone Invicta (18/01/2005 – Kent Senior Cup)
Folkestone Invicta 1 – 0 Dartford (13/03/2004 – Southern League Div One East)
* played at Chatham Town
** Dartford won 5-3 on penalties

Statistics

  • Dartford are unbeaten in their last four against Folkestone Invicta in all competitions (W3, D1). Invicta had won eight in a row prior Dartford’s current run
  • The Darts have lost the last five league games in this fixture stretching back to 1998
  • In the league Dartford have lost the previous two away versus Folkestone Invicta

On This Day

Chris Dickson may not have had his shooting boots on for Horsham in mid-week, but he did on this day four years ago. His very brief spell with the Darts got of to a flyer as the striker netted both goals on his debut in a 2-0 win. Three years earlier, Alfie Pavey scored twice and Andy Pugh netted in a 3-3 draw at Wealdstone, Lee Noble was sent off in second-half injury time. The most recent fixture on this day ended in a 2-0 loss at Braintree Town last season. The Darts lost a F.A Trophy tie to rivals Dover Athletic 3-2 in their last away match on 21 November. In 2006, Dartford claimed a 1-0 victory on the road at Leatherhead, Jay May the match winner.

Season Preview 2024/2025

August 3, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Folkestone Invicta

An Isthmian League side since non-league was restructured 20 years ago, Folkestone Invicta have spent the last eight campaigns in the Premier division. When they became the only club in the town in 1990, Invicta didn’t take long to get out of the Kent League and into the Southern before a switch to the Isthmian. After consecutive playoff final defeats, they won the Division One South by some distance in 2016 and have been mainstays in the Premier ever since.

2023/2024 Season
Isthmian Premier: 16th
F.A Cup: 2nd Qualifying Round
F.A Trophy: 3rd Qualifying Round
County Cup: 1st Round
Top League Scorer: David Smith (15 goals)

Fairly solid at Cheriton Road, Folkestone Invicta had a nearly even spread of wins, draws and losses. Eight draws on home soil was the joint highest in the division and converting a few of those into victories could easily have seen them climb up some places. On the road, only the bottom five had a worst record than Invicta, so an improvement on their travels this season will be one of their priorities.

Manager – Andy Drury

As a player Andy Drury made it up to the Championship when he joined Ipswich Town, but spent most of his career in non-league, including a couple of spells with Ebbsfleet United. The midfielder won the National South with Lewes as well as the F.A Trophy and National League with Stevenage. Management appealed to Drury just over two years ago with stints at Whitstable Town and Margate. In November he was announced Folkestone Invicta’s player-manager.

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 7 / Folkestone Invicta wins: 10 / Draws: 4

Previous Six Meetings

Dartford 6 – 2 Folkestone Invicta (17/05/2022 – Kent Senior Cup Final)*
Dartford 4 – 0 Folkestone Invicta (25/02/2020 – Kent Senior Cup)
Folkestone Invicta 1 – 4 Dartford (07/12/2011 – Kent Senior Cup)
Dartford 2 – 2 Folkestone Invicta (12/09/2006 – Isthmian League Cup)**
Dartford 1 – 2 Folkestone Invicta (18/01/2005 – Kent Senior Cup)
Folkestone Invicta 1 – 0 Dartford (13/03/2004 – Southern League Div One East)
* played at Chatham Town
** Dartford won 5-3 on penalties

Next Meetings

Folkestone Invicta v Dartford – Saturday 21st December 2024
Dartford v Folkestone Invicta – Saturday 5th April 2025

Statistics

  • Dartford are unbeaten in their last four against Fokkestone Invicta in all competitions (W3, D1). Invicta had won eight in a row prior Dartford’s current run
  • The Darts have lost the last five league games in this fixture stretching back to 1998
  • In the league Dartford have lost the last three at home and previous two away versus Folkestone Invicta

Match Highlights 2021/2022

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Folkestone Invicta v Dartford

May 16, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Silverware is up for grabs for Dartford when they aim to retain the Kent Senior Cup against Folkestone Invicta on Tuesday night in Chatham.

On the way to winning the last edition of the competition the Darts beat Folkestone Invicta in the quarter-final. Steve King will be hoping for history to repeat itself and help Dartford lift the cup for the thirteenth time. Folkestone Invicta are in their sixth Kent Senior Cup final, but have yet to get their hands on the trophy.

For a second consecutive county cup campaign the Darts will be facing Invicta. In a last eight meeting just over two years ago, Dartford scored two goals in each half on their way to a 4-0 victory. Liam Nash set the Darts on their way with a goal just past the half hour mark. Tyrique Hyde, one of three in the current squad who started in the last game against Invicta, doubled the lead. Billy Crook and Elliot Romain extended Dartford’s advantage to send them into the final four where they beat Phoenix Sports 5-1. In the final played this season back in November, Jake Robinson scored a hat-trick in a 6-1 victory over Whitstable Town.

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Highlight’s of the Darts beating Invicta on the way to reaching the 2020 final – Dartford FC TV

Dartford will want to end their season in style after playoff heartbreak on Thursday night. King made just the one change to the side that thrashed Eastbourne Borough 7-2 on the last day of the regular season. Jernade Meade was back in the starting eleven replacing Jordan Wynter. The Darts were unable to find their scoring boots for a second home game in a row drawing another blank, this time against Chippenham Town in the National South playoff eliminator. Dan Roberts had the best opportunity early in the tie, but Dartford created little else at Princes Park. The visitors hit the woodwork and missed the rebound late on in normal time as it finished 0-0. Extra time followed and with both sides still unable to score it went down to penalties. Despite a pair of saves from goalkeeper Reice Charles-Cook in the shoot-out, the Darts lost 3-2 and will be playing National South football next season.

The Darts finished fourth in the league and having been knocked out of the playoffs it allows King to select a strong side for the Kent Senior Cup final. After a blistering start to the campaign the Darts lost touch with the front runners dropping too many points in October, November and January. A run of five straight victories in February put Dartford in with a chance, but disappointing defeats on the road and a spell of more draws left too much to do in the end. At Princes Park, King led his side to a 17-game unbeaten home run in the league, the best from the start of a campaign for 96 years. More recently on the road, Dartford have scored 13 in their last two outings beating Slough Town 6-0 before the emphatic victory at Eastbourne Borough.

Folkestone Invicta also had an outstanding start in their Isthmian Premier campaign and at one stage it looked like promotion was a possibility. Neil Cugley guided Invicta to a 12-game unbeaten run from the start of the season picking up 26 points early doors. However, just two wins in eight slowed Folkestone Invicta’s progress. Whilst results became consistently good again, the final run-in saw Invicta drop out of the playoff places after one triumph in their last nine outings, their last fixture an entertaining 4-4 draw with Haringey Borough. In the end they finished their Isthmian Premier League campaign in sixth, missing out on a playoff place.

Helping Folkestone Invicta to their second sixth place finish in a full season in a row, Luke Wanadio permanently signed for the club in February. The winger made 15 appearances and scored five goals since joining from Dartford initially on loan. Wanadio had three spells with the Darts making a total of 99 appearances and scoring 18 times. Defender Ryan Johnson also once donned a Dartford shirt back in the 2009/2010 Isthmian Premier winning campaign appearing 17 times for the club and scoring one goal. This season Johnson made 36 appearances to reach half a century for Invicta.

Story so far

Second Round
Dartford 2-1 Dover Athletic
Jordan Greenidge scored twice on debut to start Dartford’s defence of the Kent Senior Cup. The striker opened his account after eighteen minutes and added a second with fifteen minutes to go. Dover Athletic pulled a goal back, but the Darts went through to the last eight of the competition.

Folkestone Invicta 0-0 VCD Athletic (Folkestone Invicta won 3-2 on penalties)
Neither side could make the important breakthrough in a goalless draw after 90 minutes. So the tie went straight to penalties with Invicta making it into the last eight. Out of the four missed penalties all of them missed the target, VCD Athletic failing to score three of them. Invicta were more clinical from 12 yards securing a 3-2 shoot-out victory.

Quarter Final
Margate 2-4 Dartford
Luke Allen opened the scoring after just six minutes to get Dartford on the way, but Margate equalised six minutes later through James Bessey-Saldanha. The Darts pulled away in the second half with goals from Kalvin Kalala, Ade Azeez and Ody Alfa before Vance Bola pulled one back for the hosts.

Folkestone Invicta 3-1 Ebbsfleet United
Two first-half goals in the space of five minutes changed this tie in Folkestone Invicta’s favour. Club record goalscorer, Ian Draycott added to his career tally putting the hosts ahead, then Invicta went two goals up after David Smith scored one of his 34 netted this term. Rakish Bingham gave Invicta something to think about by getting one back for Fleet, but the tie was settled when Simo Mbonkwi scored on debut

Semi Final
Welling United 2-2 Dartford (Dartford won 5-3 on penalties)
The Darts had one hand removed from the cup they are defending when Welling United went two up. A brace from Henry Burnett had the Wings in control, but Jordan Greenidge got the Darts back in the tie. The returning Dan Roberts won a stoppage time penalty, up stepped Jake Robinson to force a penalty shoot-out. Dartford scored all five and Reice Charles-Cook made a save to see the Darts through to the final.

Hythe Town 0-2 Folkestone Invicta
Two first half strikes from Ade Yusuff and David Smith put Invicta in command, the pair ended up with 62 goals between them this season in all competitions. Over a thousand turned up to watch the semi-final as the kick off was delayed due to crowd congestion. Yussuf scored with a low drilled shot and Smith finished a well taken goal, which was enough to settle this semi-final.

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 6 / Folkestone Invicta wins: 10 / Draws: 4

Current Form (all competitions)

Dartford
(WDWLWD) 		    Folkestone Invicta
(WDWLDW)		    
Chippenham Town* (NSPO) H 0-0 Hythe Town (KSC) A 2-0
Eastbourne Borough A 7-2 Haringey Borough A 4-4
Braintree Town H 0-1 Margate H 0-1
Slough Town A 6-0 Leatherhead A 1-0
Welling United (KSC)** A 2-2 Corinthian Casuals H 2-2
St Albans City H 3-1 Ebbsfleet United (KSC) H 3-1

NSPO = National South Playoff / KSC = Kent Senior Cup
* lost 3-2 on penalties
** won 5-3 on penalties

Previous Meetings (last six)

Dartford 4 – 0 Folkestone Invicta (25/02/2020 – Kent Senior Cup)
Folkestone Invicta 1 – 4 Dartford (07/12/2011 – Kent Senior Cup)
Dartford 2 – 2 Folkestone Invicta (12/09/2006 – Isthmian League Cup)*
Dartford 1 – 2 Folkestone Invicta (18/01/2005 – Kent Senior Cup)
Folkestone Invicta 0 – 1 Dartford (13/03/2004 – Southern League Division One)
Dartford 1 – 6 Folkestone Invicta (24/02/2004 – Southern League Division One)
*Dartford won 5-3 on penalties

Stats

  • Dartford have played five times against Folkestone Invicta in the Kent Senior Cup (W2, L3)
  • The Darts are three games unbeaten against Invicta (W2, D1) having lost the previous eight in a row between 1998 and 2005
  • The last four meetings have been cup ties and Dartford have won the last three

On This Day

Dartford have only played twice on this day with a record of one win and one defeat. The 1946/1947 Southern League campaign went on until mid-June, so even after the 1-0 loss at Hereford, the Darts still had six more games to go. Dartford ended the season in 11th place, a month earlier they won the Kent Senior Cup for the fifth time. Thirty years later, Dartford played their final home game of the 1976/1977 season beating Atherstone United 2-1, three days later they completed the Southern Premier League in 18th place. Silverware was also picked up that season when they beat Yeovil Town in the Southern League Cup in April.

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