Tag: Hashtag United

Dartford will finally get their New Year underway on Friday night when they take on League Cup semi-finalists Hashtag United.

Hoping to start 2026 in the way they ended 2025, the Darts are seeking a third straight win in the Isthmian Premier to keep the pressure on those in the playoff places. The Tags equally need the points to get out of the relegation zone.

Defenders Step Up

Adrian Pennock’s side had the weekend off last Saturday due to the postponement of their Kent derby against Ramsgate. The Darts will be hoping momentum from consecutive victories, including an excellent result at Chatham Town, doesn’t slow and that their defence can have another solid performance.

Last time out, early goals from Joe Tennent and George Whitefield helped the Darts to an excellent 2-1 away win at Chatham Town. At the same stage last season, before kick off, defenders had scored twice as many as they had this term. So with Tennent and Whitefield chipping in with two goals it eased the reliance on the forward line.

Pennock made just one change from the 1-0 win against St Albans City by bringing in Nathan Eze for his full debut. The striker on loan from Ipswich Town made an impact setting up Tennent to score after just three minutes. The lead was doubled five minutes later when Whitefield expertly finished 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. The win for the Darts kept them in fourth on the day. However, over the last week they have dropped out of the playoffs due to other results.

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Highlights courtesy of Chatham Town

Better Form

Earlier in the season draws and poor away form were costing Dartford points. Now they have drawn just once in the last 14 and have been picking up wins more often.

Over the first 12 games of the season, the Darts picked up 18 points in total and just four wins, all at home. In the following dozen matches, despite suffering back to back defeats twice, Dartford have added a further seven victories, three on the road and gained a further 22 points.

Another triumph could be vital to return to the top five. The two teams directly above the Darts are also in action on Friday night when Aveley go to Cray Wanderers.

Marsden’s Marvellous Save

A classic was served up the last time Dartford visited Hashtag United with five goals and in the final quarter of the game. The 3-3 draw was full of action and it was Sam Odaudu who gave the Darts a first half lead.

In the second half Dartford came from behind twice and if it wasn’t for Jacob Marsden they could have fallen behind again at the death. The Tags went in front when Toby Aromolaran, then Joshua Rusoke scored. Three minutes later Denzelle Olopade drew Dartford level before the hosts went 3-2 up in the 87th minute courtesy of Ayo Olukoga. In the final moments Olly Box made it all square again and there was still time for last ditch heroics when Marsden made an incredible save onto the crossbar.

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Match Highlights courtesy of Hashtag United

Dartford Hit Double Top

The Darts were in a title race during the reverse fixture last season. Pennock’s side started out on top, relinquished pole position before returning to the summit. Callum Jones put the hosts in front at Princes Park with a penalty. Box added another with five minutes remaining to make sure Dartford ended the day in first place on goals scored.

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Match Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Tags in Relegation Battle

Hashtag United were last season’s entertainers scoring 82 goals and conceding 71 as they finished in eighth place. This term they haven’t averaged quite so many goals and at the moment it’s only goal difference keeping them in the bottom four.

Yet Jay Devereux’s side are showing signs of improvement going three unbeaten at home. The Tags drew 3-3 with Lewes and won an Essex derby against Canvey Island 4-0. They also earned a creditable 2-2 draw versus their landlords Aveley.

In between the two Essex derbies, the Tags lost back to back on the road at Brentwood Town and Chichester City. Although that didn’t knock their confidence when they took on county rivals Billericay Town last weekend.

Max Cornhill represented Dartford 66 times scoring nine goals in the two seasons he was at Princes Park. The midfielder headed Hashtag United in front on Saturday around the half hour mark. Billericay Town levelled through Alfie Cerulli, but Luke May-Parrott won the game for the Tags.

Ten Men, No Problem

Hashtag United became the first side to reach the semi-final of the League Cup this season. The Essex club have a real chance for some silverware and will be buoyed by their excellent display on Tuesday night. Devereux’s side beat Burgess Hill Town 5-1 and had ten men for most of the game.

Jaxon Brown gave the Tags an early lead, but the night could have turned for the worse when Jermaine Anderson was dismissed on 22 minutes. Burgess Hill Town were level shortly afterwards but parity didn’t last long. May-Parrot and an own goal later had the Tags 3-1 up at the break. Jaden Brissett and a last minute Evans Kouassi goal sealed victory and a passage into the last four.

Assistant Manager’s View

Roland Edge praised his players hard work after the 2-1 away win at Chatham Town, he spoke to Dartford FC TV after the game and said: “It was definitely a well earned three points and we weren’t going to get it easily, we knew that. Chatham are a really well organised strong side and they showed it”, he continued: “Credit to our team, they all stood up to it and they had to, otherwise we wouldn’t have gone with three points”.

What made victory more remarkable was the status of the Ramsgate side and how well their manager Kevin Hake is doing as manager, Edge explained: “Being full-time shows you what can happen, Kev has done a wonderful job. He’s got all of the boys buying into what he wants”, he added: “You can see that being full time has helped because they all know what they are doing and they are all really fit, but he’s also got talent in there. That’s why getting the three points was so magical really”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Team News

Michael Olarewaju and Eddie Dsane were involved in the matchday squad last time out. Dan Smith has been nursing a hamstring injury. Dean Nayler remains a long term absentee.

Current League Form

Dartford (WWLLWW)			Hashtag United (LWLDWW)
Chatham Town	A	2-1	Burgess Hill Town (LC)	A	5-1
St Albans City	H	1-0	Billericay Town	A	2-1
Folkestone Invicta	H	1-2	Aveley	H	2-2
Lewes	A	0-1	Chichester City	A	0-1
Dulwich Hamlet	H	1-0	Newmarket Town (LC)	H	2-1
Whitehawk	A	2-1	Brentwood Town	A	0-2

 

(LC – League Cup)

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 1 / Hashtag United wins: 0 / Draws: 1

Previous Meetings

Dartford 2 – 0 Hashtag United (08/02/2025 – Isthmian Premier)
Hashtag United 3 – 3 Dartford (12/11/2024 – Isthmian Premier)

Statistics

• The Darts scored five goals in their two games versus the Tags last season. Only Bognor Regis Town conceded more in the two league games against Dartford (6).
• The Darts are unbeaten in their last three away openers of the calendar year (W2, D1)
• Dartford have yet to lose in the league when leading at half-time (W7, D3)

On This Day

Dartford last won on this day 38 years ago when they visited Leicester United in the Southern Premier League. The 1-0 win is the Darts’ only triumph on 9 January in their last eight attempts. Dartford have picked up just two draws in that spell and have lost the previous three. The most recent defeat was two years ago at rivals Maidstone United.

New Isthmian Premier leaders Dartford hope to continue their remarkable unbeaten run when they host Hashtag United this weekend.

The Darts are now 18 games without defeat and have risen from thirteenth to the summit in that time. Manager of the Month for December and January, Adrian Pennock has guided his side to nine straight wins in the league and haven’t lost at Princes Park since mid-October.

Hashtag United have also climbed the standings since early November. The Essex club were second from bottom on Guy Fawkes night, now they are sixth after Tuesday’s draw at Bognor Regis Town. The Tags have won five of their last seven in the league to take them within nine points of the playoff places.

Dartford had the opportunity to move to the top of the table last Saturday and took it with a 3-1 win at Bowers and Pitsea. Results elsewhere helped the Darts climb from third to first and lead the division by a single goal with a game in hand. 

After extending his loan until the end of season, Louis Dunne started for the injured Samir Carruthers (hamstring) in the only change to the side that impressively beat Billericay Town a week earlier. Carruthers was unable to complete a full half in the previous two games, so Pennock decided not to risk the influential midfielder on an artificial surface. Gabe Campbell also made a cameo appearance as a substitute in the final moments, his first appearance since late November after returning from a loan spell at Ashford United last week.

Dartford took an early lead on 12 minutes when central defender Luther Williams received a short throw in, put in a cross for Denzelle Olopade to nod home his sixth of the season in all competitions. The advantage was doubled with half hour played, Olly Box was composed enough to square the ball to Callum Jones, who netted his third goal in four games.

Late on, January’s goalkeeper of the Month, Jacob Marsden was denied a second clean sheet in a row. Former Dart, Alfie Evans scored twice in the reverse fixture and he netted again with seven minutes to go. But the potential comeback by the hosts was short lived when Jez Pinder made it 3-1 after coming off the bench. Yet again a substitute found his name on the scoresheet, the tenth this season and fifth in as many matches. In doing so, Pinder also scored Dartford’s 24th goal by an academy graduate in all competitions this term.

Marsden saved the day last time Dartford faced Hashtag United in an enthralling 3-3 draw. The reverse fixture in Essex went back and forth, but both sides had to settle for a point in the end. Sam Odaudu provided the Darts with a first-half lead. Then Pennock’s side had to show character after falling behind twice in a hectic final 25 minutes. The Tags equalised through Toby Aromolaran and went in front after Joshua Rusoke scored. Three minutes later Olopade drew Dartford level before Ayo Olukoga put the hosts 3-2 up in the 87th minute. In the final moments Box made it all square again and there was still time for last ditch heroics when Marsden made an incredible save onto the crossbar.

Looking ahead to the next two games, against Hashtag United and the game in hand versus Chichester City, assistant manager Roland Edge is expecting a tough challenge from both opposition. When speaking to Dartford FC TV, he said: “Hashtag are a decent side, we drew with them 3-3 at their place, Jacob (Marsden) made a fantastic save last kick of the game and Chichester was a tough game away as well. So we know what’s coming up. Now is about training hard in the week and to get ready for them to come to us”.

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Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Searching for a fourth consecutive win at home, the Darts have scored four in their last two home outings. Dartford closed out January with a 4-0 victory against then league leaders Billericay Town. They also comfortably beat Whitehawk 4-1 at the start of last month. Dulwich Hamlet remain the only away side to take points off the Darts in the last seven matches at Princes Park.

Hashtag United’s slow start to the campaign is a thing of the past. The Tags have shown more consistency since the last time they played Dartford and have gained ground on the playoff places. Captained by former Dartford midfielder Max Cornhill, who played 66 times for Darts scoring nine goals, the Essex club have been one of the form sides in the division behind Dartford, Chichester City and Horsham.

On Tuesday night, Hashtag United showed plenty of character trailing late in the game against Bognor Regis Town. Harvey Rew gave the Rooks an early lead and with 15 minutes remaining Chad Field made it two. It looked as though the Tags were going to fall to defeat versus the side at the bottom, but Misha Djemaili halved the deficit with three minutes left on the clock. Then a couple of minutes later former Dart, Mert Apat equalised. The defender signed for Dartford in the summer and made five appearances before leaving Princes Park. Apat was also on the scoresheet for both sides in the 3-2 League Cup quarter final defeat to Chatham Town recently.

Last weekend, Thomas Anderson scored the only goal of the game to help Hashtag United take maximum points at home to Cheshunt, his 16^th career goal in a Tags shirt. Whilst Josh Osude could be one to watch having picked up back-to-back Player of the Month awards for the club. Victory over the Ambers was their third consecutive home win in the league having previously beaten bottom side Bognor Regis Town and Dover Athletic, who were top of the standings at the time.

On the road, Hashtag United suffered their first defeat in seven when they lost 1-0 at Carshalton Athletic last month. Prior that loss they had impressive wins in Kent at Chatham Town and at title challengers Cray Valley Paper Mills, who they beat 5-1. By contrast they also drew with strugglers Whitehawk as well as Bowers and Pitsea in the two away games leading up to those triumphs. 

Current League Form

Dartford (WWWWWW)			Hashtag United (WWWLWD)
Bowers and Pitsea	A	3-1	Bognor Regis Town	A	2-2
Billericay Town	H	4-0	Cheshunt	H	1-0
Wingate & Finchley	A	2-1	Carshalton Athletic	A	0-1
Whitehawk	H	4-1	Bognor Regis Town	H	4-2
Chatham Town	A	2-0	Dover Athletic	H	2-1
Canvey Island	A	1-0	Chatham Town	A	1-0

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 0 / Hashtag United wins: 0 / Draws: 1

Previous Meetings

Hashtag United 3 – 3 Dartford (12/11/2024 – Isthmian Premier)

Statistics

• Dartford have won nine league games in a row for the first time since March/April 2018, when they won the final nine games of the season
• The Darts are 18 matches unbeaten, their best run since 2007/2008 when they went 21 matches without defeat.
• Dartford have won their last three home matches and are unbeaten in eight. Their longest unbeaten home run in the league for two years, when they went ten games without defeat between September 2022 to New Year’s Day 2023

On This Day

Max Cornhill was in the side that helped the Darts record a famous victory on this day 11 years ago. Dartford travelled to the Racecourse Ground to take on Wrexham in the National League. Now their worlds are miles apart making the triumph in 2014 even more special. Having lost the reverse fixture 5-1 in November, Dartford were also at the wrong end of the table needing points. Once again, the Darts could rely on their captain Elliot Bradbrook to come up with the goods. It was Andy Pugh who opened the scoring, but Joe Clarke levelled for the Welsh side. Bradbrook scored the winner on the stroke of half-time to secure a memorable away win.

Dartford visit a familiar ground to face their newest opponents when they take on Hashtag United on Tuesday night.

A hop over the Thames to Aveley’s Parkside will be the shortest journey in the league this season for the Darts. Facing a side formed just eight years ago, Dartford take on the Tags who are in their second campaign at this level having placed mid-table last term. Both sides are looking for a consecutive victory in the Isthmian Premier to climb the table.

Adrian Pennock’s side increased their unbeaten run in all competitions to four on the weekend with a first league triumph since the end of August. The 2-1 home win against Cheshunt involved six academy graduates with George Whitefield the match winner. The defender made his eighth start of the season replacing Michael Olarewaju. The only other change to the side that drew 0-0 at Potters Bar Town was Tyler Christian-Law coming in to face his former side. Sam Okoye missed his first league game of the campaign after hobbling of earlier in the week. Olarewaju and Eddie Dsane were out with minor injuries, whilst Ade Yusuff has been featuring for his parent club Hornchurch.

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Similar to the Potters Bar Town game, the Darts created plenty of chances on Saturday. Arguably Dartford could have come away with maximum points despite being reduced to ten men against the Scholars, instead they had to settle for a draw. On the weekend, once again missed opportunities could have been costly. However, Pennock’s side did enough to take maximum points and keep up a perfect record against Cheshunt. Assistant manager, Roland Edge would now like his side to improve in the ‘art of killing off a game’.

A dominating first half display saw the Darts deservedly lead at half-time. Cheshunt’s goalkeeper, R’Avan Constable was in excellent form and close to saving a Samir Carruthers penalty, the midfielder’s third goal in four and second from the spot. In an even second half, the visitors equalised through Tommy Wood. Then 19-year-old, George Whitefield scored a stunner from long range, his second goal in his last four appearances. Defensively, Jacob Marsden and Luther Williams made important contributions, but man of the match Whitefield made the biggest contribution of all with a crucial block in stoppage time.

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Assistant manager Roland Edge felt the Darts were worth the victory and commented: “I’m very, very happy and I think it’s been coming to be honest. I mean even on Tuesday night I thought we had ample chances to win the game and possibly didn’t take them. I think our performances have got better recently and we’ve deserved to win, but deserved doesn’t get you a win. Today it took a hell of a strike to win it, but we deserved it overall”.

By the end of the afternoon six academy graduates featured for the Darts. Todd Brand came on to make his league debut. In addition to the six who played, Jeremiah Pinder has also made 19 appearances this term. Edge praised the set up at the club, he exclaimed: “It’s fantastic for the club and it’s fantastic for the youth system. Today they have got to take a bow I think, they’ve all come in and done their part and there is more quality in there. They have more than held their own and they are getting better week by week”.

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Whilst delighted with scoring the winner, Whitefield urged his team to remain focussed, he spoke to Dartford FC TV after the game and said: “The vibe in the changing room is now unbelievable. I’m just hoping we are able to do it again next week. Hashtag is going to be a tough game; we just need to make sure we don’t get too ahead of ourselves”.

The Darts will be without the suspended Duane Ofori-Acheampong after his red card against Potters Bar Town. The striker, who made his 50th start for the club on Saturday serves his second ban of the season after a previous dismissal.

Hashtag United climbed out of the relegation zone with a 4-0 away win at newly promoted Chichester City. The Tags turned it on in the second half with a goal from Misha Djemaili, a brace by Sakariya Hassan and a fourth was added through Toby Aromolaran. Captained by former Dart, Max Cornhill, Hashtag United moved up to eighteenth with their first league win in five. Cornhill made 66 appearances for the Darts between 2013 and 2015 scoring nine times.

This will only be Hashtag United’s fifth home game in the Isthmian Premier this term. The Essex club have won just once in the league at Parkside and that was a 4-0 win against struggling Hastings United. Although they have picked up three wins on the road, the Tags have earned themselves just 13 points and are ahead of county rivals Bowers and Pitsea on goal difference.

Jay Devereux’s side have fared better in cup competitions recently progressing in the F.A Trophy, League Cup and Essex Senior Cup. Next weekend the Tags have their second round F.A Trophy tie at home to Brackley Town.

The youngest club in the division, Hashtag United gained a large social media following and momentum to aid their rise through the non-league pyramid. The Tags have won two league titles, most recently the Isthmian Division One North. Last season was their debut in the Premier and a mid-table finish was more than respectable.

Current League Form

Dartford (LDLDDW)			Hashtag United (WLDLLW)
Cheshunt	H	2-1	Chichester City	A	4-0
Potters Bar Town	A	1-1	Cray Wanderers	A	0-3
Cray Valley (PM)	H	0-0	Dover Athletic	A	2-4
Wingate & Finchley	H	2-3	Folkestone Invicta	A	1-1
Hendon	H	0-0	Carshalton Athletic	H	0-1
Billericay Town	A	0-4	Cheshunt	A	4-3

Statistics

• The Darts are four games unbeaten in all competitions (W2, D2) matching Pennock’s previous best unbeaten run as Dartford boss in August (W4, D0)
• Only three of the bottom four have scored fewer goals than Dartford in the Isthmian Premier this season (Dartford – 15 goals, Bowers and Pitsea – 14, Cray Wanderers – 12 and Whitehawk – 11)
• The Darts are looking for a first away league win since 24 August (L2, D1)

On This Day

Duane Ofori-Acheampong was in the Dartford side that won 2-0 on this day in 2016. The Darts hosted Hemel Hempstead Town and goals from Danny Harris and Luke Wanadio secured victory. Dartford have lost the last two on the road on 12 November. A trip to Farnborough in 2022 ended in a 3-1 defeat. Kristian Campbell scored for the Darts, whilst Samir Carruthers and Sam Odaudu featured. In 2013, Max Cornhill, now of Hashtag United was in the Dartford team that lost 3-0 at Woking.