Dartford will want to strengthen their playoff credentials when they travel to Lewes this weekend in the Isthmian Premier.
The Darts have yet to record back to back away wins this season and if Adrian Pennock’s side achieve a victory they could climb into third place. Maximum points can also potentially close the gap on the top two, who take each other on this Saturday.
Lewes have taken just one point from their last four outings and will be hoping to move further away from a relegation battle rather than being dragged towards the bottom three.
Smith on Song
Sam Smith scored his first goal for the Darts to become the match winner. The midfielder pounced on a blocked shot to find the bottom corner through a crowd of players. Dartford created plenty of opportunities to race ahead, but were unable to add to their tally. That made for a nervy final fifteen minutes, but the Darts held out to take three valuable points.
Sam Okoye and Jez Pinder returned from suspension and went into the starting lineup. Dan Carter and Jacob Bland were named as substitutes. Joe Tennent was missing from the matchday squad.
Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV
Building Momentum
Victory on Saturday extended Dartford’s unbeaten run to four putting the consecutive defeats in early November behind them. On the road the Darts have lost just one of their last seven in the league, but have only won one as well.
With some difficult matches on the horizon against league leaders Folkestone Invicta and playoff hopefuls St Albans City, then Chatham Town, an away victory at Lewes will build confidence and keep the momentum going ahead of the remaining December fixtures.
Defensive Improvement
Twenty games into the league campaign and the Darts are showing they are contenders to make the playoffs. Although Pennock’s side are sitting in third, they could easily get a challenge from teams below them who have games in hand. Yet it’s clear Dartford have improved defensively which has turned those early season home draws into wins.
Over the first ten league matches, the Darts won just twice conceding 19 and had to wait until the ninth game to record a first and only clean sheet in that spell. Over the next ten outings, Dartford have won seven, conceded nine and added a further four clean sheets.
Rooks Take Darts
Michael Olarewaju scored his only goal for the Darts in this fixture last season. The defender won’t be able to repeat that on Saturday as he begins his suspension. Back in March, Olarewaju equalised at the Dripping Pan after Danny Bassett put Lewes in front. The hosts won it in the final ten minutes with two goals from Marcus Sablier.
Dominant Dartford
Defeat in Sussex in March was Dartford’s first ever against Lewes. Previously, the Darts had won three out of four including a 2-0 triumph at Princes Park just over a year ago.
Academy graduates Olly Box and George Whitefield were the difference, but the Darts could have won by more on the day.
Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV
Barren Spell
Lewes last tasted victory a month ago when they beat the league leaders at the time, Brentwood Town. The 4-2 home win saw their opponents relinquish top spot.
Consecutive losses followed versus Carshalton Athletic, then Wingate and Finchley. The run was then extended when the Rooks suffered a 2-0 home reverse against Chatham Town, who were down to ten men with the scores level. Former Dart, Tyler Christian-Law featured in that loss. The midfielder played 42 times last season under Adrian Pennock scoring one goal.
Six Goal Thriller
However, last Saturday they halted that run of defeats in an entertaining 3-3 draw at Hashtag United. The Tags were only ahead for six minutes when Bobby Unwin levelled. The midfielder scored his first goal since returning to the club late last month. Martell Taylor-Crossdale had the Rooks in front, but before the half was out Hashtag United equalised. Another Lewes returnee, Alfie Allen put the Sussex side back in the lead five minutes into the second half. However, Evans Kouassi grabbed his second of the afternoon to leave things all square.
Assistant Manager’s View
Roland Edge was delighted with the opening 45 minutes last Saturday and the win, he told Dartford FC TV: “I thought it was well deserved. In patches in the first half it’s the best we’ve played. We put them under a lot of pressure, they defended well, but it was a really, really good first half”.
The loss of Dan Smith through injury was a setback for the Darts, but the depth of the squad played its part, Edge added: “We brought people on and they created other problems for their defence. I think on another day we could have won by two or three more really”.
Hoping to continue momentum, the assistant manager isn’t expecting an easy ride at the Dripping Pan, he commented: “Lewes are very good at home, we know what they do, they play a nice style of football”, he continued: “We are confident at the minute and we have got to maintain that. The hard work is the main thing in every game. Don’t go there thinking it’s going to be gifted to you, it never will”.
Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV
Team News
Michael Olarewaju will be suspended this weekend for his second red card of the season that he picked up against Whitehawk. Dan Smith came off early in last weekend’s game with what looked like a hamstring issue. Joe Tennent missed out last weekend, whilst Sam Odaudu, Eddie Dsane and Dean Nayler have been out injured.
Current League Form
| Dartford (LLWDWW) | Lewes (DWLLLD) | ||||
| Dulwich Hamlet | H | 1-0 | Hashtag United | A | 3-3 |
| Whitehawk | A | 2-1 | Chatham Town | H | 0-2 |
| Cray Valley PM | A | 1-1 | Wingate & Finchley | A | 0-3 |
| Chichester City | H | 2-0 | Carshalton Athletic | H | 2-3 |
| Billericay Town | A | 1-2 | Brentwood Town | H | 4-2 |
| Wingate & Finchley | H | 1-2 | Cray Valley PM | A | 1-1 |
Head to Head
Dartford wins: 3 / Lewes wins: 1 / Draws: 1
Previous Meetings
Lewes 3 – 1 Dartford (08/03/2025 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 2 – 0 Lewes (23/11/2024– Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 3 – 0 Lewes (26/03/2011 – National South)
Lewes 1 – 1 Dartford (30/10/2010 – National South)
Lewes 0 – 2 Dartford (15/01/1983 – F.A Trophy)
Statistics
- The Darts four game unbeaten run against the Rooks ended in their last visit to the Dripping Pan (W3, D1)
- Dartford have scored in all five games against Lewes and have kept three clean sheets
- The Darts are unbeaten against teams currently in the bottom ten (W7, D2)
- Lewes have conceded the joint most goals over the last eight games (21 with Potters Bar Town)
On This Day
Dartford have won five of the last six on this day with the last two outings ending 1-0. Hendon were beaten in 2008 thanks to a rare Tommy Osbourne goal. The Darts also had James White sent off. In 1997, Dartford won at Yate Town in the Southern League South. The only side to take something out of the Darts in this current unbeaten sequence was Worcester City in 1986. Stourbridge were beaten 3-1 in 1983. Three years earlier Folkestone were defeated 1-0 and Trowbridge Town lost 3-1 in 1975.
In a Kent Floodlit League fixture Dartford thrashed rivals Maidstone United 6-0 in 1967. Twenty years earlier it was the Darts who were thrashed by Bristol City, losing 9-2 in a F.A Cup first round replay.
