Dartford aim to move back into the playoff places when they take on bottom side Potters Bar Town this weekend.
The Darts will be pleased to be back in action after a couple of postponements has left Adrian Pennock’s side without a game for two weeks. In that time Dartford have dropped out of the top five.
At the other end of the table, the Scholars have plenty of ground to make up if they want to survive. Sammy Moore’s team are seven points away from safety and were heavily beaten last time out.
Eddie Stakes His Claim
Eddie Dsane has had many highlights this season and Pennock recognises how important the striker is to the squad. The Darts boss wants to keep the 29-year-old fit and happy especially after his outstanding performance against Potters Bar Town in October and his latest matchwinner a fortnight ago.
The Darts smashed and grabbed a late winner to close out January against playoff rivals Brentwood Town. Dsane came off the bench to net the decisive goal in the 3-2 win, the ninth time he has netted as a substitute since joining the Darts. As a starter of 31 games Dsane has scored 14 goals.
Darts Dig In
Despite major setbacks during the game against Brentwood Town, Sam Odaudu’s red card and losing a two goal lead, Dartford somehow found a way to collect three points.
The Dartford boss stuck to the side that lost at Burgess Hill Town and with just two minutes on the clock Sam Okoye put the hosts in front. The full back’s second ever goal for the club was his first this season. The advantage was doubled when Callum Jones’ effort was saved only for top scorer Olly Box to calmly grab his 14th goal in all competitions this term.
Brentwood Town made life difficult towards the end of the first half when Kymani Thomas expertly pulled a goal back. The afternoon got harder for the Darts in the second period. First, Odaudu was sent off for a second yellow card, then Brentwood’s top marksman Daniel Ogunleye equalised. A man down and clinging on, thanks to Jonny Henly’s performance in goal, two Dartford substitutes later combined. Dan Carter went on a terrific run to set up Dsane, who found a winner.
Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV
Dsane’s Treble
Earlier in the campaign Dartford made a habit of needing to go behind to wake up and that’s exactly what happened in the reverse fixture against Potters Bar Town. The Scholars took the lead on nine minutes, Brandon Adams fired low beyond Henly. The equaliser came shortly after when Dsane won a penalty and scored. He added a second four minutes later from close range after good work by Samir Carruthers and Jones. A third arrived just before half time with a well taken volley by Joe Tennent. Dsane completed his second hat-trick of the season two minutes into the second-half.
Match highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV
Ten Men Earn a Point
Dartford had to battle hard to earn a point last time they visited Potters Bar Town. The Darts were left to rue missed chances in the first-half, then after the interval Duane Ofori-Acheampong was sent off. Pennock’s side still managed to take the lead through a Carruthers penalty, but the Scholars hit back courtesy of Adams.
Scholars Take a Schooling
This weekend won’t be the first time Potters Bar Town take on the Darts after a thrashing. Last season they lost 8-0 to Dover Athletic, then came to Princes Park to record a 1-0 win.
Whilst Dartford won’t want history to repeat itself, their opponents desperately need the points, especially after losing 5-0 to Billericay Town last weekend. That result meant the Essex club replaced the Darts in the final playoff place and made sure the Scholars remained bottom for another week.
Rather than visiting Princes Park after a big loss, Potters Bar Town will be at home this time, where they have won as many games as Dartford have on the road. A fourth league victory of the season at Parkfield could see the Scholars go above Welling United and Canvey Island in the relegation zone.
Moore of the Same
Potters Bar Town started the campaign with Max Mitchell in charge and after 14 games they had taken just eight points. The club parted company with Mitchell and appointed Sammy Moore.
Although the current boss has fared better with 12 points in the same number of league matches, the Scholars are still in a battle against the drop with the leakiest defence in the division.
Prior to the defeat against Billericay Town, Moore’s team also lost a relegation six pointer at Canvey Island. Ofori-Acheampong made amends for his dismissal whilst with the Darts by scoring deep into injury time to secure a 3-1 win for the Essex club.
Manager’s View
Adrian Pennock was delighted with the win against Brentwood Town despite his side being reduced to ten men and ‘riding their luck’, he spoke to Dartford FC TV and said: “This is why we are in football for. We were under the cosh, we rode our luck”, he added: “We showed amazing character”.
The Dartford boss looked to his bench to beat the Blues, he commented: “It’s about the squad, it’s not just about the starting eleven, it’s about the substitutions that came on. Eddie has this natural instinct, he’s the best finisher at the club by far and we’ve just got to keep him fit and keep him happy”.
Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV
Team News
Sam Odaudu is suspended this weekend after his red card against Brentwood Town a week ago.
New loan signings Dave Winfield and Rohan Vaughan will be available this weekend. Winfield is an experienced centre back from National South side AFC Hornchurch. The 37 year old has played in the Football League and has spent most of the last decade at National League level.
Vaughan is a 20 year old striker from Queens Park Rangers development squad. He spent two years at Burnley before joining the R’s.
Current League Form
| Dartford (WWDWLW) | Potters Bar Town (LWLWLL) | ||||
| Brentwood Town | H | 3-2 | Billericay Town | H | 0-5 |
| Burgess Hill Town | A | 1-2 | Canvey Island | A | 1-3 |
| Aveley | H | 2-0 | Hashtag United | H | 2-1 |
| Hashtag United | A | 2-2 | Ramsgate | H | 0-4 |
| Chatham Town | A | 2-1 | Cray Valley Paper Mills | A | 2-1 |
| St Albans City | H | 1-0 | Dulwich Hamlet | H | 1-3 |
Head to Head
Dartford wins: 3 / Potters Bar Town wins: 2 / Draws: 2
Previous Meetings
Dartford 4 – 1 Potters Bar Town (18/10/2025 – Isthmian Premier)
Potters Bar Town 1 – 1 Dartford (05/11/2024 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 0 – 1 Potters Bar Town (13/08/2024 – Isthmian Premier)
Potters Bar Town 2 – 2 Dartford (05/04/2008 – Isthmian Division One North)
Dartford 4 – 0 Potters Bar Town (27/10/2007 – Isthmian Division One North)
Dartford 1 – 2 Potters Bar Town (11/03/2006 – Southern League Div One East)
Statistics
- Dartford have still got to play seven of the current bottom nine on the road. So far the Darts have drawn two out of two against those in the bottom nine.
- The Darts have scored in ten out of 13 away games this season in the league, but have kept just one clean sheet away from home
- There have been 18 red cards involving Dartford games this season (9 for the Darts and 9 for their opponents). In four matches both sides have received a red card.
- The Darts are winless in three games against the Scholars (D2, L1)
- Dartford are unbeaten in their three visits to Potters Bar Town (W1, D2)
On This Day
Andy Pugh scored twice and received a different kind of Valentine’s card from the referee on this day in 2015. The striker gave Dartford the lead twice against AFC Telford United, but the Darts were pegged back on both occasions. The Bucks had Godfrey Poku sent off before the second equaliser and to make matters even better for Dartford, Danny Ventre scored an own goal to hand Tony Burman’s side three away points. In injury time, Pugh picked up his second yellow card and was dismissed.
The Darts are unbeaten in their last three games on 14 February having drawn 2-2 with Wealdstone in the F.A Trophy second round in 2012. Danny Harris and Lee Noble scored for Dartford that day. In 2009, the Darts beat Billericay Town in the Isthmian Premier with goals from Brendon Cass and John Guest.
