Tag: Wingate and Finchley

Dartford visit the last side to beat them in the Isthmian Premier when they travel to North London and face Wingate and Finchley this weekend.

Since the reverse at Princes Park in October, the Darts have gone on their longest unbeaten run since 2009 to climb up to fourth in the table. The 15 match streak without defeat has seen Adrian Pennock’s team pick up ten victories and five draws to become the in form club. Dartford have won each of their last six outings and their previous five on the road. Wingate and Finchley have struggled since the tail end of November picking up just one point in their last eight league fixtures.

A near perfect December earned Pennock his first Manager of the Month award with the Darts. Only Dulwich Hamlet took points off his side in the final month of 2024. The New Year started as the last ended. An away Kent derby victory at Chatham Town was followed up with a 4-1 triumph at home against Whitehawk.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

The Dartford boss only made a couple of changes versus the Hawks, who themselves were experiencing a new manager bounce and unbeaten in five. Denzelle Olopade missed his first league game of the season due to an ankle injury. Pennock felt it was a good idea to rest the midfielder after playing four games in nine days. Samir Carruthers dropped to the bench, but made an impact when he came on. In their place came midfielders Jez Pinder and Louis Dunne.

The game came to life when Josh Hill scored a screamer from long range, an effort that could easily win goal of the season. Striker, Callum Jones increased the lead with his eighth of the campaign before Whitehawk halved the deficit. In the closing stages the Darts sealed the three points. First Carruthers won a penalty, dusted himself off and put away the spot kick. Then another substitute, Eddie Dsane scored his third in as many games with a wonderful solo effort. Substitutes have now contributed to eight league goals this season for the Darts.

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Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

The Darts sunk to this season’s lowest point after Wingate and Finchley scored three unanswered goal in the opening 21 minutes of the October meeting at Princes Park. Few would have seen what was about to follow in the months ahead. Andronicos Georgiou scored a brace and Benedict Frempah added another for the Blues as the visitors raced into a commanding lead. Dartford fought back in the second half when half time substitutes Olly Box and Ade Yussuf pulled goals back. Even though the hosts couldn’t salvage a point that day, they have not tasted a league loss since.

Last time Dartford travelled to Summers Lane they recorded their first and only triumph over the Blues at their place. The prolific duo of Brendon Cass and Jay May both scored in a 2-0 win 18 years ago. The Darts were crowned Isthmian Division One North champions that season and completed a double over Wingate and Finchley on the final day.

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Match highlights courtesy of sonytino

Dartford defender, Michael Olarewaju has featured in the last five fixtures and started the previous three games since returning from his injury. The centre back was playing for Wingate and Finchley during the 2022/2023 campaign. Duane Ofori-Acheampong is another former Blue, who was with the North London club for two months at the end of 2020.

Playoff semi-finalists last term, Wingate and Finchley were sixth in the table after beating Dartford earlier in the campaign. Looking set to challenge for the playoffs and full of confidence they then went and beat Hendon 6-1 three days later. Even after a setback at Dulwich Hamlet, the Blues bounced back with three straight victories and climbed to third in the Isthmian Premier, four points behind the league leaders.

The tables have turned since and a poor run of form, bookended by a draw and defeat against Chatham Town, means Wingate and Finchley have dropped to fourteenth. However, the one shining light is the continued goalscoring form of Ogo Obi. The striker has scored 21 times in all competitions and is in the race for the golden boot. He was unable to prevent another loss on the weekend when his side were beaten 3-1 in Kent. Ryan Lowe put Wingate and Finchley in front, but former Premier League striker Freddie Sears bagged a hat-trick as the Chats won 3-1.

Current League Form

Dartford (WWWWWW)			Wingate and Finchley (LLDLLL)
Whitehawk	H	4-1	Chatham Town	A	1-3
Chatham Town	A	2-0	Folkestone Invicta	A	2-3
Canvey Island	A	1-0	Cheshunt	H	0-1
Cray Wanderers	H	2-1	Lewes	H	2-2
Folkestone Invicta	A	1-0	Cray Valley (PM)	A	3-5
Horsham	A	3-1	Billericay Town	H	0-1

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 3 / Wingate and Finchley wins: 3 / Draws: 2

Previous Meetings

Dartford 2 – 3 Wingate and Finchley (19/10/2024 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 1 – 0 Wingate and Finchley (26/04/2008 – Isthmian Division One North)
Wingate and Finchley 0 – 2 Dartford (03/11/2007 – Isthmian Division One North)
Wingate and Finchley 3 – 2 Dartford (18/03/2006 – Southern League Div 1 East)
Dartford 2 – 1 Wingate and Finchley (17/12/2005 – Southern League Div 1 East)
Wingate and Finchley 2 – 2 Dartford (28/03/2005 – Southern League Div 1 East)

Statistics

• Dartford are on their best winning league streak of six games since September/October 2022. A seventh consecutive victory will make it their best run since 2018.
• Eight wins and a draw is the Darts best run over nine league games since the 2017/2018 campaign, when they won their final nine matches of the season.
• Sam Odaudu is the only player left to have started every league game this season

On This Day

Dartford have won just four games on this day in 24 attempts. The last victory was over a decade ago back in 2003 when the Darts claimed three points in a Kent derby. The Southern League Division One East fixture against Sittingbourne finished 1-0 to the Darts. In 1992, Dartford recorded an impressive 5-0 win at Waterlooville in the Southern Premier League. The previous two triumphs came against Horsham in 1977 and Sittingbourne in 1930. The Darts have lost 1-0 in their last two outings on 18 January. Five years ago they were beaten by Slough Town in the National South and in 2014 by Salisbury City in the National League.

Dartford hope to build on last weekend’s draw with a positive result at home to Wingate and Finchley on Saturday in the Isthmian Premier.

Last time out in the league, the Darts ended a run of four straight defeats in all competitions against Hendon. However, on Tuesday night they were knocked out of the Kent Senior Cup at League Two side Bromley. Wingate and Finchley reached the playoffs last term and are currently eighth in the Isthmian Premier, a point in front of the Darts in eleventh.

Dartford lifted the Isthmian Division One North trophy last time they played Wingate and Finchley. A week earlier, the Darts were beaten at Edgware Town, but title challengers AFC Sudbury failed to get the required result too. With the title and promotion secured, Tony Burman’s side could enjoy the final day of the 2007/2008 season. The celebrations were made all the sweeter when a Steve Norman free-kick was fumbled only for Brendon Cass to score the winner from close range. Cass came second in the league scoring charts and won the club’s golden boot with 37 goals in all competitions. That completed a double over the Blues as the reverse fixture finished 2-0 in November 2007, Cass and Jay May the scorers.

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Dartford had gone three games without a goal approaching the Kent Senior Cup tie on Tuesday night. Adrian Pennock shuffled the pack giving minutes to a mixture of senior and youth team players. The Dartford boss changed the whole side and gave debuts to Todd Brand and Joseph Kpaka. New signing Marc-Anthony Okoye retired from non-league football in November 2019 at 27 years-old with a knee injury. Almost five years on the centre half is back on a non contract basis, he made his debut against his former club. Gabe Campbell, Dean Nayler, Ade Yusuff all made their first starts for the Darts. Former Wingate and Finchley player Mert Apat featured. Whilst another ex-Blue, Duane Ofori-Acheampong was rested.

Dartford were caught out by set pieces a week ago in their 4-0 defeat at Billericay Town. The opening three goals at Hayes Lane all came from corners. Bromley were two up inside 13 minutes, but George Whitefield halved the deficit six minutes later, the defender’s first senior goal. There was still time for another before the interval and that went the way of the Ravens, who ran out 3-1 winners. Academy players Blu Husthwaite and Luke Mandry made their debuts for the Darts coming on as substitutes.

Wingate and Finchley were consistent enough to record their highest league position in seven years last season. Hanging around just outside the top five, the Blues really pushed on from February losing only two games until the end of the campaign. In that time Wingate and Finchley picked up nine victories and five draws to cement a place in the playoffs where they lost to eventual winners Enfield Town.

This season the Blues were involved in plenty of goals at both ends of the pitch over the opening four matches. In between the 3-2 wins against Dulwich Hamlet and Canvey Island they lost 3-2 at Carshalton Athletic and drew 3-3 with Folkestone Invicta. Ogo Obi netted two braces in those games and leads the scoring charts for Ahmet Rifat’s side with ten in all competitions. The Blues suffered consecutive 2-1 defeats against Potters Bar Town and Bognor Regis Town, then picked up a point at home to Chichester City. Ending the run of three without a league win, the Blues closed out September with a 2-1 victory at Dover Athletic.

On Tuesday night, Wingate and Finchley returned to action after ten days. Having lost 1-0 in the F.A Trophy to Chatham Town, the Blues bounced back/lost again versus Bowers and Pitsea. Rifat made three changes including the introduction of Ryan Lowe and Loic Hernandez to the starting lineup. The pair have just recovered from injury and had been building up their fitness with appearances from off the bench in recent games.

Lowe made a good start to the season prior his injury scoring twice. The midfielder opened the scoring four minutes into the match, continuing the Blue’s streak of netting in every game this season. Bowers and Pitsea were level before the break through Jacob Bland. With 20 minutes remaining, Obi put Wingate and Finchley ahead and late on Tyrese Briscoe secured maximum points. The Blues are now three unbeaten and have won their last two in the league.

Current League Form

Dartford (WWLLLD)			Wingate & Finchley (WLLDWW)
Hendon	H	0-0	Bowers & Pitsea	H	3-1
Billericay Town	A	0-4	Dover Athletic	A	2-1
Bowers & Pitsea	H	1-2	Chichester City	H	1-1
Dover Athletic	A	1-5	Bognor Regis Town	A	1-2
Chatham Town	H	3-1	Potters Bar Town	H	1-2
Carshalton Town	A	1-0	Canvey Island	A	3-2

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 3 / Wingate and Finchley wins: 2 / Draws: 2

Previous Meetings

Dartford 1 – 0 Wingate and Finchley (26/04/2008 – Isthmian Division One North)
Wingate and Finchley 0 – 2 Dartford (03/11/2007 – Isthmian Division One North)
Wingate and Finchley 3 – 2 Dartford (18/03/2006 – Southern League Div 1 East)
Dartford 2 – 1 Wingate and Finchley (17/12/2005 – Southern League Div 1 East)
Wingate and Finchley 2 – 2 Dartford (28/03/2005 – Southern League Div 1 East)
Dartford 2 – 2 Wingate and Finchley (27/12/2004 – Southern League Div 1 East)

Statistics

• Dartford have won three of their last four games against Wingate and Finchley (L1)
• The Darts are unbeaten in the three home matches against the Blues (W2, D1)
• Dartford are winless in four league games (D1, L3) and have failed to score in the last two

On This Day

Matthew Godden’s hat-trick against Hyde helped Dartford to an entertaining 4-3 victory over Hyde on this day. The National League fixture in 2013 went back and forth at Princes Park and was decided by a late winner. The visitors came from two down to go 3-2 up, but George Monger equalised in the 83^rd minute. Four minutes later Godden scored the winner and took home the match ball. Josh Hill was an unused substitute that day.

Steve King took charge of his first game as Dartford boss on this day five years ago. Leading the team out in the F.A Cup fourth qualifying round tie against Kingstonian, the Darts lost 3-2 with Andy Pugh and Darren McQueen the scorers. Prior that defeat Dartford went seven unbeaten on 19 October which included a 3-1 Kent Senior Cup win over Welling United in 2015. George Sykes, Callum McNaughton and Dajon Golding all getting on the scoresheet.