MATCH PREVIEW – Dartford v Chichester City
The two form teams of the Isthmian Premier go head to head this weekend when third place Dartford host Chichester City.
The Darts have climbed the division with an outstanding unbeaten run, which stretched to an impressive 15 league games last weekend. A sixth consecutive victory on Saturday lifted Dartford up another place and increased their run at home to seven without defeat. Chichester City are enjoying their debut season in the Isthmian Premier, unbeaten in six and are a place and three points shy of a playoff spot.
A near perfect December earned Adrian 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 as he led his team to five wins and a draw. 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.
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 busy schedule made for a challenging game as assistant boss Roland Edge explained when speaking to Dartford FC TV, he said: “Both teams looked a little bit leggy, so it was never going to have the normal tempo”. 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.
Edge added: “It took a wonder strike to spark it into a game and then at 2-0 I thought we were in control. We were in control so much that I thought we got a little bit sloppy, then the 2-1 woke us up and by the end of it we were the team that created most of the chances, so I thought in the end it was a fair result”.
Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV
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.
During the current unbeaten run, the Darts have won five of their last seven home fixtures keeping three clean sheets. Despite setbacks throughout September and October, Edge puts Dartford’s form down to endeavour, he commented: “I think we’ve got a lot of belief, but I think the belief has come from hardwork. When we weren’t winning everyone was all doom and gloom a little bit, but I thought we performed well in a lot of those games”.
In the reverse fixture back in November, the Darts let a two goal lead slip to come home with a point. An in form Olly Box scored for a third game in a row after nine minutes, then an own goal from Ben Pashley doubled Dartford’s advantage. In the second half the hosts fought back to earn a draw in the first ever meeting between the two sides. First, Ethan Prichard scored then Isaac Bello equalised leaving the spoils shared.
Highlights courtesy of Chichester City FC
Edge was impressed with the Lillywhites in the away match he said: “I liked Chichester, I thought they had a lot about them. They are quite similar to us in a way that they have some good flair players that can score goals. Their forward line is a handful”. Now the focus is recovering in time ahead of the home game this weekend, he added: “It’s down to us now to get over the Christmas period, try and put some energy back into the lads, face Chichester and hopefully we will perform well”.
Isthmian Division One South East playoff winners, Chichester City have won five of their last six. After defeating Lewes 3-2 at the Dripping Pan they drew 1-1 with Whitehawk. Since then the Lillywhites have taken maximum points in their previous four fixtures against Hendon, Carshalton Athletic, Bognor Regis Town and most recently Chatham Town.
Last weekend, one change was made to the side that enjoyed the 4-1 New Year’s Day derby victory over Bognor Regis Town. Mo Jammeh was preferred to Lloyd Rowlatt and the decision was justified when Jammeh opened the scoring after just two minutes. It took until injury time for the Lillywhites to secure a 2-0 triumph when Prichard added another and his sixth league goal of the season.
| Whitehawk | H | 4-1 | Chatham Town | H | 2-0 |
| Chatham Town | A | 2-0 | Bognor Regis Town | A | 4-1 |
| Canvey Island | A | 1-0 | Carshalton Athletic | A | 2-1 |
| Cray Wanderers | H | 2-1 | Hendon | H | 1-0 |
| Folkestone Invicta | A | 1-0 | Whitehawk | H | 1-1 |
| Horsham | A | 3-1 | Lewes | A | 3-2 |
Head to Head
Dartford wins: 0 / Chichester City wins: 0 / Draws: 1
Previous Meeting
Chichester City 2 – 2 Dartford (26/11/2024 – Isthmian Premier)
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
One of Dartford’s most famous games took place on this day 89 years ago. The Darts travelled to the Baseball Ground to take on top flight Derby County in the F.A Cup third round. The Rams were second in the old First Division, but the Darts shocked their opponents going two goals up when Mercer and Joe Harron scored. Derby County were level by half-time with the winner coming in the second-half.
Dartford have won their last three home matches on 11 January with the most recent a 3-0 win against Oxford City five years ago. Darren McQueen, Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong and Luke Wanadio all scored in the National South fixture. The previous two victories came in the fifties with the Darts beating Lovells Athletic 3-1 in the Southern League back in 1958 and two years earlier Dover 2-0 in a Kent Senior Cup first round replay.
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