MATCH PREVIEW – Wingate & Finchley v Dartford
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.
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.
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.
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.
| 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.
The post MATCH PREVIEW – Wingate & Finchley v Dartford appeared first on Dartford Football Club Official Website.