Match Preview – Bowers & Pitsea v Dartford

Dartford could rise to the top of the Isthmian Premier League when they travel to Bowers and Pitsea this weekend.

The Darts have put together an incredible 17 match unbeaten run to take them within a point of the summit. Next up, Adrian Pennock’s side face a struggling Bowers team who are trying to avoid the drop. Victory for Dartford in Essex will put pressure on leaders Dover Athletic as well as Cray Valley Paper Mills, who take on fourth place Billericay Town. Bowers and Pitsea are in desperate need of points, but they have been here before. In the reverse fixture back in September, Bowers were rock bottom when they won at Princes Park.

Pennock and company have vastly improved results since that meeting with Bowers four months ago. Last weekend the Darts secured an eighth straight league win with an impressive display against previous league leaders Billericay Town. Defenders, Michael Olarewaju and Sam Odaudu returned to the lineup whilst George Whitefield was fit to start. Samir Carruthers was given the nod despite exiting the field of play early in the 2-1 away win at Wingate and Finchley. The midfielder made an impact on the weekend, but a hamstring injury cut his afternoon short again. Sam Okoye was suspended for his red card a week earlier. Meanwhile, the loan spells of midfielders Hayden Bullas and Louis Dunne have  been extended by the club.

Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Marking his 50^th appearance for the club, Olly Box opened the scoring against Billericay Town with an excellent long-range effort. However, the former academy star was unable to complete the full ninety minutes after picking up an injury later in the match. Whitefield had never scored for the senior team before this season, the defender headed home for his sixth of the campaign. Player of the Match, Callum Jones added a third against his old side and set up Eddie Dsane for the fourth. Dsane has now scored four times from off the bench including three in his last four substitute appearances to take him to double figures in all competitions. The biggest attendance at Princes Park this season witnessed an eighth game unbeaten at home for the first time in two years, when the Darts reached ten without loss.

Dartford didn’t lose an away league game throughout the whole of November, December and January. When they visit Crown Avenue on Saturday they will be chasing a seventh consecutive triumph on the road in the Isthmian Premier. Three straight draws against Potters Bar Town, Hashtag United and Chichester City were followed by maximum points in their next six trips. The Darts were joyous in Sussex when they beat Hastings United and then Horsham. Claimed a pair of 1-0 victories over Folkestone Invicta and Canvey Island. Won the New Year’s Day derby at Chatham Town 2-0 and defeated Wingate and Finchley with ten men.

The feel-good factor has returned to DA1, but despite all the positivity Dartford will not take Bowers and Pitsea for granted. The Essex club are six without a win, have tasted victory just once in their last 15 league outings, taken just six points from 45 available and are nine points adrift of safety. However, they had only drawn once in their opening six fixtures before beating Dartford 2-1 in September. Former Dart, Alfie Evans scored twice in the first half to give the away side an advantage at the break. Callum Jones pulled a goal back and a strong penalty shout was waved away by the match official. Frustration boiled over after the final whistle when Duane Ofori-Acheampong aired his grievances to the match officials and received a red card.

Highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV

Promoted via the Isthmian Division One North playoffs last term, Bowers and Pitsea returned to the Premier at the first time of asking. James Collins led the Essex club back into step three, but by Christmas Eve the former manager had resigned. Now Joe Flowers and Luke Wilson are at the helm as joint managers having joined from Runwell Sports, a team from the Essex Olympian Premier League (step 7). The pair have history with Bowers enjoying recent successes. Flowers was part of the management team that won the Isthmian Division One North in 2019. Wilson played over a century of games for the club winning the Essex Senior League and the Essex Senior League Cup. He was also part of the Bowers and Pitsea team that reached the F.A Vase semi-final in 2016.

Since being appointed, Flowers and Wilson picked up a point in their first game against Folkestone Invicta. The 2-2 draw was followed by a pair of defeats at home to Cray Valley Paper Mills and away at Chichester City. Last weekend Bowers were in Sussex to take on Lewes and came home with a 1-1 draw. Luke Reeve opened the scoring just before the hour, but the Rooks were level with a stoppage time equaliser.

Current League Form

Billericay Town	H	4-0	Lewes	A	1-1
Wingate & Finchley	A	2-1	Chichester City	A	0-1
Whitehawk	H	4-1	Cary Valley (PM)	H	1-2
Chatham Town	A	2-0	Folkestone Invicta	H	2-2
Canvey Island	A	1-0	Chatham Town	A	1-3
Cray Wanderers	H	2-1	Hashtag United	H	2-2

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 0 / Bowers and Pitsea wins: 1 / Draws: 0

Previous Meetings

Dartford 1 – 2 Bowers and Pitsea (21/09/2024 – Isthmian Premier)

Statistics

• Dartford have won eight league games in a row for the first time since March/April 2018, when they won the final nine games of the season
• The Darts are 17 matches unbeaten, Their best run since 2007/2008 when they went 21 matches without defeat.
• Dartford have recorded six straight away wins equalling the run in March/April 2018. Last time they won seven consecutive games on the road was at the start of 2009/2010 season, when they managed nine.
• The Darts are nine without defeat on their travels also last achieved in 2009/2010

On This Day

February normally begins well for Dartford when they play on the opening day of the month. Three years ago the Darts began extremely well taking bragging rights against rivals Ebbsfleet United in the North West Kent derby. The rearranged Boxing Day clash was decided by Jake Robinson’s first half goal at Princes Park.

Two years earlier, the Darts hit Chippenham Town for five in the opening forty five minutes. Darren McQueen scored twice, Liam Nash, Amrit Bansal-McNulty and an own goal secured a 5-1 victory in Wiltshire.

The previous three games on this day, all at home, finished 1-0 to Dartford. Elliot Bradbrook was the match winner against Braintree Town in 2011. There was a Southern League South win over Chelmsford in 1999 and in the same division Cinderford Town were beaten in 1997.

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