MATCH REPORT | DARTFORD 2 HASTINGS UNITED 0
Dartford remained in the Isthmian Premier League title hunt, after two first-half goals saw them complete the league double over struggling Hastings United on a sunny but cold afternoon at Bericote Powerhouse Princes Park.
Despite starting brightly, the visitors showed very little firepower in the final third apart from a deflected effort by Reece Grant which was easily collected by Jacob Marsden (11).
The Darts, playing in front of a crowd of 1,203, took their time to get a foothold on proceedings. But after 26 minutes they took a deserved lead, when Samir Carruthers’ delightfully deep cross was met by Samuel Okoye at the far post… the right-back scoring his first goal for the hosts.
Eight minutes later saw Dartford double their advantage via a Carruthers spot-kick, after a Hastings United player had handled the ball inside the area (34).
The visitors responded via Jamal Lubanga late in the half, but Marsden was there to make a routine save before the break (41).
The U’s were first to make a change in personnel, as they swapped Davide Rodari with Tanar Dogan at the start of the second-half. They would go on to replace Freddie Legg with Thomas Howard (78) and Jamal Lubanga with Reuel Powell-Downey (90) as the game progressed.
Meanwhile, Ady Pennock waited until the 69th minute to make his first change of the afternoon, with Hayden Bullas coming on for the excellent Samir Carruthers. That would be followed by a triple substitution late on, with Tyler Christian-Law, Eddie Dsane, and Duane Ofori-Acheampong coming on for Callum Jones, Louis Dunne, and Olly Box respectively (85).
Returning to the action at the start of the second forty-five, we find The U’s trying desperately to drag themselves back into the game. But once again, a severe lack of firepower left them struggling to break down a well-marshalled Dartford defensive unit, as Josh Hill, Luther Williams, and Michael Olarewaju protected goalkeeper Jacob Marsden, together with the two Sams on either side.
In fact, it was Louis Rogers at the other end who all but kept his team in with a shout, as he pulled off a brilliant save to prevent Olly Box from netting what would have been a superb individual effort (59). The goalkeeper then stepped up to palm away a Sam Odaudu free-kick (74).
The longer the game progressed, the more frustrated the visitors got. And with Adam Lovatt and Jamal Lubanga already in the referee’s book for poor challenges, Siyabonga Ligendza got himself sent off for a poor challenge late on.
As Dartford remain unbeaten at Princes Park since mid-October, the only bright spark for Hastings United was their travelling fans who didn’t stop singing for the entire ninety minutes!
As the Dartford faithful finished in full voice too, Samir Carruthers’ performance earned him a deserved Man of The Match award, while Jacob Marsden collected his twelfth clean sheet of the campaign.
TEAMS
DARTFORD: Jacob Marsden, Sam Odaudu, Michael Olarewaju, Luther Williams, Josh Hill (c), Samuel Okoye, Denzelle Olopade, Louis Dunne, Samir Carruthers, Olly Box, Callum Jones.
SUBSTITUTES: George Whitefield, Duane Ofori-Acheampong, Tyler Christian-Law, Eddie Dsane, Hayden Bullas.
HASTINGS UNITED: Louis Rogers, Alex Kpakpe, George Walker, Adam Lovatt (c), Ben Wells, Oliver Black, Davide Rodari, Jamal Lubanga, Reece Grant, Siyabonga Ligendza, Freddie Legg.
SUBSTITUTES: Tanar Dogan, Thomas Howard, Kian Moynes, Reuel Powell-Downey, Stefanos Akras.
Chris Palmer
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