MATCH REPORT | DARTFORD 4 CARSHALTON ATHLETIC 1
Despite a relatively even start which saw the Darts create a little more than their opponents on this overcast afternoon, it was actually The Robins that came closest when Bryan Ifeanyi smacked the Dartford upright following his excellent run (18).
The visitors did indeed take the lead six minutes later via Tommy Bradford’s spot-kick, after the Carshalton skipper had been fouled inside the area by Sam Okoye during a routine corner (24).
Dartford responded immediately, with Dan Smith and Callum Jones both going close, before Olly Box fired narrowly wide of Matt Kerbey’s post (40).
The young starlet did pull the hosts level via a wonderful curling effort from the edge of the Carshalton area deep into stoppage time (45+2)… his second goal in front of the Dartford faithful in as many home games.
Ady Pennock’s outfit came out with all guns blazing in the second-half, as they forced the visitors back into their own half.
Olly Box and Dan Smith both came close, before the hosts destroyed their opponents in a blistering twelve-minute attack.
Dan Smith opened his account with a lovely glancing header from Sam Odaudu’s dangerous cross in the 53rd minute, before Jeremiah Pinder’s free-kick (following Dylan Pepe’s foul) found the bottom corner ten minutes later.
The Robins didn’t take the hint though, as they allowed Olly Box too much space to run, and he duly punished them with another excellent curling drive which left Kerbey with no chance (65)!
Ady Pennock made his first change in personnel after 68 minutes, with Samuel Okoye making way for Luther Williams. That would be followed by Ikechi Eze and Hugo Taylor replacing Olly Box and Ben Frempah (82), Eddie Dsane coming on for Jeremiah Pinder, and Albie O’Mara-Knapp coming on for Dan Smith (89).
Callum Jones and Denzelle Olopade both had opportunities to add to the scoreline, as the rampant Darts threatened to run riot, but a combination of defensive blocks and an alert Kerbey prevented the hosts from adding to their advantage.
Jeremiah Pinder’s performance earned him a deserved Man of The Match award, on an afternoon which saw the Darts register a first win of the season.
DARTFORD: Jonny Henly (c), Samuel Okoye, Sam Smith, Ben Frempah, George Whitefield, Samuel Okoye, Denzelle Olopade, Jeremiah Pinder, Olly Box, Callum Jones, Dan Smith.
SUBSTITUTES: Eddie Dsane, Hugo Taylor, Ikechi Eze, Luther Williams, Alby O’Mara-Knapp.
CARSHALTON ATHLETIC: Matthew Kerbey, Joshua Shonibare, Luke Read, Dylan Pepe, Aziz Sankoh, Ansu Janneh, Mason Saunders-Henry, Tommy Bradford (c), Bryan Ifeanyi, David Smith, Kola Salami.
SUBSTITUTES: Lucas Dyer, Stanislaw Rzeznik, Nabeel Ghannam, Michael Dada, Olu Atewalogun.
Chris Palmer