MATCH PREVIEW – Dartford v Ramsgate
Hoping to start 2026 in the way they ended 2025, the Darts are seeking a third straight win in the Isthmian Premier and keep the pressure on those in second and third place. The Rams are having a steady campaign back in the division, but have won once in their previous six outings.
Defenders Step Up
Early goals from Joe Tennent and George Whitefield helped the Darts to an excellent 2-1 away win at Chatham Town last weekend. At the same stage last season, before kick off, defenders had scored twice as many as they had this term. So with Tennent and Whitefield chipping in with two goals on the weekend that eased the reliance on the forward line.
Adrian Pennock made just the one change, from the 1-0 win seven days earlier against St Albans City, by bringing in Nathan Eze for his full debut to replace Sam Odaudu. The striker on loan from Ipswich Town made an impact setting up Tennent to score after just three minutes. The lead was doubled five minutes later when Whitefield expertly finished from a Callum Jones cross.
Chatham Town halved the deficit in the second half through Sam Sene-Richardson, but a strong Dartford performance in defence kept the hosts at bay. The win for the Darts keeps them in fourth and saw them close the gap on the Chats to three points.
Better Form
Earlier in the season draws and poor away form were costing Dartford points. Now they have drawn just once in the last 14 and have been picking up wins more often.
Over the first 12 games of the season, the Darts picked up 18 points in total and just four wins, all at home. In the following dozen matches, despite suffering back to back defeats twice, Dartford have added a further seven victories, three on the road and gained 22 points.
At Princes Park form hasn’t been a problem, the Darts have netted in every league game and only two sides, Wingate and Finchley and runaway leaders Folkestone Invicta, have taken all three points home.
Bank Holiday Classic
This weekend’s match has plenty to live up to compared to the last meeting between the two sides. On Bank Holiday August a classic encounter was served up when Dartford visited Ramsgate. The reverse fixture had it all, eight goals, three red cards, a hat-trick and late drama as the points were finally shared.
The Darts battled with nine men to earn the 4-4 draw with the tone being set in the early stages of the entertaining clash. Mitchell May put the Rams in front within seconds of the kick off. The hosts almost doubled the lead before Dan Smith scored with only six minutes on the clock. Ramsgate were back ahead through Tijan Jadama and stretched the lead before the half was out courtesy of Ryan Kingsford. Things got worse for Dartford five minutes into the second half. Sam Smith picked up another yellow card to leave his side down to ten men.
Dsane’s Treble
Pennock made a crucial substitution soon after the red card by bringing on Eddie Dsane. The striker halved the deficit and went on to have a fine afternoon, but not before Sam Okoye was sent off followed by Ramsgate’s Harry Webster.
Three goals in the final ten minutes created late drama. Dsane equalised with a stunning long range shot, then former Dart, Tom Clifford looked to have won it for Ramsgate. However, two minutes into stoppage time Dsane won a spot kick and kept his cool to score it. There was even time for a strong penalty appeal for the Darts to be waved away by the referee.
Highlights courtesy of Ramsgate FC
Mart-In
When the Rams lost 5-0 to Aveley to start November it spelt the end of Ben Smith’s second spell in charge. The Isthmian South East title winning manager resigned after a seven game winless run.
A month earlier Lee Martin departed Welling United after just two months in charge and a poor start. He took up a coaching role with the Rams and was appointed interim boss when Smith stepped down. Martin was given the permanent role after taking seven points in his first three games.
The 38 year-old also won the league title with Ramsgate last term as a player. Since his appointment the Rams have lost just twice in the Isthmian Premier, both defeats coming in the previous three games. During his nine league matches in charge Ramsgate have moved up from the last relegation spot to 14th in the table. However, they have won once in their last six Isthmian Premier fixtures but Billy Munday has been in form in that time with five goals.
Late Defeat
An injury time goal denied Ramsgate a draw against Folkestone Invicta last weekend. Getting anything out of the league leaders at the moment would be a great result considering Invicta have now strung 12 consecutive wins together.
Ramsgate fought back to equalise with two goals in four second half minutes from Solomon Ogunwomojo and Benedict Bioletti. Earlier it looked like Folkestone Invicta had the game wrapped up with a two goal lead thanks to goals from former Dart, Ade Yusuff and Jake Hutchinson. With the Rams on course to stop Invicta’s incredible run, Donnell Thomas netted four minutes into injury time to finish Ramsgate’s year in defeat.
Assistant Manager’s View
Roland Edge praised his players hard work after the 2-1 away win at Chatham Town, he spoke to Dartford FC TV after the game and said: “It was definitely a well earned three points and we weren’t going to get it easily, we knew that. Chatham are a really well organised strong side and they showed it”, he continued: “Credit to our team, they all stood up to it and they had to, otherwise we wouldn’t have gone with three points”.
What made victory more remarkable was the status of the Ramsgate side and how well their manager Kevin Hake is doing as manager, Edge explained: “Being full-time shows you what can happen, Kev has done a wonderful job. He’s got all of the boys buying into what he wants”, he added: “You can see that being full time has helped because they all know what they are doing and they are all really fit, but he’s also got talent in there. That’s why getting the three points was so magical really”.
Edge is expecting another difficult game this weekend and wishes for a little less entertainment than the last time the Darts took on Ramsgate, he commented: “They are a good side as well. Lee Martin has gone in there and picked up lots of valuable points. He’s experienced, a good coach and a good guy”, Edge also said: “Hope it’s not 4-4, that was a bit crazy at the beginning of the season, but we know what we’re up against. There isn’t an easy game in this league and there are different styles. They will be quite direct with lots of energy and we’re just going to have to deal with that”.
Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV
Team News
Michael Olarewaju and Eddie Dsane were involved in the matchday squad last time out. Dan Smith has been nursing a hamstring injury. Dean Nayler remains a long term absentee.
Current League Form
| Dartford (WWLLWW) | Ramsgate (DWDLDL) | ||||
| Chatham Town | A | 2-1 | Folkestone Invicta | H | 2-3 |
| St Albans City | H | 1-0 | Dulwich Hamlet | A | 0-0 |
| Folkestone Invicta | H | 1-2 | Burgess Hill Town | A | 3-4 |
| Lewes | A | 0-1 | St Albans City | H | 1-1 |
| Dulwich Hamlet | H | 1-0 | Welling United (LC) | H | 3-2 |
| Whitehawk | A | 2-1 | Whitehawk | A | 2-2 |
(LC – League Cup)
Head to Head
Dartford wins: 21 / Ramsgate wins: 15 / Draws: 9
Previous Meetings
Ramsgate 4 – 4 Dartford (25/08/2025 – Isthmian Premier) Ramsgate 0 – 3 Dartford (05/04/2011 – Kent Senior Cup) Ramsgate 2 – 2 Dartford (10/11/2009 – Isthmian League Cup)* Dartford 4 – 0 Ramsgate (18/04/2009 – Isthmian Premier) Ramsgate 0 – 1 Dartford (30/12/2008 – Isthmian Premier) Ramsgate 2 – 1 Dartford (31/02/2006 – Kent Senior Cup) * Dartford won 5-4 on penalties
Statistics
- Dartford are unbeaten in their last five matches against Ramsgate in normal time (W3, D2)
- The Darts are unbeaten in six at home against the Rams (W4, D2)
- Not since the Rams were known as Ramsgate Athletic have Dartford lost at home against their opponents back in 1972 (W3, D1)
- Dartford have never lost a home game to a side known as Ramsgate (W7, D2 – Pre World War Two and post 1972)
On This Day
Dartford last won on 3 January back in 2004 when they took maximum points by beating Hastings United 3-0 in the Southern League Division One East. In the same division a year later the Darts drew 0-0 with Uxbridge. The last outing on this day was in 2011 when Chelmsford City turned a one goal deficit around. Carl Rook put Dartford ahead, but second half goals from Billy Bricknell and Robert Edmans left the Darts with nothing to show.