Dartford complete their Easter schedule by hosting Hampton and Richmond Borough and hope to avoid a repeat of the reverse fixture back in August.
Eight months ago on Bank Holiday August, the Darts travelled to the Beveree and suffered a 4-1 hiding. At the time the Beavers were a free scoring outfit and continued their run with goals by Christian Jolley, Michael Kamara, a Tom Bonner own goal and Nicke Kabamba. As early as the fourteenth minute, Danny Harris had equalised for the Darts but the afternoon belonged to the Middlesex club.
The Darts last hosted the Beavers six years ago and three of the current squad started that day. Bonner, Elliot Bradbrook and Ryan Hayes helped Dartford win 2-1 with Lee Noble and Danny Harris making substitute appearances. The Darts made it three wins out of three to climb to the top of the table thanks to early goals from Charlie Sheringham and Elliot Bradbrook, the scorer of Hampton and Richmond Borough’s consolation was soon to be Darts, Jacob Erskine.
Another former Dartford player to have featured for the Beavers this season is versatile midfielder Nathan Collier. The former Darts made over 100 appearances for the club joining up with Tony Burman from Hampton and Richmond Borough in July 2012, he rejoined the Beavers last summer after a spell at Eastbourne Borough.
Under Alan Dowson, Hampton and Richmond Borough clinched the Isthmian Premier League title on the last day just over a year ago. This season they started strongly and had been a challenger at the top for the first three months of the campaign. The Middlesex may have fell out of the playoff places but they have remained in contention for the majority of the season. The Beavers’ boss believes it has been a ‘tremendous season’, especially when the club lost prolific scorers Jamal Lowe and Kabamba to League Two side Portsmouth in January.
Dartford’s penultimate home game will be followed by the visit of relegated Bishop’s Stortford in five days time. The final match of the regular campaign will see the Darts travel to the Dorset coast, to take on last year’s Southern Premier League champions Poole Town.
Head to Head
Dartford wins: 3 / Hampton and Richmond Borough wins: 4 / Draws: 0
Previous Six Meetings
Hampton and Richmond Borough 4 Dartford 1 (29/08/2016 – National South)
Hampton and Richmond Borough 1 Dartford 3 (21/02/2012 – National South)
Dartford 2 Hampton and Richmond Borough 1 (20/08/2011 – National South)
Dartford 0 Hampton and Richmond Borough 4 (19/02/2011 – National South)
Hampton and Richmond Borough 1 Dartford 0 (19/08/2010 – National South)
Dartford 0 Hampton and Richmond Borough 1 (27/09/2008 – F.A Cup 2nd Qualifying)
On This Day
Dartford will be hoping to end a 36 year wait for a win on 17 April, last tasting victory in 1981 against Crawley Town. The Darts were victorious in the Southern League Southern Division fixture winning 2-1 at Watling Street. Three defeats and three draws later has seen Dartford travel to Barrow a year later only to lose 2-0 in the top division of non league, a 1-1 draw at Folkestone Invicta in the Kent League back in 1995 and a 1-0 defeat at Newport Isle of Wight. Thirteen years ago, Dartford were brushed aside 5-0 by Histon at home before two 2-2 draws in 2006 away to Enfield and in 2010 at home versus Aveley.