Dartford Whites ran out comfortable winners on Wednesday afternoon, recording an impressive 9-0 win over Bognor Regis.
Starting strong, it didn’t take long for Dartford to break the deadlock with the first goal coming in the 10th minute. Henri Fulton’s low cross on the left was met by Joe Cooper at the near post, who slotted the ball past Bognor Goalkeeper, Kam Thorpe. The lead would soon be double, as just 3 minutes late Levi Gold, turned on the edge of the box, nestling a shot into the bottom right corner.
The pattern of the 1st half had been set early on as persistent pressure on the Bognor Regis goal, with what became a one sided affair, with Cooper missing a good chance, in the 28th minute to make it 3-0 to Dartford as a cross from Fulton on the left hand side, saw Cooper put his effort wide of the post. Cooper was back in on the action though shortly after, finding the net for a second time; as Taylor Fisher played in Cooper who slotted home the ball to make it 3-0.
The left side became the main source of action, as on the 40th minute, Fisher crossed the ball into box to find Liam Gillies, at the near post who scored to make the game 4-0 to Dartford before half-time. Bognor had a chance jut before half-time to pull a goal back from a corner, but the ball was scambled away on the line.
Much like the 1st half the 2nd half, once again was firmly in Dartford control with the majority of chances coming from the Darts. It took only minutes of the restart for Dartford to pile on the pressure, as Fulton danced his way into the penalty area, letting loose of a shot that hit the woodwork of the goal.
The 5th goal was coming though, as a throw on found Gillies who found the loose ball, and volleyed the ball outside of the box into the far post, to score a truly stunning effort.
Dartford thought midway through the half they had scored a free-kick only for the linesman to chalk the goal off for being offside. Minutes later though the 6th would happen as Gillies on a hat trick was played in by Gold, finishing off the move with a well-placed shot in the bottom left corner to complete his hat trick.
Not to be outdone, Cooper, also on a hat-trick, latched onto a loose ball after the Bognor keeper split it, from a Gold shot to claim his 3rd of the afternoon.
A substitute into the game 2nd half saw Ryan Saad come on, and come close as twice the Bognor keeper pulled off good saves to deny him a goal, including a fingertip effort over the crossbar to deny Gold his hat-trick of the afternoon. Unfortunately for Gold after a ball played over the top for him, found space to unleash a shot that cannoned off the defender for an own goal and deny, Levi his hat-trick but give Dartford the 8-0 lead.
The final goal of the game came 5 minutes from time as Gold found himself on the edge of the box, firing home a low shot which found its way into the bottom corner.
Overall a strong showing and comfortable afternoon for Dartford, scoring 9 past Bognor Regis taking home the 3 points.