Hampton & Richmond Borough v Dartford

Report

Hampton & Richmond 2-2 Dartford Match Report

Joe Brophy

An inspired comeback from two goals down meant Dartford shared the spoils with Hampton & Richmond in their National League South game.

Dartford found themselves two behind with a mountain to climb as a first half double from Max Kretzschmar looked to condemn them to back to back defeats inside a week.

A spirited fight back with goals from Andy Pugh and Captain Elliot Bradbrook either side of half time sealed a point for the away side and left them sixth after eight games.

Hampton & Richmond were looking to build on what was only their second win of the season beating Welling on Bank Holiday Monday whilst the Darts were looking to bounce back immediately from what was their first loss of the season.

Hampton had striker Ryan Moss back to front their attack, whilst Dartford were without four key men in the lines of Ibrahim, Mfula, Murphy and Ofori-Acheampong

The Darts fell behind within a minute Casey swung in a Free kick from the left side and those jumping for the ball all miss timed their efforts, and a grateful Kretzschemar was there to catch the ball on the volley, to open the scoring for the home side

Hampton then made it two from another set piece, this time however direct from the free kick. A trip from behind by Bradbrook on Moss gave Hampton & Richmond a free kick in a dangerous area, with keeper Beeney getting a hand to the ball but could only palm Kretzschemar’s strike as it went into the top left-hand corner.

The Darts began the comeback five minutes after the half hour mark as Bradbrook out wide on the right, cut back inside, to clip a measure cross to the back post that found an unmarked Pugh to head home.

Buoyed by their goal, the Darts ranked up the pressure and reaped the rewards shortly after the restart, as the Hampton defence failed to deal with a whipped corner from Hayes, and the loose ball was turned home by Bradbrook from six yards out.

Scenes soon turned ugly however, as perhaps in frustration with the match slipping away, Charlie Wassmer was shown red for diving in late on Pavey, and a scuffle soon broke up between both sides as the exchanges heated up.

The travelling Darts did have time to almost secure a remarkable comeback as five minutes from time, Bonner saw his header hit the post before bouncing agonisingly across the goal and then hacked away, meaning the Darts ultimately had to settle for the point.

Attendance: 574

HAMPTON & RICHMOND BOROUGH TEAM: Howes, Collier, Casey, Cook, Wassmer, McAuley, Kretzschmar, Jolley, Moss, Kiernan, Napa

HAMPTON & RICHMOND BOROUGH SUBS: Hudson-Odoi Bishop Mbo Kamara Crawford

DARTFORD FC TEAM: Beeney, Harris, Sho-Silva, Bonner, Onyemah, Hayes, Noble, Bradbrook, Della-Verde, Pugh, Pavey

DARTFORD FC SUBS: Wood, Ajala, Cue, Brown, Vint