Dartford v Havant & Waterlooville

Report

Joash Nembhard struck twice against his former team, as Dartford registered a fourth win (in all competitions) in five games.

The magnitude of the occasion wasn’t lost on Alan Dowson’s side, as former Dartford boss Steve King returned to Bericote Powerhouse Princes Park for the first time since his dismissal from the dugout last summer. And it wasn’t a happy return for him, as the Darts were clinical against a struggling Havant & Waterlooville outfit.

Barely had the 1,003 supporters gotten comfortable when the rain began to pour down, and they didn’t have to wait long for the opening goal either.

Baris Altintop’s free-kick forced goalkeeper Reice Charles-Cook to fumble the ball, leaving it to fall into the path of Joash Nembhard, who slotted home into an empty net in the 8th minute.

Michael Kedman and James Roberts combined well to set up Muhammadu Faal, as the visitors responded, but the latter fired wide of Mitchell Beeney’s upright sixty seconds after Nembhard’s opener.

Faal failed to find the target again (24), before Roberts managed to get on the end of Jack Jebb’s corner, only to fire wide himself with five minutes of the half remaining.

As for the hosts, the excellent Harvey Bradbury saw an effort saved by Charles-Cook in the 26th minute, before being denied a minute later after getting on the end of Luke Coulson’s corner.

The last action of the half saw referee, Mr George Warren, harshly book Tyrell Miller-Rodney for what looked like a fair challenge on Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong (42).

The opening exchanges of the second forty-five saw the Hawks make their intentions clear, when a lovely move by Faal ended with the forward forcing Mitchell Beeney into a superb save in the 49th minute.

Steve King was then the first to roll the dice, as he made a double substitution after sixty minutes. Joe McNearney and Michael Kedman departed to be replaced by Brendan Willson and Billy Stedman. The Hawks’ last change would come in the 88th minute, as Harry Jewitt-White came on for Sion Spence.

Alan Dowson, meanwhile, would only make two substitutions this afternoon. The first saw Archie Woods replace Brandon Barzey (72), before Paul Rooney left the field to be replaced by Luke Allen in the 84th minute.

Returning to the action, we see Moussa Diarra become the second player booked by Mr Warren (54), before Harvey Bradbury saw another good opportunity denied by Reice Charles-Cook (63).

However, the goalkeeper could do nothing to stop Dartford’s second goal when it finally went in in the 77th minute… Luke Coulson’s free-kick eventually falling to Joash Nembhard, who struck a sweet volley into the back of the net to score his third goal in two games.

The visitors responded, but failed to find the target once again… Jack Jebb the guilty party on this occasion (80), before Paul Rooney was denied the chance to net a third goal for the Darts at the other end (82).

Jebb’s late opportunity failed to drop in time (90+3), before Sam Odaudu stepped up to deny Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong from scoring a consolation goal (90+4), and preserving Mitchell Beeney a second consecutive clean sheet in the league at Bericote Powerhouse Princes Park.

Joash was a deserving recipient of the Man of The Match award, as the Darts leapt up to tenth position in the National League South table, while keeping today’s opponents rooted at the bottom.

TEAMS

DARTFORD: Mitchell Beeney, Jordan Wynter, Sam Odaudu, Tyrell Miller-Rodney, Baris Altintop, Luke Coulson (c), Paul Rooney, Brandon Barzey, Joash Nembhard, Harvey Bradbury, Moussa Diarra.
SUBSTITUTES: Luke Allen, Lewis Manor, Maxwell Statham, Archie Woods, Chris Lewington.

HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE: Reice Charles-Cook, Devante Stanley, Joe McNerney, Jake McCarthy, Muhammad Faal, Michael Kedman, Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong, Jack Jebb, Yoan Zouma, James Roberts, Sion Spence.
SUBSTITUTES: Ross Worner, Tom Mehew, Brendan Willson, Harry Jewitt-White, Billy Stedman.