Dartford will travel across the country this weekend in search of their first ever win against Truro City.
Tony Burman’s side will be buoyed by the fact they have gone eight unbeaten in all competitions without ‘setting the world alight’. Consecutive cup runs this week have seen Dartford progress to the F.A Cup fourth qualifying round and the Kent Senior Cup second round. In both away ties the Darts have had to come from behind, twice against Slough Town to win 3-2 and once versus Cray Wanderers to claim a 2-1 victory, both strikers Andy Pugh and Duane Ofori-Acheampong scoring the goals.
Replacing a training session with the Kent Senior Cup, Burman made four changes to a strong line up on Wednesday night with academy player Henry Fulton making his debut as a substitute. Keaton Wood got his extended run out as did Lee Noble and new loanee goalkeeper Bailey Vose. The Brighton and Hove Albion first year professional will be available for selection and stepped in for number one Deren Ibrahim, who is away on international duty with Gibraltar.
The journey east to west is the Darts longest of the season and in their two previous visits to Treyew Road they have only managed to pick up one point. The draw earned by Dartford, in their promotion season over fours years ago was on the final day of the campaign. All the action came towards the end with veteran striker Barry Hayles putting Truro City in front with two minutes to go but his goal was cancelled out by Jacob Erskine during stoppage time.
Last term, the White Tigers strolled to victory with goals from Ollie Knowles, Dan Green and Matt Jay. The defeat enhanced Truro City’s playoff push whilst damaging Dartford’s. In the two other meetings at Princes Park, the Cornwall club has won both times.
It’s not often a National South fixture will be without three players because of international call ups. As well as Ibrahim, Truro City’s Rory Fallon and loanee from Plymouth Argyle, Louis Rooney will be playing for New Zealand and Northern Ireland under 21’s respectively.
The White Tigers have been inconsistent so far and have yet to win back to back National South games. Last time out they defeated Wealdstone 2-1 helping them bounce back from a shock F.A Cup exit to Winchester City. The Cornwall club lost 4-0 to a side two divisions below them in the Southern League Division One South and West.
The victory over the Stones did however stretch their unbeaten league run to four matches. The run started when Hungerford Town were beaten 2-0 before consecutive draws with Oxford City and Poole Town. The White Tigers unbeaten sequence comes after a 6-0 thrashing at the hands of East Thurrock United. In fifteenth place, Truro City have won just one of their opening six home games in the National South.
Head to Head
Truro City wins: 3 / Dartford: 0 / Draws: 1
Current League Form
Truro City (WDDWLL)
Won 2-1 v Wealdstone (A)
Drew 0-0 v Poole Town (H)
Drew 1-1 v Oxford City (A)
Won 2-0 v Hungerford Town (H)
Lost 0-6 v East Thurrock United (H)
Lost 0-2 v Maidenhead United (A)
Dartford (WWDWDL)
Won 2-1 v Concord Rangers (A)
Won 2-0 v Margate (A)
Drew 1-1 v East Thurrock United (A)
Won 2-1 v Welling United (H)
Drew 0-0 v Maidenhead United (H)
Lost 1-4 v Hampton and Richmond (A)
Previous Meetings
Truro City 3 Dartford 0 (05/04/2016 – National South)
Dartford 1 Truro City 0 (19/09/2015 – National South)
Truro City 1 Dartford 1 (28/04/2012 – National South)
Dartford 1 Truro City 2 (22/10/2011 – National South)
League Stats
Dartford have won four out of five against teams currently below Truro City in the table.
Only Wealdstone (16) and Chelmsford City (15) have picked up more points from teams in the bottom third than Dartford (12).
Only Hemel Heampstead Town (27) and Oxford City (26) have conceded more goals than Truro City (21).
On This Day
Matthew Godden scored on his Dartford debut in a 1-1 draw with Salisbury City. The National League match in 2013 ended all square after Salisbury City’s Theo Lewis gave the visitors the lead. Two years prior, the Darts suffered a 3-1 defeat in the National South against Boreham Wood. Dartford were a goal down inside a minute when Chez Isaac hit a 30 yarder beyond Andy Young. Although Elliot Bradbrook levelled the scores, Michael Thalassitis and Nathan Koranteng won the match for the Wood. In 2005, the Southern League Division One Eastern fixture finished with Potters Bar Town 4-1 to the Darts and back in 1994, Corinthian won 2-0 in the Kent League.