Dartford aim to keep their advantage at the top of the Isthmian Premier when they visit Whitehawk this weekend.
Having already secured a playoff place, victory in Sussex this Saturday will guarantee the Darts a two point lead heading into the final three games. A slip up could see Adrian Pennock’s side relinquish top spot to either Billericay Town or Horsham such is the closeness of the title race. Whitehawk need all three points to be mathematically safe. A draw will see the Hawks stay in the Isthmian Premier should Hendon fail to win against Dover Athletic.
Pennock made one change to the side in the Kent derby at home to Folkestone Invicta last time out. Olly Box was rested after picking up a knock, so Eddie Dsane started. Luther Williams wasn’t in the matchday squad, but Louis Dunne returned making a substitute appearance.
The Darts had to show plenty of character and calmness to fight back from two goals down. Invicta’s Amadou Kassarate scored a first half brace to put the hosts in a spot of bother. First, he hooked the ball beyond Jacob Marsden, then the midfielder headed in former Dartford player Ade Yusuff’s cross.
Match highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV
In the second half the picture changed. Defender, George Whitefield scored from close range to net his eighth of the season. Meanwhile, either side of Whitefield’s strike, Billericay Town went two down at Cray Wanderers. So, when Denzelle Olopade was brought down in the box inside the final ten minutes of normal time, Samir Carruthers stepped forward, slotted home the penalty and Dartford’s lead at the top increased. The draw extends the Darts unbeaten home record to 13 games stretching back to October, their best undefeated league run at Princes Park since the 2021/2022 season.
Pennock was delighted with getting the draw considering the situation at the half time, he spoke to Dartford FC TV after the game and said: “To come back to 2-2 and maybe nick one at the end, it was just great. I thought it was a fantastic point and one everyone should be proud of and positive. We’ve extended the lead in the table, so I wouldn’t be too downhearted as it was a fantastic point”.
With Folkestone Invicta leading and disrupting the game, the Dartford boss praised his players, he added: “I think we did well second half and didn’t lose our focus, we kept pushing and pushing and pushing”.
Eventually rewarded with two goals in response it sets the Darts up for the rest of the title run-in, he commented: “We’ve got so many hard games in the four we have got, they are so tough. We’re in a good position, obviously it’s up to us. It’s going to be very tough, but we’re having a good go at it”.
Interview courtesy of Dartford FC TV
Dartford dropped points in consecutive away games losing to Cheshunt and Lewes in February and March. Since then, the Darts have got back on track with victories on the road at Bognor Regis Town and Dulwich Hamlet. Even better is that Marsden kept clean sheets in both of those games. At home, the draw with Invicta may have ended a three game winning streak, but it has taken the Darts to four matches unbeaten home and away. Prior to last weekend’s point, Pennock’s side also won at Princes Park against title rivals Horsham and relegation battlers Hastings United.
At the turn of the year, Josh Hill scored a goal of the season contender against Whitehawk in the reverse fixture. The Dartford captain hit a screamer from long range in a 4-1 win. Striker, Callum Jones increased the lead before Josh Nandhra halved the deficit for the Hawks. In the closing stages the Darts sealed the three points during injury time. First Carruthers won a penalty, dusted himself off and put away the spot kick. Then another substitute, Dsane scored a wonderful solo effort.
Match highlights courtesy of Dartford FC TV
The Darts won both games against Whitehawk last time the two sides were competing in the same division. Their last visit to the Enclosed Ground in September 2017 finished with the Darts running out 4-0 winner. Alfie Pavey scored after eight minutes and by half-time the visitors had three when Ryan Hayes and Elliot Bradbrook added another two. It took until the last minute for the lead to be extended further when Lyle Della-Verde grabbed the fourth. The reverse fixture continued Dartford’s good recent run against the Sussex side. The Darts won 3-1 at Princes Park with a goal from Ronnie Vint and a brace from Andy Pugh.
Shaun Saunders returned to the Whitehawk managerial post at the back end of November. It was the Darts that halted his unbeaten start of five games, but Saunders has guided the Hawks out of trouble in his time there. Since taking over at the Enclosed Ground, the Hawks have climbed off the bottom of the table and are now sixteenth. Saunders has managed to win almost half of the league games since his appointment and looks set for another year in the Isthmian Premier.
At home the Hawks have won their last two without conceding beating Bognor Regis Town and Carshalton Athletic. Nandhra netted twice against the Rocks either side of Geofrey Okonkwo’s goal. Whilst against the Robins, Jordan Maguire-Drew bagged both in a 2-0 victory. However, their last outing ended in defeat at Hashtag United. Maguire-Drew found the back of the net again, but the Tags came from behind with goals from Andronicos Georgiou and Joe Christou condemning the Hawks to a fourth defeat in six.
Team
Played
Points
GD
DARTFORD
38
77
+28
Billericay Town
38
75
+32
Horsham
38
75
+30
Dover Athletic
38
71
+33
Cray Valley (PM)
38
68
+19
| Dartford (WLWWWD) | Whitehawk (LLLWWL) | ||||
| Folkestone Invicta | H | 2-2 | Hashtag United | A | 1-2 |
| Dulwich Hamlet | A | 3-0 | Bognor Regis Town | H | 3-0 |
| Bognor Regis Town | A | 2-0 | Carshalton Athletic | H | 2-0 |
| Hastings United | H | 2-0 | Folkestone Invicta | A | 0-1 |
| Lewes | A | 1-3 | Chatham Town | H | 0-2 |
| Horsham | H | 2-1 | Wingate and Finchley | A | 1-3 |
Head to Head
Dartford wins: 6 / Whitehawk wins: 3 / Draws: 0
Previous Six Meetings
Dartford 4 – 1 Whitehawk (04/01/2025 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 3 – 1 Whitehawk (27/01/2018 – National South)
Whitehawk 0 – 4 Dartford (05/09/2017 – National South)
Dartford 3 – 1 Whitehawk (04/02/2017 – National South)
Whitehawk 1 – 0 Dartford (10/08/2016 – National South)
Dartford 2 – 4 Whitehawk (12/03/2016 – National South)
Statistics
- Sam Odaudu made his 100th appearance for the Darts last weekend (95 starts, 5 goals)
- Josh Hill will make his 100th start if selected this weekend (made 107 appearances and 9 goals)
- Dartford have won the last four fixtures against Whitehawk with an aggregate score of 14 – 3
- The winning side has kept a clean sheet in all three fixtures at the Enclosed Ground (W2, L1)
On This Day
Dartford moved closer to the Isthmian Division One North title on this day in 2008. A five star display in front of 1338 supporters saw the Darts ease past Tilbury. Eddie McClements curled the hosts ahead and Jay May scored a couple of headers before the break. Jamie Coyle added two more in the second half and a week later the Darts were crowned champions. In 1975, Dartford recorded their highest ever scoring draw when they drew 5-5 with Stourbridge in the Southern Premier League. That wasn’t even enough to break the club record as games against Reading Reserves (1926 – Southern League East Section) and Erith Avenue (1891 – Kent Junior Cup) ended with the same scoreline!