Non-League and Academy football writer

On Saturday afternoon I travelled to Dartford, to watch Dartford FC, a team in 13th place in the National League South, but not far off of the play-off places, face top of the table Yeovil Town, at Princes Park. The game was an entertaining one, which ended in a 2-2 draw. This was my second ever visit to Princes Park, but it was my first time watching Dartford there. The visitors, Yeovil, started the game on Saturday really well. A long ball in behind the Dartford defence during the early stages of the game, resulted in Rhys Murphy latching onto the ball inside the Dartford penalty area. However, the former Southend United player hit his low effort just wide of the Dartford goal. A couple of minutes later and following a good Yeovil move, Sonny-Blu Lo Everton had an effort from inside the Dartford penalty area, well cleared off of the goal-line by Moussa Diarra. Yeovil had started the game well and were passing the ball around at pace. After Jordan Wynter had brought down  Sonny-Blu Lo Everton inside the Dartford box, the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Rhys Murphy stepped up to send Dartford goalkeeper Ryan Sandford the wrong way to give Yeovil an early lead.

Completely against the run of play, Dartford managed to score an equalising goal less than six minutes after Yeovil had taken the lead. Luke Allen’s cross to George Alexander at the back post of the Yeovil goal, resulted in George Alexander heading the ball into the back of the goal. Then straight from the kick-off, a Yeovil Town player had spotted Ryan Sandford slightly off his line, and his superb effort from distance ended up hitting the crossbar, before bouncing back off the Dartford goalkeeper and behind for a corner kick. Michael Smith then had an effort from close range saved by Ryan Sandford, before Sonny Cox had a curling effort well saved by the Dartford goalkeeper. Two chances for Yeovil player Jordan Young followed. First of all, an effort from the skilful Yeovil player on the edge of the Dartford box, went just over the goal, before a free-kick chance on the edge of the box hit the top of Ryan Sandford’s crossbar. The Dartford goalkeeper was by far the busier of the two goalkeepers during the first half. Late on in the first half he had managed to save an effort from Sonny Cox, before Matthew Worthington hit a late, low effort wide of the goal. 

Dartford started the second half well. After Moussa Diarra had a headed effort cleared off the line by a Yeovil defender, former Spurs academy player Maxwell Statham headed an effort wide at the back post of the Yeovil goal, after connecting with Luke Coulson’s cross. However, after Joash Nembhard had headed an effort over the Yeovil goal from a corner-kick, Dartford took the lead in the game shortly afterwards. Dartford player Richard Chin curled a good, low effort from the edge of the Yeovil penalty area, into the back of Joseph Day’s goal. Yeovil did respond well from the kick-off, though, with Sonny-Blu Lo Everton having an effort on goal well pushed behind by Ryan Sandford. Richard Chin then hit an effort from distance, which seemed destined to be heading into the top left hand corner of the Yeovil goal, but which went just wide at the final moment. On 78 minutes and after a cross into the Dartford box had been cleared to Jordan Young inside the penalty area, the impressive Yeovil player hit a low effort into the goal, to make it 2-2. After Ryan Sandford had saved late efforts from Will Davies and Jordan Young, Dartford came close to winning the game very late on.

From a Dartford corner kick into the Yeovil box, Joash Nembhard connected with the ball, but his effort went just wide of the goal. Both sides had to settle for a point on Saturday, in what was a very good game of football. Not many sides are going to get points from games against Yeovil this season, but Dartford deserved to get a point. Yeovil’s Jordan Young was my player of the match on Saturday. However, for Dartford, some of the players who impressed me were defenders Moussa Diarra and Maxwell Statham, with both putting in strong defensive performances.