Chatham Town lost this Kent derby against Dartford in front of a season’s best crowd of 3006 and went out of the play off places in the process.
The game was cagey and both sides cancelled themselves out in the first half but in the second Dartford showed their class and went on to win comfortably.
The game started quickly for Chatham as in the second minute they nearly took the lead when a Jack Evans corner to the back post was met by Rowan Libard and his volley was superbly tipped over the bar by Jacob Marsden.
Chatham kept up the pace and had a few near misses then the game slowed down as both sides were giving the ball away as well as defended well.
Dartford finally had their first half chance when Hayden Bullas saw his twenty yard shot go over the bar.
Up to half time the game stayed the same as both sides gave the ball away and were looking for the half time whistle to go.
The second half started the opposite to the first as Dartford came out the quickest and in the 48th minute Callum Jones in the area wriggled his way through and from an acute angle three yards out saw his shot blocked by Joe Wright.
Two minutes later Chatham had a half chance when Miguel Scarlett on the right crossed into the area and was partially cleared but only to Jordy Robins who from 25 yards tried his luck but it went over the bar.
In the 60th minute Dartford took the lead when George Whitehead on the right wing saw his cross diverted past Wright by a Reece Butlers stretching leg, from then on Dartford controlled the game and in the 76th minute they doubled their lead when Eddie Dsane was put through and from 12 yards he slid the ball past Wright.
Chatham tried to break down the Dartford defence but it was only in the ninth minute of added on time when they nearly got a consolation goal when Kian Garlinge running forward saw his 20 yard shot go just over the bar.
The final whistle eventually went and for Dartford joy as they cemented their play off place while Chatham went out of the play off places but there is still a lot of football to play so things could change.
CHATHAM TOWN:
- J.WRIGHT 2. M.SCARLETT (83) 3. K.AIDOO 4. J.ROBINS (80) 5. R.BUTLER (90+1) 8. J.EVANS 9. R.LIBARD 10. F.SEARS 17. J.MONGOY (73) 19. V.FERNANDES 20. J.UFIAH.
SUBS USED: 11. J.YILLA (73) 16. K.ISSIAKA (80) 12. K.GARLINGE (83) 6. S.NELSON (90+1).
SUBS NOT USED: 18. K.ANOKYE BOADI.
BOOKINGS: 4. J.ROBINS (66) 8. J.EVANS (90+3).
DARTFORD:
- J.MARSDEN 3. S.ODAUDU 4. S.CARRUTHERS (70) 5. J.HILL 6. G.WHITEFIELD (73) 7. C.JONES 8. D.OLOPADE (74) 11. O.BOX (70) 17. L.WILLIAMS 27. M.OLUWAJO (90+8).
SUBS USED: 21. E.DSANE (70) 25. L.DUNNE (70) 16. S.OKOYE (73) 28. J.PINDER (74) 9. D.OFASRI-ACHEAMPONG (90+8).
SUBS NOT USED: ALL USED
BOOKINGS: 6. G.WHITEFIELD (20) 8. D.OLOPADE (54)
REFEREE: MR. S.CUTLER
ASSISTANTS: Mr M.HEWSON & Mr A.GILLESPIE
ATTENDANCE: 3006