Dartford earned a fifth draw from nine games this season with a determined display against league leaders Maidenhead United. 

Although there was a lot of action end-to-end, neither side could create a clear enough opportunity to take the three points, although the visitors did have the ball in the net once, albeit from an offside position after Sam Barratt’s curling freekick had hit the bottom of the crossbar.

Throughout the first half neither side was able to create a clear chance and of the two goalkeepers, Dartford’s Deren Ibrahim recorded the only save of note in the period.

Dartford started the brighter against the early National South pace-setters, with Duane Ofori-Acheampong showing good strength to hold off Alan Massey and fire a cross/shot in that Carl Pentney was able to handle comfortably.

Ibrahim’s save came after 8 minutes as James Comley was given time and space in the middle of the park to line up a rasping low drive, that appeared to move late as Ibrahim gratefully fell on the ball.

Dartford were hindered by the loss of Keaton Wood after 14; the defender seemed to twist his knee in a towering aerial battle with Sean Marks, and this not only disrupted the home side’s defending at set pieces, but added to the increasing injury list Tony Burman is having to cope with.

Maidenhead created two good chances from right-wing corners as the home side tried tosettle.  Sam Barratt’s first corner wasn’t cleared properly, with Harry Pritchard able to get a shot away that Tom Bonner did well to block.  Then Pritchard was left unmarked for a header that sailed high over.

Despite the clearer chances falling to the visitors, Ofori-Acheampong was a constant threat for the Maidenhead defence, and created a crossing opportunity for Luke Wanadio on the left, which grazed the eyebrows of Andy Pugh and drifted agonisingly wide of the right upright.

Dartford started the second period the quicker, with Tom Wynter firing a shot over after good work on the left by Wanadio and Elliot Bradbrook. But by the hour, Maidenhead had started to take control of the centre of the park, and with that came the chances.

Sam Barratt, playing up front in place of 10-goal Dave Tarpey, who was attending his brother’s wedding, became an increasingly influential figure with his long throws and general play.  A Barratt long throw was cleared by Bradbrook into the path of centre back Alan Massey.  Massey charged onto the dropping ball and hit a left foot shot that had Ibrahim scrambling to his left to parry the effort away.

Barratt then struck a delightful freekick over the end of the Dartford wall, but as the ball bounced down off the bar (with most of his teammates appealing that the ball had crossed the line), Marks powered the rebound in, only to see the assistant’s flag raised as he started from an offside position.

A further Barratt shot was well held by Ibrahim after good work by Comley as Dartford were being restricted to the occasional counter-attack.  A long Ibrahim clearance was picked up by Wanadio on
the left, who found Ben Francis on the edge of the box.  The young forward spun past Dean Inman, but his shot, aimed towards the right corner, was well blocked by Massey.

Wanadio, cutting in from the left, and Alex Brown also saw shots deflected away by Maidenhead defenders, but the closest that Dartford came to the breakthrough occurred with six minutes left.  Two of the substitutes combined; Ryan Hayes, who had replaced Ellis Brown (who himself had been the replacement for the stricken Wood) curled a vicious cross in towards the head of Francis.  But as the Academy graduate attacked the cross, Carl Pentney advanced from his line to punch clear, with the inevitable collision leaving both men flat out; Francis motionless by the post.

Both men were able to continue after treatment, and Francis was able to fashion a further chance that was well blocked by Inman, with Bradbrook’s follow-up being lifted over.

Dartford: Deren Ibrahim, Tom Gardiner, Tom Wynter, Tom Bonner, Keaton Wood (Ellis Brown 14 (Ryan Hayes 82)), Alex Brown, Danny Harris, Elliot Bradbrook, Duane Ofori-Acheampong (Ben Francis 66), Andy Pugh, Luke Wanadio.
Subs not used: Becka-Kah Dembele, Richard Seixas.

Maidenhead United: Carl Pentney, Ryan Peters (James Hammond 53), Rene Steer, Christian Smith, Alan Massey, Dean Inman, Sam Barratt (Kieron Forbes 90), James Comley, Sean Marks, James Mulley, Harry Pritchard.
Subs not used: Kyran Wiltshire, Charlie Strutton, Isaac Olorunfemi.

Attendance: 1,083
Referee: Josh Smith
Assistants: Gerry Heron and Ryan Whittaker