Forest Green boss and ex-gills player, Ade Pennock praised his own substitution after substitute Danny Wright struck just 15 seconds after appearing from the bench,with a crisp left footed drive from just inside the area after Lee Hughes knockdown, with just eight minutes left to leave Dartford languishing in the relegation zone with time running out to survive in the Skrill Premier.

In what was a dour game, with more balls escaping the confines of the stadium than actual shots on target, it was Forest Green who started the strongest with the dangerous James Norwood causing the Darts defence problems less than a minute into the game.

After being slipped through by Al Bangura, Norwood’s low drive was saved well down to his left by Alan Julian in the home goal.

Dartford huffed and puffed their way back into the game after early passing dominance from the Forest Green Midfield and it was Dartford that started a flurry of activity after 35 minutes.

Lee Noble cut in from left midfield and unleashed a shot from just outside the area, forcing Russell in the away goal to save with his feet. From the clearance, the ball worked itself to Norwood in the Dartford penalty area and his back heel found on loan Charlton player Bradley Jordan in acres of space 12 yards from goal but his placement from the shot was just too close to Julian who saved well to his left.

The highlight of the 35^th minute were not yet over. Lee Burns clipped the ball down the right causing a mistake from the Forest Green left back Hodgkiss whose clearance only found Suarez.

His shot was blocked but found its way to Danny Harris via Ben Swallow but Russell raced out to close the angle and save well from Harris low shot towards the right corner. And that was that for the first half with both defences stifling the long ball attacks.

The second half carried much of the same as the first half with Forest Green having the better of the rare opportunities on goal.

On 57 minutes Bradley Jordan was influential in a move that ended with Yan Klukowski forcing a great save from Julian when his curling effort from the inside left of the penalty area was tipped over.

Dartford’s industry could not be faulted but they struggled to create any shooting opportunities and it was Forest Green who should have taken a lead with 18 minutes remaining.

Paul Green played the ball inside Dartford left back Tyrone Sterling to Yan Klukowski, who tried to find Norwood to slide into an empty net but Mitchel-King somehow got back to intervene.

This intervention gave the Darts the belief they could get the win that could aid their survival and with 78 minutes on the watch, they were centimetres from taking the lead.

Lee Burns high ball was flicked on by Nathan Collier, Danny Harris raced through and dinked the ball over the keeper and towards the goal. As the fans in the car park end began to celebrate, Eddie Oshodi got back from nowhere to scoop the ball away.

With just eight minutes remaining, Ade Pennock pulled off the impressive Bradley Jordan for Danny Wright and 15 seconds later, Danny Wright would be celebrating the winner.

A long clearance from the back was headed down into the path of wright by Lee Hughes who took a touch into the area before dispatching low and hard down to Julian’s left hand side in what was ultimately the game defining moment.

Dartford couldn’t muster up a response and their survival in Skrill Premier looks less likely than on Thursday.

 

Dartford: Julian, Sterling, Cornhill, Noble ( Woodyard 70), Harris ( Akinwande 82), Mitchel-King ©, Swallow, Burns, Stevenson, Suarez (Collier 64), Mcauley.

Subs not used: Holloway, Eisa.

 

Forest Green Rovers: Russell, Hodgkiss, Bangura, Bennett, Norwood, Klukowski, Taylor ( Hughes 72), Oshodi, Oliver ©, Green, Jordan ( Wright 82).

Subs not used: Barry, White.

 

Attendance: 1061