Dartford’s terrible run continued as they lost for the seventh game in a row albeit against a Barnet team without their inspirational Boss Edgar Davids who was missing due to illness.

The game started with Barnet taking the initiative as in the 3^rd minute Luisma Villa saw his 20 yard effort go just over the bar but Dartford had a real chance to score when in the 7^th minute Dave Martin’s free kick into the area found Elliot Bradbrook whose shot from 6 yards out was saved at the second attempt by Graham Stack.

Barnet took the lead in the 18^th minute when a long ball down the right channel found Keanu Marsh-Brown who from 18 yards saw his shot fly into the net giving Phil Smith no chance.

Dartford were rocked by this & took a while to get their heads on & in the 26^th minute Prior & Birchall combined for Birchall to test Stack but he easily saved the 20 yard shot.

In the 33^rd minute Barnet increased their lead when Kenny Clark gave a foul away 20 yards out & up stepped Villa who curled it over the wall into the back of the net with Smith only able to get fingertips to it.

In the 37^th minute things got worse for Dartford as Jason Prior got injured in a innocuous challenge & had to go off.

In the 43^rd minute Dartford had a glorious chance to equalise when the ball crossed to the back post found Birchall whose volley from 15 yards went just over the bar & in the very last minute of the half George Sykes found himself in space in the area & his turn & shot was saved at the post by Smith.

The second half started with Barnet again on the front foot & in the 48^th minute Ahmed Abdulla saw his half volley from 20 yards pushed over the bar by Smith & in the 62^nd minute Luke Gambin saw his shot with the outside of boot come back off the post from 20 yards & three minute later the same player saw his 30 yard shot come back of the crossbar.

In a rare attack Birchall in the area twisting & turning saw his shot force Stack into a save, that was to be  Dartford’s last real chance of the game as Barnet pushed forward trying to score more & they had chances as in the 70^th minute Kieron Cadogan in the area saw his shot pushed around the post by Smith then two minutes later Marsh-Brown rode a tackle went into the area & his shot was pushed around the post by Smith.

Four minutes later Curtis Weston, the ex Gills midfielder, saw his 25 yards shot saved by Smith, with 7 minutes left Godden went on a mazy run but his shot went wide.

The final whistle went & as the Dartford players trooped off they could not be accused of not trying but their confidence is low whereas the Barnet players were cock o hoop winning & that in probably second gear. Both sides meet again Saturday week at the Hive.

 

DARTFORD:

29. P.SMITH   4. T.STERLING  5. K.CLARK 9. J.PRIOR (40)  10. E.BRADBROOK

11.D.HARRIS  12. C.ESSAM  15. N.COLLIER  16. A.BICHALL  17. D.MARTIN20. L.BURNS (61)

 

SUBS USED: 21. M.GOODEN (61)  30. A.WOODWARD

SUBS NOT USED: 14. M.MITCHEL-KING  19. M.FRY  26. F.AKINWADE

 

BARNET:

1. G.STACK  2. A.YIADOM  3.  E.JOHNSON  4. C.WESTON  6. J.SAVILLE  7. K.MARSH-BROWN

11. L.GAMBIN (71)  14. A.ABDULLA  19. L.VILLA (65)  21. G.SYKES (74)  30. D.STEPHENS

 

SUBS USED:  15. K.CADOGAN  28. J.NURSE  39. C.FLETCHER

SUBS NOT USED: 8.M.BYRNE  13. N.JUPP

 

BOOKED: 30. D.STEPHENS

 

REFEREE: Mr D.COOK

ASSISTANTS: Mr M.EVA & Mr C.POLLARD

ATTENDANCE: 803