Dartford kept their 100% record with a hard fought win against their Essex rivals, this was also their first win at home against Chelmsford since the year 2000.

Chelmsford nearly took the lead in the 4^th minute when Michael Spillane’s long ball was deflected into the path of Rhys Murphy who went into the area & was just about to shoot when Mark Onyemah came in & his challenge saw the ball go out for a corner.

The game went stale for the next 20 minutes as both sides seem to cancel each other out then in the 25^th minute excitement hit Princes Park when Scott Fenwick on halfway lost control of the ball & it went out for a throw in but in the mean time Dartford co manager Adam Flanagan attempted to stop the ball but ended up hitting Fenwick which saw a free for all & then Flanagan & Chelmsford manager Rod Stringer went head to head & the referee Dean Hulme took his time & then sent both of them off.

This seemed to get both set of players going & there were some hard challenges coming in. In the 35^th minute Elliot Bradbrook 30 yards out tried his luck but Ross Worner saved easily. The last chance of the half came in the 42^nd minute when a free kick into the area fell to Fenwick but his shot was easily saved by Deren Ibrahim. The half time whistle went & so far both sides did not look like the favourites tag for promotion but it is early days.

The second half saw Dartford take control & in the 51^st minute Jamie Philpott on the right got his cross in & it beat everyone but the post & landed in Worner’s hands.

Four minutes later a delightful move saw Ben Greenhalgh pass forward to Delano Sam-Yorke who put Philpott in & his shot was deflected for a corner.

In the 75^th minute Dartford could have taken the lead when a fantastic chip forward by Greenhalgh for Sam-Yorke who chested it down & from 15 yards his shot was saved by the onrushing Worner.

Two minutes later & Dartford scored when a corner to the far post found Bradbrook who rose & his powerful header hit the back of the net.

Chelmsford were now throwing people forward which did leave the chance of a counter attack, in the 83^rd minute they nearly equalised when Jai Reason’s free kick into the area was half cleared to Fenwick 15 yards out & his snapshot saw Ibrahim punch it clear, then in the 89^th minute a cross to the near post saw Mark Haines flicked header go just past the post.

The board went up showing 5 minutes but Dartford held on & see out the victory.

 

DARTFORD:

1. IBRAHIM 2. C.DRIVER 3. M.ONYEMAH 5. R.VINT 6. T.BONNER 7. B.GREENHALGH (90) 8. L.NOBLE 12. J.PHILPOTT (67) 14. D.SAM-YORKE 15. C.ISAAC (85) 16. E.BRADBROOK

SUBS USED:   17. M.IGHORAE (67) 4. B.ROAST (85) 11. T.MURPHY (90)

SUBS NOT USED:  18. S.MENSAH 19. A.CUE

BOOKINGS:  15. C.ISAAC (82)

 

CHELMSFORD:

1. WORNER 18. M.YOUNG (62)  11. T.WRAIGHT  3. E.OMOZUSI  5. M.SPILLANE (71)  13. J.ANDERSON 8. A.CHURCH 16. A.NASHA (67) 10.J.REASON 9. S,FENWICK  19. R.MURPHY

SUBS USED:   2. J.BARNUM-BOBB (62) 12. T.MILES (67) 14. M.HAINES ( 71)

SUBS NOT USED: 4.M.PORTER 17. M.FOY

BOOKINGS:    16. A.NASHA (29) 3. E.OMOZUSI (36) 10. J.REASON (87)

 

REFEREE:  Mr D.HULME

ASSISTANTS:  Mr S.ELSON & Mr A.MATHIESON

ATTENDANCE: 1,220