Having won the first of their two game festive season local derbies against Welling United, Dartford came close to close to completing the double before conceding in the seventh minute of stoppage time.

However, had the Wings finished with nothing from the two games it would have been harsh on them. They probably deserved a point from the first game and would have levelled far earlier in the return match had it not been for the heroics of Dartford goalkeeper Ryan Stanford.

Paul Rooney headed well over from a Luke Coulson corner early on but there were no other real chances until the Darts went ahead in the nineteenth minute. Luke Allen sent over a deep cross and Coulson lost his marker to make the space to volley home.

Allen hit a first time shot from twenty yards straight at Welling goalkeeper Ben Winterbottom before George Alexander fired over from a similar distance.

Kain Adom’s battling won a corner for Welling, and Taylor Curran did well to get on the end of Cameron Green’s delivery and head it into the danger area. Chaos ensued before Enoch Muwonge’s shot was blocked out to Antony Papadopoulos who was unable to get a shot away.

Adom had a shot deflected wide before being unable to get enough of a touch on Ike Orji’s cross to knock it inside the far post as Welling finished the first half on top.

After the break Rooney twisted to get his head onto a Coulson free kick that was slightly behind him but could not get it on target before Welling came close. Muwonge sent Papadopoulos on the charge and as he looked to put Adom through, the defence opened up in front of him. He let fly and his shot struck the inside of the post and came back out, rather than finding its way into the net.

Jack Smith sliced a shot over for the Darts then a slick Dartford move created a chance for Richard Chin and his shot drew an excellent save out of Winterbottom. George Alexander’s goal-bound effort was blocked by Curran and flew over before Chin’s drive was deflected by Green and Winterbottom got down well to hold.

At the other end, Tristan Abrahams had a shot deflected narrowly wide before Dominic Odusanya’s arrowed strike towards the bottom corner drew a brilliant save out of Sandford.

Coulson then had a great chance to add his and Dartford’s second. A Welling corner was cleared and the Darts’ captain found himself clear. Winterbottom made himself as big as he could and blocked Coulson’s attempted clip with his upper chest.

Rooney headed over from the subsequent corner however Welling finished strongly. Papadopoulos had a shot saved before Sandford made another flying stop to thwart TJ Bramble.

Harvey Bradbury whipped a free kick over for Dartford before Kain again went close with a shot that went just past the post.

Seven minutes of stoppage time were signalled, which with eight second half yellow cards at that point, four substitutions, and breaks for players requiring treatment, did not seem excessive. It proved costly for the hosts, though, when they conceded at the death. Orji crossed low into the danger area, Adom was a distraction, and in attempting to cut it out, Moussa Diarra could only divert it into his own net.

Whilst it was tough for Dartford to take, especially man of the match Sandford, a draw was probably a just result overall.

Dartford: Sandford, Statham, Oduadu, Rooney, Diarra, Nembhard, Coulson, Allen (Smith 32), Alexander (Bradbury 70), Chin (Wynter 90), Miler-Rodney. Subs not used: Wall, Manor.

Goalscorers: Coulson (19)

Yellow cards: Statham, Coulson, Miller-Rodney, Chin, Bradbury, Rooney

Welling United: Winterbottom, Orji, Green (Tanga 90+1), Grant, Curran, Bramble, Muwonge (Lema 81), Odusanya, Abrahams, Papadopoulos, Adom (Chambers 85). Subs not used: Roscrow, Byrd.

Goalscorers: Diarra own goal (90+7)

Yellow cards: Curran, Odusanya, Muwonge, Bramble

Referee: Dean Skipper

Assistants: Samuel Everitt and Lee Markwick

Attendance: 2,022

Images courtesy of Dave Budden