Dartford succumbed to a 3-1 defeat against Woking at Princes Park in the Conference Premier on Tuesday evening.

The Darts made two changes from the side that drew 1-1 at Aldershot on Saturday with Ryan Hayes and Andy Pugh coming back into the side for Danny Harris and Harry Crawford who returned to the bench. The visitors started with the same side that won 2-0 on their travels at Lincoln at the weekend.

Dartford started the game brightly and should have taken the lead with their first attack of the game. A long punt up the field evaded the away defence, bouncing through to Andy Pugh. After waiting an age for the ball to drop on the awkward pitch, his shot caused away keeper jake Cole into a sprawling save, yet it would be Woking who would take the lead on 5 minutes.

There seemed little danger when scott Rendell shot but the deflection found its way to yemi odubade who got to the looping ball just before Jason brown and stabbed home from an acute angle, beating the defenders on the ;line.

The goal put the away side in the ascendancy, Good combination from Kevin Betsy and John Goddard put Goddard behind Lee Burns but his cross was just cleared before Rendell could smash home. Joey Jones also went close after firing just wide from the edge after being teed up by Kevin Betsy.

Dartford weren’t out of this however and would have equalised but for a wonderful save from Jake Cole. Nathan Green delightful inswinging cross from the left was inadvertently headed towards his own goal by Mark Ricketts and Jake cole miraculously pushed the header onto the crossbar before the defence cleared to safety.

As the game died down after the frenetic first quarter, Woking were still making the better opportunities, the front two Odubade and Rendell combining well to see Rendell curl a low effort into the arms of Jason Brown.

Dartford equalised just before the break and a fine goal it was. When a ball made its way to Nathan green on the edge of the area, he burst past two players before firing into the bottom left hand corner with a powerful left footed strike. As the game reached added time in the first half, Doidge forced the away keeper into another save after collecting the ball on the left and cutting in and firing a tame shot away The half time whistle blew and the Darts would need more to get the win to help in their relegation battle.

Woking started the second half strongly, pressing the Darts backwards with a succession of corners and from one of those they restored their lead. A corner wasn’t cleared properly and when the ball was drilled back into the box low from the left, Odubade grabbed his second of the night, deflecting the ball in from 6 yards out to give the darts a mountain to climb.

The visitors extended their lead further on 60 minutes, with a quick breakaway, which eventually led to John Goddard’s right wing cross evading everyone and falling in at the back post over the hapless Jason Brown, the winger will try to claim he meant it but the majority wouldn’t believe him.

Woking were  really comfortable as the second half wore on, the best the home side could muster was a pot shot from sub Harry Crawford which was comfortably saved by jake Cole.

As the game reached the crucial last ten minutes, Doidge headed over 8 yards out when he should have at least made the keeper produce a save. John Goddard almost added gloss to the scoreline, producing a save from Brown after a run from the halfway line and a shot from the edge of the box.

Dartford offered little else and Woking nearly made it 4 on 90 minutes but Sole shot straight at the keeper. In the end a comfortable night for the visitors and the home side will need to improve drastically to stay in the division.

  

Dartford: Brown, Richards,Mcauley, Bradbrook ©,Hayes ( Harris 69), Noble,Pugh ( Crawford 69),Green( Sweeney 69),Dallison,Burns, Doidge

Subs: Cornhill,,Ibrahim

Yellow cards:: Noble 37, Burns 81

Woking: Cole, Ricketts©, Mcnerney (Newton 11) Clarke, Payne ( Murtagh 77) ,Rendell, Betsy , Odubade (Sole 75), Jones, Goddard, Arthur

Subs:  , Murtagh,Sole,Banya,Little

 

Referee Mr Treleaven

 

Attendance: 884