On a day when the top four sides in the National South division all lost, goals from Tom Bonner and Duane Ofori-Acheampong helped Dartford to a 2-1 win over neighbours Ebbsfleet United.
Former Fleet favourite Bonner rose to head the home side in front three minutes into the second half after Ebbsfleet had shaded the first
period. Ofori-Acheampong, often ploughing a lone furrow up front, hit the second having run away from Dave Winfield, and at this stage
Dartford looked reasonably comfortable. However, a driven finish from Anthony Cook with ten minutes remaining caused the tension to rise round Princes Park, but the home side held on.
All of the ingredients were there for a dramatic match; a Boxing Day derby, a big crowd and two sides within the playoff places at the top of
National South.
Ebbsfleet opened with a series of throws down their right, which led to an Andy Drury freekick that Ronnie Vint had to guide back to Deren
Ibrahim, although it wasn’t the easiest save the keeper will have to make. Danny Kedwell also volleyed over after one of the Marvin McCoy
throws wasn’t cleared out of the area.
Vint, buoyed by his long-range goal in the Trophy against Dover, tried something similar, although Nathan Ashmore had little trouble in holding the bouncing ball. The keeper was caught out by a 40-yard backpass from Kenny Clark moments later and handled as the bounce threatened to take the ball over his head. The indirect freekick by Elliot Bradbrook hit the charging wall and Vint’s returning header dropped over the crowd of players into the net, only for Duane Ofori-Acheampong to be flagged offside for interfering with the retreating Ashmore.
The Ebbsfleet keeper was struggling with the high ball early on, colliding with Bradbrook and dropping a diagonal cross to the feet of
Tom Bonner, who could only find the side netting from an acute angle.
With Ebbsfleet reverting to a back-four, Anthony Cook was stationed out on the left wing, and he combined with Jack Connors to deliver a deep cross over the top of left-back Keaton Wood for Kedwell to power goalwards, straight into the hands of Ibrahim.
As the half moved on, set-pieces were becoming the main attacking threat for both sides. An Alex Brown corner for Dartford found Luke
Wanadio, and his cross reached Lee Noble, whose left foot shot on the turn had to be well held by Ashmore low to his left. In reply, Drury’s
delivery from corners was causing problems in the Darts defence; Vint glancing clear from Dave Winfield and then Dean Rance hitting a shot over from the edge of the box.
Despite lengthy injuries to both McCoy and Bradbrook earlier in the half, there were howls of derision from both sets of supporters when two additional minutes appeared on the board. Even though four were eventually played, and Ebbsfleet gradually gained the territorial
advantage, neither side could force a breakthrough as the first half ended goalless.
The first serious attack of the second half brought that breakthrough, and it was the home side who opened the scoring. Wanadio’s corner from the left wing found former Ebbsfleet defender Tom Bonner climbing highest to head home.
Dartford were now looking to play a far more direct game and were stretching the Ebbsfleet defence with Danny Harris running in through
the left channel. A deflected Wanadio cross found its way out to Bradbrook, whose left foot volley was collected on the first bounce by
Ashmore. The keeper was tested again, saving Ofori-Acheampong’s shot with his legs and regaining his feet quickly to catch Harris’ follow-up header.
Daryl McMahon responded with a substitution, sending on Sean Shields for Stuart Lewis and switching Cook out to the right wing. But it as a clearance by Bradbrook to deny a Cook raid that led to Dartford’s second goal. The long clearance into the Fleet half saw a foot race between Ofori-Acheampong and Dave Winfield, with the Darts forward getting his toe to the ball first. Ofori-Acheampong powered into the area and slid a low shot past Ashmore into the bottom right corner.
It was nearly three as Tom Gardiner battled his way through three Ebbsfleet challenges and pulled a low ball back to Ofori-Acheampong, but
this time the forward’s low shot was smothered by Ashmore at the base of the right post.
Kedwell had a difficult header sail over the bar as Ebbsfleet hunted for a way back into the game, but it was the home side looking the more
likely to extend their lead. From a throw deep in the left corner, Lee Noble went on a mazy run, exchanged a pass with Bradbrook and drew a full-length save from Ashmore.
Dartford were looking relatively comfortable until a poor defensive clearance with 10 minutes remaining allowed Ebbsfleet back into the
game. The ball infield found Dean Rance who moved it on quickly via Drury to the right side of the area to Cook, who lashed a thunderbolt
past Ibrahim’s dive to give the visitors hope.
Ebbsfleet streamed forward searching for the equaliser. Winfield glanced a header wide from another Drury set-piece and Kedwell somehow failed to apply a finishing touch to a teasing Shields cross that flew through the 6-yard box.
Despite the visitor’s best endeavours, Dartford’s resolute defence stood firm to take the home side up to fourth in the National League
table, one point behind Ebbsfleet, with the return game on New Year’s Day at Stonebridge Road.
DARTFORD: Deren Ibrahim, Tom Gardiner, Keaton Wood, Tom Bonner, Ronnie Vint, Alex Brown, Lee Noble, Elliot Bradbrook, Duane Ofori-Acheampong, Danny Harris, Luke Wanadio (Ellis Brown 86).
Subs not used: Ryan Hayes, Andy Pugh, Becka-Kah Dembele, Tony Coxall.
Goals: Tom Bonner 48, Duane Ofori-Acheampong 61
Cautions: Lee Noble 63, Duane Ofori-Acheampong 84, Keaton Wood 85
EBBSFLEET UNITED: Nathan Ashmore, Anthony Cook, Jack Connors (Jack Powell 67), Marvin McCoy, Dave Winfield, Kenny Clark, Dean Rance, Andy Drury, Danny Kedwell, Darren McQueen (Bradley Bubb 67), Stuart Lewis (Sean Shields 56).
Subs not used: Mark Phillips, Jon Miles.
Goal: Anthony Cook 80
Caution: Dean Rance 51
Attendance: 2,404
Referee: Mr Ian Fissenden
Assistants: Mr Ollie Butcher and Mr Anthony Pope