Whilst neither Dartford nor Gillingham put out full strength line-ups in their Kent FA Senior Cup tie, both used several players who have plenty of first team experience this season.

The game started slowly, but in the second half it was clear that both teams wanted the win.

Thirteen minutes had passed before the first goal attempt was recorded. Andy Pugh held up play well before sending Jack Simmons away down the wing. The Darts winger cut in and attempted a curler from over 20 yards out but Glenn Morris made an easy catch.

Another fourteen minutes passed before the next goal attempt when Brennan Dickinson fired a free kick from 35 yards that was easily claimed by Derren Ibrahim.

Morris did well to punch out the first corner of the match, and then made a good catch from a Simmons wide free kick as the Darts started to enjoy more of the possession.

Then Simmons cross found Pugh, but the centre forward headed just over with the crowd behind the goal baying for a corner.

After a series of Gillingham fouls, referee Ian Fissenden finally lost patience and cautioned Jermaine McGlashan for slicing through Barry Cogan five minutes before the break.

Ronnie Vint was booked for Dartford just after the break for pulling back Ben Williamson as the Gills striker tried to get free.

Becka-Kah Dembele, so impressive in Dartford’s previous round victory over Welling United, fired in a shot from outside the area that Morris had to get down well to save.

Dickenson broke the deadlock after 56 minutes. There looked little danger as he eased his way across the edge of the penalty area but he unleashed a shot beyond Ibrahim diving back to his right.

There followed a short spell of Gillingham pressure with no end result before Dartford came back into the game and equalised on 71 minutes.

Substitute Dajon Golding slung in a corner slightly behind Tom Wynter but he met it with a superb header that he guided into the top corner.

Just over eleven minutes remained when Simmons put the Darts ahead with a superb solo goal. He cut in from the right wing before unleashing an unstoppable effort into the top corner.

Golding could have made the game safe when left alone as Gillingham through men forward but after collecting Dembele’s pass, he fired high and wide.

It mattered little as the hosts held on for a well deserved win.

 

Dartford: Ibrahim, Gardiner Onyemah, Vint, Wynter, Noble (Bradbrook E 57), Dembele, Adams, Pugh, Cogan (Golding 65), Simmons.

Unused substitutes: McNaughton, Harris, Bradbrook T.

 

Gillingham: Morris G, Davies (Stevenson 85), Emptage (Stannard 46), Loft, Ehmer, Oshijala, McGlashan, Morris A, Dickenson B, Williamson, Houghton.

Unused substitutes: Dickenson M, O’Mara, Hadler.

 

Referee: Ian Fissenden

Assistants: Kane Dempster and Joseph Dann-Pye

 

Attendance: 341

Man of the match: Jack Simmons