Dartford continued their excellent League form with what manager Tony Burman said was an ugly win and this shows that they are in the mix for promotion.

Poole will go away from Princes Park wondering how they did not take a point home after they had a lot of possession but were denied by Deren Ibrahim and the Dartford defence.

The game was only 6 minutes old when Tom Wynter on the touchline 25 yards out went on a mazy run inwards towards the penalty area and then saw his shot get deflected for a corner.

Four minutes later Ryan Case received the ball on the right and his shot from 20 yards flew over the bar and in the very next minute Luke Burbidge found himself on his own in the area and his shot was saved by Ibrahim’s legs.

Dartford took the lead probably against the run of play as Poole had been dominating possession when Lee Noble on the right wing crossed into the area for Duane Ofari-Acheampong and from 6 yards out headed in.

This shook Poole and two minutes later it was two when a bad pass across field went straight to Luke Wanadio who raced in to the area and shot past Nick Hutchings.

Dartford were now in dream land and in the 25^th minute Wanadio on the left cut inside and let fly but it was deflected for a corner. Poole were now getting over the shock of the two goals and were starting to get back in the game, in the 30^th minute a Steve Devlin corner to the far post found Luke Roberts whose goalwards header was saved by Ibrahim, then two minutes later Roberts was in on goal and his first shot was saved by Ibrahim and the rebound came back to Roberts whose shot was saved by Ibrahim.

In a rare attack Dartford nearly increased their lead when Noble’s free into the area was partially cleared to Ofori-Acheampong whose shot from 10 yards was cleared of the line by Shaun Cooper.

Poole continued to have chances and in the 41^st minute they got a goal back when a cross into the area found Roberts on his own 6 yards out and his header hit the back of the net. It was game on.

The second half was only seconds old when Noble 20 yards out saw his shot pushed away by Hutchings for a corner. Poole settled down after that and had most of the possession, in the 53^rd minute Devlin tried his luck from 20 yards only to see Ibrahim push it away for a corner.

Twelve minutes later Burbidge on the right cut in and saw his shot from 20 yards fly over the bar. In the 69^th minute in a rare attack Elliot Bradbrook took aim from 25 yards and he saw his dipping shot pushed around the post by Hutchings.

Poole carried on passing their way forward but with all that possession they did not cause the Dartford defence too many problems and in another rare attack Dartford could have made sure of the points when Wanadio on the left got to the by-line and his low cross found Ofori-Acheampong 6 yards out but he blazed his shot over the bar.

The final whistle went and it was relief all around as Dartford fortunately got the three points which has pushed them up to fourth in the table and next week they have a week off from League action when they entertain Dover in the Trophy.

 

DARTFORD:

1. IBRAHIM 2. T.GARDNER  3. T.WYNTER  4. R.VINT  5. K.WOOD  6. A.BROWN (77)  7. L.NOBLE 8. E.BRADBROOK 9. D.OFORI-ACHEAMPONG  10. A.PUGH  11. L.WANADIO (90+3)

SUBS USED:  14. D.HARRIS (77)  16. E.BROWN (90+3)

SUBS NOT USED: 12. R.HAYES  15. B-K DEMBELE  17. T.COXALL

BOOKINGS: 10. A.PUGH (45)  6. A.BROWN (46)

 

POOLE TOWN:

1. HUTCHINGS 2. S.COOPER (70)  3. R.CASE  4. W.SPETCH  5. J.WHISKEN  6. C.PETTEFER (87)  7. L.BURBIDGE 8. S.DEVLIN 9. L.ROBERTS  10. M.BROOKS  11. A.BAGGIE

SUBS USED:  14. R.GILLESPIE (77)  6. C.MOORE (87)

SUBS NOT USED:  13. T.REES  15. B.GALE

BOOKINGS: 11. A.BAGGIE (90+1)  5. J.WHISKEN (90+4)

 

REFEREE: Mr D.SPAIN

ASSISTANTS: Mr Z.JACQART & Mr I.SEARLE

ATTENDANCE: 886

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