There were talking points galore as Dartford and Welling United shared the league points in an enthralling North West Kent derby.

As has been shown many times this season, there can be little to choose between top and bottom. Although at the foot of the table, Welling had the best of the half however league leaders Dartford were stronger in the second period and had a twenty-five minute spell where they put the visitors under a lot of pressure.

It was Steve Lovell’s first game in charge of the Wings and his team had the first goal attempt when a long hopeful Dipo Akinyemi shot went wide of the far post. Then Nassim L’Ghoul cut in from the left wing but shot straight at Reice Charles-Cook.

Lyle Della-Verde hit a low drive that Dan Wilks got down well to save before a Della-Verde corner was headed wide by Akinyemi.

Seventeen minutes had gone when Welling went ahead. Anthony Cook strode forward and laid it off to Della-Verde. He took one touch to control it, another to create the angle and then shot home beyond Wilks.

Parity could have been restored soon after when Charlie Sheringham got in behind but Charles-Cook made an excellent save. David Ijaha then had a shot deflected wide.

Connor Essam was cautioned for hauling down Cook as he spun him and looked to break away before one of the Welling debutants, Darren Oldaker, drew a save out of Wilks from a free kick. Kristian Campbell, another Wing making his first appearance, headed wide from a deep Della-Verde free kick before the Darts were fortunate to keep eleven on the pitch.

Cook wriggled his way through and was just about to enter the penalty area when Essam chopped him with a very late challenge. Although referee Oliver Mackey called him over, he let him off with a final warning.

In a rare foray forward, Dartford created an opportunity and looked certain to score but Rob Strachan made a stunning last ditch tackle to thwart Romain.

Cook tried his luck from distance but Wilks managed to scramble it around the post and he was troubled again from the corner when he could only knock a shot out but although Welling forced the ball home, the flag was up for offside.

Ijaha’s long shot over was the last action of the first half and Steve King made the expected change at half time when replacing Essam with Josh Hill.

Less than one second half minute was on the clock when Cook caught Hill out and burst into the box only to be tumbled by the Dartford substitute. Akinyemi took the responsibility and sent Wilks the wrong way from the spot.

Cook again got in behind Hill but his attempted lob didn’t have enough loft and Wilks was able to claim before Dartford made the substitution that changed the game when Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong replaced Jack Jebb.

Within three minutes, Dartford were back in the game. Nassim L’Ghoul got to the bye-line and pulled it back. Although Charles-Cook made an excellent save from the first effort, it fell kindly for Luke Allen and he smashed home from close range.

Femi Akinwande had a weak shot saved before Dartford levelled. Once again there was chaos in the penalty area. Again Charles-Cook was unrewarded for a fine save from Romain’s header but it came out to Berkeley-Agyepong and he blasted home.

Romain then missed a great chance to put the hosts ahead. Berkeley-Agyepong picked him out but somehow, he contrived to head wide from three yards out.

Both teams started to tire after their periods of inactivity and the game became more stretched. Rhys Murrell-Williamson had a shot well saved by Wilks then Ade Shokunbi headed wide from Della-Verde’s corner.

Akinyemi shot beyond the far post for the Darts before Della-Verde curled a free kick over for Welling.

Although Welling looked dangerous on the break, they failed to create another clear cut chance and Dartford might have claimed all three points. Ijaha’s long drive caused ripples on the roof of the net and Romain was at full stretch when meeting L’Ghoul’s corner but his header flew wide.

After the game both managers felt that they should have won but neither deserved to lose so a draw was probably a fair outcome.

Dartford: Wilks, Barnum-Bobb, Braham-Barrett (Hill 45), Essam, Bonner, Jebb (Berkeley-Agyepong 55), Allen, Sheringham (Akinwande 59), L’Ghoul, Romain. Subs not used: Barham, Marsh-Brown.

Goalscorers: Allen (58), Berkeley-Agyepong (63)

Yellow cards: Essam, Hill, Barnum-Bobb

Red cards: None

Welling United: Charles-Cook, Johnson, Campbell, Durojaiye (Ainsworth 70), Strachan, Hobbs, Cook (Murrell-Williamson 59), Shokunbi, Akinyemi (Vose 77), Oldaker, Della-Verde. Subs not used: Doe, Hughes.

Goalscorers: Della-Verde (18), Akinyemi pen (47)

Yellow cards: Cook, Charles-Cook, Della-Verde

Red cards: None

Referee: Oliver Mackey

Assistants: Joe McKay and Tom Fell