Dartford’s start to life in the Isthmian League Premier has been nigh on perfect – they’ll be hoping it continues when they travel to the South East coast on Saturday.
Of their opening six games, Dartford have lost only one. The last time the Darts’ started the season as well as this was in 2021 under Steve King, who managed ten games unbeaten.
Since their early defeat to Potters Bar, Ady Pennock’s side have conjured up a four-game winning streak, much to the delight of the Dartford fans. Once again, this was last achieved in January 2023, with a run which included a league double over Kent rivals Ebbsfleet United.
Considering the Darts’ abysmal defensive record last season (75 conceded), Pennock seems to have tightened things up at the back this term. His side have conceded the joint least goals in the division, matched only by table-topping and flawless Lewes. One factor could be the move to a back five, with a consistent unit of Sam Okoye, George Whitefield, Josh Hill, Luther Williams, and Sam Odaudu.
This is particularly impressive, especially considering by how much the squad’s age profile has been lowered. The squad contains seven academy graduates, with the likes of Jeremiah Pinder and the aforementioned Whitefield getting their first taste of men’s football in starting roles. Olly Box has also become an influential member of the team after breaking through last season and has certainly not shied away from the added responsibility.
The Darts’ last league outing saw a 3-1 home win over Chatham Town, an early favourite for promotion. Their next test awaits in the form of Dover Athletic, who have had a similarly impressive start to the season. They sit one place above the Whites in the league table, with two points separating them in third and fourth.
To make things interesting, Saturday sees a meeting between the league’s (joint) best defence, and the most prolific attack. Dover have scored an astonishing 19 goals in five games, and forward George Nikaj leads the goalscoring charts with eight. Nikaj alone has scored as many goals as Dartford in the league.
However, Dartford certainly possess firepower of their own. New signing Eddie Dsane scored 20 league goals for Kingstonian last season and has already netted three in five games for the Darts. Summer arrival Callum Jones has also been a revelation, with his multi-faceted forward play impressing those inside the grounds.
The feeling around the club has undoubtedly lifted since last season. While the small matter of there being 37 league games to go remains, Dartford’s trajectory for this campaign looks promising. Winning the league looks an incredulously tough task given their competition, but their minimum aim will surely be to achieve promotion via the playoffs.