On Tuesday evening, Dartford entertain Ebbsfleet United in a huge Vanarama National League South local derby.  

Both teams are in the play-off zone and chasing promotion having had spells at the top of the table. However, each have had sticky patches and would have been pleased to get back to winning ways on Saturday. Dartford hadn’t won in the league since the beginning of December. The Fleet had lost their previous two matches heavily, five-one at Dorking Wanderers and four-nil at Maidstone United.

Steve King’s team bounced back with a three-two win at Tonbridge Angels. They burst into a two goal lead inside the first twenty minutes, courtesy of a brace from Danny Leonard. Tommy Wood pulled one back early in the second half but a trade-mark Jack Jebb free kick, four minutes from time, appeared to have made the game safe. However, there were still a few nerve jangling moments for Dartford after Ibrahim Olutade scored late for the Angels.

It was also a tight match for Ebbsfleet as they edged home one-nil against Hampton and Richmond Borough. They had already failed to convert a penalty when Greg Cundle’s effort was saved before Will Wood scored just shy of the hour mark. Although Chris Haigh was twice called upon to make saves, they held on for the important win.

When the two teams met in Northfleet at the start of January, a very tight game was won by a solitary goal from the Ebbsfleet’s Ben Chapman with five minutes remaining.

The last time that the two teams met at Princes Park, it was also a tight affair. The game was played at a high tempo but despite Sefa Kahraman hitting the underside of the Dartford bar with a booming header, and the Darts having two efforts cleared off the line at the other end, it ended goal-less.

Trying to predict a winner this time around appears to be equally difficult with both teams wanting to ease their way back into the top three. 

Picture supplied by PSP Images.