New Year’s Day local derbies are anticipated with excitement, especially as the two teams have normally played each other six days earlier on Boxing Day.

That will be the case when Dartford entertain Welling United on Tuesday. In their Boxing Day meeting, Welling won 2-0, and it could have been more, so the Darts will be thirsting for revenge.

In that game Dartford tried to stifle Welling’s creativity in the first half but their plans were scuppered when Josh Hill escaped his marker and headed home Nassim L’Ghoul’s corner.

At half time, Dartford brought on an additional striker as they were chasing the game and that gave Welling more space. They controlled the second period and missed a number of chances before they scored the crucial second goal with seven minutes remaining. John Paul Kissock’s low cross was pushed out by Bailey Vose into the path of Danny Mills and he tucked it away against his former club.

Both teams come into the game on the back of mixed results on Saturday. Dartford supporters will be debating whether their draw at bottom three East Thurrock United was a point gained or two points lost.

All looked good for the Darts when Charlie Sheringham nodded them ahead in the eighth minute but Tom Derry levelled on thirty-three minutes, three minutes after coming on as a substitute for Harry Lee. Dartford’s Lee Noble was then sent off for an elbowing offence before Derry put East Thurrock ahead two minutes before the break.

Despite being short-handed Dartford levelled with just over fifteen minutes remaining when Elliott Bradbrook headed home and parity was restored in numbers late on when the Rocks former Dart Danny Harris was dismissed for a second yellow card offence.

Meanwhile at Park View Road, third placed Welling were leap-frogged by fourth placed Concord Rangers who won it with a goal by Tyrone Sterling with less than a minute on the clock. There was no further scoring although Gillingham loanee Liam Nash hit the bar for the Rangers and Nassim L’Ghoul did likewise for Welling.

When the two teams met at Princes Park on New Year’s Day last season, Dartford completed the double over their local rivals with an emphatic victory, winning by four goals to one. Ryan Hayes put the hosts ahead on eighteen minutes but Elliott Romain levelled five minutes later.

That was as good as it got for Welling and two former Wings scored the goals that downed them. Andy Pugh put Dartford ahead seven minutes before the break and a second half brace within five minutes of each other by Alfie Pavey put the game to bed.

Picture supplied by Dave Budden.