Dartford drew their FA trophy semi-final 2^nd leg 0-0 on Saturday at PrincesPpark to allow the visitors Grimsby town the chance of going to Wembley to face Wrexham in the FA trophy final after a game full of ifs and buts for the home team.

Dartford flew out of the blocks in the first half with Ryan Hayes causing all sorts of problems down the right hand side and it was a Hayes free kick from the right which created the first real chance of note.

Elliott Bradbrook leaping above the away defence but heading straight at the Grimsby keeper Mckeown from 8 yards out in the opening 10 minutes.

Grimsby were really struggling with the tenacity of the Dartford midfield and the pace and trickery on the flanks but the ball was not dropping for the home attack with bad luck and good defending preventing any clear cut chances although Lee Burns did force a good save down to the keeper left from distance after a knock down from Erskine.

Grimsby had sporadic frays into the Dartford half with Lenell John-Lewis being a constant nuisance to the home defence, himself heading over from a rare first half corner.

The best chance of the entire game was to fall to Bradbrook in the dying moments of the first half after a good interchange down the right between Burns and Hayes fed Harry Crawford on the edge of the box, his cross shot found Bradbrook 5 yards out, but miraculously Ian Miller at the heart of the Grimsby defence got a block in when it seemed easier to score.

Half time came and so did the belief of the home crowd, with the Grimsby fans in the car park end beginning to sing “Que sera, sera”.

This brought out the belief of the Grimsby players who came out much the stronger in the early stages of the 2^nd half with first Devitt, now playing from the right wing, forcing a fine save down to his right from Bettinelli from the edge of the area.

Lennel John-Lewis again went close a minute later after Devitt fed him on the edge of the box, his poked effort scrambled to safety by Bettinelli in the Dartford goal.

The game itself quietened down as the belief wavered in the stands and no more  real chances arrived until the 65^th minute when Danny Harris headed just wide with a free header after more good work down the right by Hayes.

With the belief gone and substitutions slowing down the game, the game petered out to a draw and the dream of Wembley for Dartford FC was over for another year.

On another day, the miracle needed could well have happened if one of Dartford’s early chances had gone in, but alas it wasn’t to be, back to the grind which is the Blue Square Premier where a push for the play-offs isn’t quite yet out of the equation which isn’t bad going for a team who 6 years ago were playing in the Ryman League South division.

Good luck to the Mariners at Wembley as they go for a historic league and cup double.

Dartford: Bettinelli, Green, ( Rogers), Champion, Bonner, Hayes, Wallis,(Evans) Erskine, (Collier), Bradbrook c, Harris, Burns, Crawford.

Subs not used: Wells, Rose.

Grimsby: Mckeown, Hatton, Niven, Pearson, Miller, Colbeck, Disley c, Brodie,(Hannah) Devitt,(Marshall) Wood, John-Lewis(Cook).

Subs not used: Thomas, Artus.

Att: 2153