Dartford fell to defeat in disappointing style once again on Saturday afternoon, as Farnborough took the lead twice in a goal heavy second half to win 2-1.
The game certainly began in the fashion you would expect between two sides struggling near the bottom of the table: nervy, tense, and end-to-end. Tommy Block played debutant Funmaya Shomotun down the line for his first involvement in a Dartford shirt, with the winger laying it back to Block. He whipped a ball into the box, but it dropped just shy of Alex Wall and Luke Coulson.
Despite this, the first real chance of the game for either side came through Hisham Kasimu. The on-loan forward was played in behind and flashed a shot across the face of goal, and was involved shortly after as he flicked a ball behind the Darts defence for the on-running Selim Saied. Alas, his heavy touch took the ball into the clutches of Billy Terrell.
From this, Terrell launched the ball long in search of Coulson, who attempted an audacious lob after seeing Jack Turner slightly off his line, but saw his effort land wide.
Farnborough should really have netted the opener, as the ball looked to fall perfectly at the back post for the likes of Bradbury to knock it into the bottom corner, but a volleyed effort was somehow fired wide.
Dartford appeared to grow into the game, particularly with Shomotun’s increased involvement. A flick on from Wall found Coulson in space between the lines, and he released to Shomotun on the right. The winger stood up Jordan Norville-Williams before shifting the ball onto his left and chipped a beautiful ball to the back post, but no one was there to meet it.
Further dazzling play from Shomotun saw him beat Norville-Williams and slip Taylor Maloney in behind, who put the ball across the box in search of Wall only for his cross to be blocked. The second ball returned to the winger, who rolled the ball onto his right and fired a shot at goal, forcing a block and subsequent corner.
The best chance of the game was, however, crafted by Aaron Kuhl, as he brought the ball out from Farnborough’s defensive third and played a sublime long ball over the head of Paul Rooney. The ball found Kasimu, who bore down on the Dartford goal before being smothered by Terrell, who got down excellently to prevent the opener.
Reggie Young attempted to take Farnborough’s misfortunes in front of goal into his own hands. The midfielder drove inside, and bent a left-footed shot just across the face of Terrell’s goal and wide, signalling the last chance of the half.
The second half began in chaotic fashion; Wall looked to be isolated with Turner after defensive miscommunication but was stopped by what seemed to be an unseen handball. Farnborough then ventured forward and earned a free kick after a collision between Joash Nembhard and Bradbury. Olly Pendlebury’s deflected shot was momentarily worrying for Terrell, but bounced behind his goal.
The Darts could not have foreseen a more troubling start to the half, as a penalty was awarded to Farnborough after Saied was hacked down inside the area. Kuhl stepped up to take the spot kick and converted calmly past Terrell, despite the keeper’s best efforts.
Dartford seemed to remain untroubled and responded quickly, as Maloney and Tyrell Miller-Rodney combined in the middle to work the ball out wide to Shomotun. The latter jinked into the box and crossed the ball into Miller-Rodney, who stabbed his effort into the back of the net on the half-volley, levelling the score.
Pendlebury was an ever-present threat in the half, as he drove through the heart of the Dartford midfield and played the ball to the newly introduced Hady Ghandour, who moved down the right and crossed the ball into the gloves of Terrell. He was involved shortly after, as he was found in a similar position. The forward flashed a shot at goal but was denied by Terrell, and the ball was cleared by Nembhard before Bradbury could get his head to it.
A promising delivery into the box by Pendlebury after Norville-Willams claimed a free kick was headed out by Nembhard for a corner. The resulting corner was swung in by Pendlebury onto the head of Sid Nelson, whose header bounced off the underside of the crossbar and out, and eventually scuppered away by the Darts.
Farnborough regained the lead in the 78th minute, as a ball in from Norville-Williams was spilled by Terrell. It found its way to Young, who slotted home into the bottom corner under pressure. Bradbury, who may have interfered with the ball’s path into the net, looked to be in an offside position, but the goal still stood after lengthy consultation between the referee and his assistant.
Dartford looked to respond again, with Rooney venturing quite far out from his defensive quarters, and playing the ball down the right to Shomotun. The Darts’ form player on the day cut in on his left foot and flashed a shot at goal to be tipped wide by Turner. The hosts managed to break away from the Dartford corner, and found themselves in a four versus two situation. The ball was played to Young, who looked certain to wrap the game up for the home side but was stopped again by Terrell.
There was a late attempt for the Darts as Coulson looked to swing a deep delivery into the box from a set piece in his own half, but it was gathered comfortably by Turner. This made the last chance of any value for either side, and the final whistle saw Dartford slip closer to the relegation zone.
Farnborough: Turner, Nelson, Ball, Fearn, Nelson, Young, Pendlebury, Kuhl, Saied (Holmes 80mins), Bradbury (Clark 84mins), Kasimu (Ghandour 61mins)
Subs not used: Matthews-Lewis, Mukuna,
Yellow: Norville-Williams
Dartford: Terrell, Block, Nembhard, Rooney, Odaudu, Wynter, Miller-Rodney (Smith 85mins), Maloney, Shomotun, Wall (Box 85mins), Coulson
Subs not used: Wray, Statham, Adebowale
Yellow: Wall, Odaudu
Attendance: 1,011
Referee: Michael Robertson-Tant
Assistants: Dane Johnstone & Imran Khan