Maidstone lost their second home game in a row within 5 days & both games were similar that they just appeared to freeze in front of a big crowd.

Jay Saunders made 4 changes from Tuesday night but in truth he could have probably made a few more.

The Maidstone players looked lethargic as if they had run out of steam & now have to look forward to the Play offs, whilst Dartford seemed up for it & still could get into the Playoffs & with Manager Tony Burman back on the bench watching & this must have given all of them a great lift.

The first half belonged to Dartford as they closed Maidstone down & dominated possession. In the 4^th minute Andy Pugh in the area took a snapshot which forced Lee Worgan to palm away then in the 10^th minute they took the lead when in the area Manny Parry’s foot was adjudged to be high on Danny Harris & a penalty was given, up stepped Captain fantastic Elliot Bradbrook who shot low centrally into the net.

Five minutes late Harris on the edge of the area saw his shot saved by Worgan. The rest of the half was scrappy with Maidstone not even troubling Deren Ibrahim in the Dartford goal, but Dartford were probing without really causing any problems, then in the 44^th minute Tom Wynter running down the left into the area passed to Pugh but his shot from 15 yards was easily saved by Worgan.

Half time arrived & Saunders again had to rally his troops whilst Paul Sawyer deputising for Burman would want the same again.

The second half was only 8 minutes old when Maidstone against the run of play equalised when Bobby-Joe Taylor one of the changes ran down the left flank & delivered a cross into the area where unfortunately Keaton Wood diverted it into his net beating Ibrahim.

This suddenly woke Maidstone up & they started to get more possession as in the 59^th minute a long ball forward found Charles Banya who controlled it went into the area before shooting past the post.

This Kent Derby suddenly came to life in the 62^nd minute when a scuffle occurred in the Dartford area as both sets of players got involved & once it had died down Referee Elliott Kaye booked Parry & Ibrahim.

Another chance came in the 70^th minute when Taylor’s cross found Jay May whose volley was saved at the 2^nd attempt by Ibrahim, a minute later Dartford regained the lead when a long throw into the area was half cleared to Ryan Hayed whose first time shot was blocked by Taylor but came out to Nathan Ferguson who from 22 yards saw his bullet shot hit the net before Worgan had moved, what a goal!!

The rest of the game was quite open as both teams went for it. In the 77^th minute Dumebi Dumaka chested down a pass & from 18 yards saw his pushed away for a corner by Ibrahim, then in the 85^th Dartford could have secured the victory when Pugh was put through on the left wing & his low cross found Hayes on the back post he controlled it & cut inside before shooting but Worgan was alert & saved it conceding a corner.

In the 89^th minute Maidstone nearly equalised when Alec Flisher’s long throw into the area was flicked on beating Ibrahim but not the post & then rebounded to him. When making this save Ibrahim was injured & eventually was subbed, the only problem for Dartford was they had no goalkeeper on the bench so Lee Burns came on & took over.

In the 6^th minute off added on time a corner came over Burns flapped at it & it fell at Callum Davies feet but his volley went into the crowd. The final whistle went & what a fillip for Burman as his charges won this Derby.

 

MAIDSTONE UNITED:

1. WORGAN 2. C.DRIVER  3. B-J TAYLOR  4. C.DAVIES  5. M.PARRY  6. J.ROGERS  7. C.BANYA (59)  8. D.SWEENEY (59) 9. J.MAY 10. J.PAXMAN  11. M.BODKIN (80)

SUBS USED:  12. A.FLISHER  16.  D.DUMAKA  14. A.AKROFI (80)

SUBS NOT USED:  15. A.BIRCHALL  17. V.KARAGIANNIS

BOOKINGS:   5. M.PARRY (62)

 

DARTFORD:

1. IBRAHIM (90+2) 2. T.GARDNER  3. T.WYNTER  4. R.VINT  5. K.WOOD  6. N.FERGUSON  7. R.HAYES 8. E.BRADBROOK 9. A.PUGH  10. B.COGAN (67)  11. D.HARRIS (21)

SUBS USED:   17. L.NOBLE (21)  16. B.FRANCIS (67)  15. L.BURNS (90+2 )

SUBS NOT USED:  12. G.SYKES  14. B-K DEMBELE

BOOKINGS:  1. D.IBRAHIM

 

REFEREE:  Mr E.KAYE

ASSISTANTS: Mr S.FRANKLIN  &  Mr R.BLOY

ATTENDANCE: 2,602