Tonbridge will have to wait another year to get to the first round of the F.A Cup but in the first half they dominated possession but could not get that exclusive goal whilst Dartford put on a professional performance by staying in the game & then scoring three goals to eventually win quite easy.

The game started well for Tonbridge as in the 5^th minute a Nick Wheeler corner into the area saw Tom Parkinson’s header cannon back of the post & cleared, in the very next minute Wheeler floated a free kick to the back post where Parkinson rose & his downward header was pushed over the bar by Ibrahim.

Dartford were finding it hard to get hold of the ball & in the 16^th minute another Wheeler free kick into the area was half cleared to Damien Scannell whose first time shot from 20 yards went over the bar.

In the next minute Scannell jigged his way in to the area before shooting but Ibrahim saved easily. Three minutes later a Wheeler corner kick to the far post found Jerome Sobers but under pressure his header went past the post.

In the 29^th minute another half chance went a begging when Scannell in the area crossed to the back post for Elder but he headed over the bar.  Dartford finally had their first chance when Elliot Bradbrook shot from 15 yards went wide but in the very next minute against the run of play they scored when Luke Wanadio on the right wing saw his low cross pushed away by Tony Di Bernardo but only to the feet of Alex Brown & from 2 yards he smashed the ball home.

This seemed to knock Tonbridge as up to half time they did not manage a shot on goal or cause the Dartford defence any problems.

The second half started with a bang for Dartford as within six minutes of the start they were three up, firstly in the 48^th minute a ball crossed into the area was allowed to bounce & Andy Pugh latched on to the ball & smashed home from 5 yards then in the 51^st minute game over as a short corner on the right saw Ryan Hayes cross to the back post where Bradbrook was on his own & from 8 yards he planted his header into the net.

This really knocked the socks out of Tonbridge.  In the 66^th minute Tonbridge had a great appeal for a penalty when Jack Porter muscled his way into the area & his shot was blocked by a defenders arm but the referee played on.

Dartford were now in total control without causing many problems. In the 73^rd minute Wanadio on the left cut in & went across the pitch before passing to Lee Noble who ran forward & tried his luck from 20 yards but it went just past the post.

The rest of the game saw Dartford slow the game down & waiting for the final whistle. It went & Dartford go through to the 1^st Round with £12500 in prize money & the excitement of being in the draw whilst Tonbridge will have to lick their wounds & go back to their bread & butter & concentrate on keeping in the top five in the table.

 

TONBRIDGE:

1. DI BERNARDO 2. J.FOWKES  3. J.PARTER  4. T.PARKINSON (24)  5. J.SOBERS  6. S.MILES  7. D.SCANNELL (59) 8. L.ALLEN 9. N.ELDER  10. C.DUNDAS (59)  11. N.WHEELER

SUBS USED:  16. T.PHIPP (24)  12. T.WHITNELL  14. L.BLEWDEN (59)

SUBS NOT USED:  15. U.UDOGI  17. L.LAWLOR  18. B.FORTNUM-TOMLINSON  19. C.MILHAM

BOOKINGS: 5. J.SOBERS (42)

 

DARTFORD:

1. IBRAHAM 2.  D.HARRIS   3. K.WOOD   4. T.BONNOR   T.GARDINER  6. A.BROWN  7. R.HAYES 8. E.BRADBROOK 9. D.OFORI-ACHEMPONG 10. A.PUGH (77)  11. L.WANADIO (87)

SUBS USED:  12. L.NOBLE (69)  14. E.BROWN  16. T.WYNTER (87)

SUBS NOT USED:  15. R.VINT  17.T.COXALL  18. H.BRINKLEY  19. T.FISHER

BOOKINGS: 11. L.WANADIO (33)

 

REFEREE:  Mr P.HOWARD

ASSISTANTS:  Mr D.SOTIMIRIN & Mr A.STACCHINS

4^TH OFFICIAL:  MrA.LUKAUSKIS

 

ATTENDANCE: 1,391