Tonbridge Angels beat Dartford in this North Kent Derby comprehensively with an excellent performance and it was the first time they have tasted victory since 2017.
Dartford, until today, had been the dominant team and had done the double in the last two years but today were swept away with some of the Dartford supporters leaving before the end which shows how bad they were.
The game started at a frantic pace with Dartford having the most possession but Tonbridge then found their stride as in the 5th minute Jernade Meade striding forward and trying his luck from 25 yards but it went high and wide, then a minute later Tariq Hinds on the left crossed into the area where Sean Shield was and his snapshot went just wide.
In the 16th minute Tonbridge thought they had taken the lead when Scott Wagstaff on the right got to the by-line and his low cross found Jordan Greenidge and his shot from 8 yards came back off the post.
In the 22nd minute they did take the lead when a Shields corner to the near post was met by Greenidge and his left shot from 8 yards hit the back of the net.
Three minutes later and the lead was doubled when Shields on a counter attack ran from his own half and then put Mo Dabre in on the left and he crossed to Lewis Gard and from 8 yards he shot home.
Nine minutes later and it was three as Shields on the left crossed low for Dabre who shot home from 8 yards, Dartford were in shock.
In the 37th minute Shields in the area nearly made it four when his shot from 15 yards was heading for the net when Ryan Sandford tipped it around the post and then in the 44th minute a free kick into the area bounced around and came to Dabre & his acrobatic volley went over the net.
Half time arrived and Jay Saunders would want the same again while Dartford’s boss Alan Dowson would have let rip at his players and you would expect a reaction in the second half.
The second half started with Dartford trying to get back into the game but Tonbridge managed the game superbly and kept them at bay.
The first real half chance came in the 65th minute when Tyrell Miller-Rodney was put through by Paul Rooney but from an acute angle his shot hit the side netting.
Tonbridge sealed the game in the 77th minute when Wagstaff on the right saw his cross into the six yard box where Greenidge rose and headed home.
As the game drew to an end Dartford had two chances to get a consolation goal when in the 81st minute Rooney in the area saw his volley go over the bar then in the 87th minute a cross to the back post found George Alexander and his header came back of the post which empitomised their day.
The final whistle went and the Tonbridge players, staff and supporters went wild while the Dartford players quickly left the pitch humiliated.
TONBRIDGE ANGELS:
- J.HENLY 2. J.FIELDING (43) 5. L.GARD (82) 8.J.HIGGS 12. T.HINDS 14. M.DABRE (90+1) 17. E.SUTCLIFFE 18. J.GREENIDGE 19. J.MEADE 22. S.WAGSTAFF 23. S.SHIELDS.
SUBS USED: 4. T.PARKINSON (42) 27. A.JANNAH (82) 7. F.MAMPOLO (90+1)
SUBS NOT USED: 9.O.YEBOAH 13. N.GIBB
BOOKINGS: 19. J.MEADE (58)
DARTFORD:
- R.SANDFORD 2. J.WYNTER 3. S.ODAUDU (45) 8.L.ALLEN (45) 12. M.STATHAM 16. A.WOODS 18. G.ALEXANDER 20. J.NEMBHARD 23. H,BRADBURY (62) 27. R.CHIN 28. M.DIARRA.
SUBS USED: 5. T.MILLER-RODNEY (45) 6. B.ALTINTOP (45) 10. P.ROONEY (62)
SUBS NOT USED: 9. A.WALL 11. L.MANOR
BOOKINGS: 23. H.BRADBURY (40) 6. B.ALLTINTOP (70) 12. M.STATHAM (75)
REFEREE: LISA BENN
ASSISTANTS: ANDREW TREGONING & DAVID SPAIN
ATTENDANCE: 1327