Created 8-Nov-26
116 photos, 2 videos
7 November 2026. Dartford win 4 (Dan Smith 15', Max Fiddes 26', 45+3', Ben Greenhalgh 34') Eastbourne Borough 1 (Liam Nash 79') in the Isthmian Premier League match at Princes Park.
Before the match got underway there was a presentation of 100 appearances for George Whitefield, followed by the Remembrance Day observance with wreaths laid from both Men's and Women's teams.
Dartford destroyed Eastbourne Borough in a superb first-half display, as they made sure that former manager Steve King's return to Princes Park was a miserable one.
Such was the Darts’ ruthless state of play, that the 1,108 supporters had barely gotten comfortable when Sports’ goalkeeper Louis Carey pulled off a brilliant save on the line within seconds of kick-off! The goalkeeper made another good save seconds later, before the somewhat lively Kai Corbett sent a free-kick wide of Ryan Sandford’s upright at the other end (4). Josh Rees then forced the Dartford shot-stopper into a routine save following good work by former Dartford striker Darren McQueen (12). Three minutes later saw Dan Smith break the deadlock with a superb finish to net his eighth goal of the season (15), before Max Fiddes saw an effort cleared off the line seven minutes later! The in-form striker didn’t have to wait too long for another opportunity though and, when Smith’s delightful back-heel released him, there was only going to be one outcome… as he fired the hosts into a deserved 2-0 lead (26). Ben Greenhalgh fired in a third with a delightful low drive into the bottom corner (34), before Fiddes raced clear to score a fourth deep into stoppage time at the end of what had been a scintillating half for the Darts (45+3). Josh Rees did miss a glorious opportunity to pull a goal back for the visitors earlier (25), before Darren McQueen saw an effort blocked by the Dartford defence (40) in what was a miserable half for the Sports.
The second forty-five was a tighter affair between the two sides, as Eastbourne Borough tried to get themselves back into the game. Ryan Sandford made a routine save from Shayon Harrison (52), before a Corbett free-kick clipped the crossbar (66). The visitors were first to move in terms of substitutions when they replaced Darren McQueen with Terrell Egbri (69). Liam Nash then came on for Paul McCallum (71), before T’Yano Wilson came on for Kai Corbett (76). Dartford made their first change on 71 minutes, when Ben Greenhalgh made way for Jeremiah Pinder. That was followed by Louie Atkins coming on for Max Fiddes (77), before Scott Wagstaff came on for Jordan Higgs (80) and Ike Orji made way for Matty MacArthur (84). As we return to the action, substitute Liam Nash pulled a goal back within a minute of coming on (72), but the goal proved to be no more than a consolation goal for Steve King’s side. In fact, the hosts could have easily added to their scoreline via Ben Greenhalgh (twice) and Louie Atkins, but Sports’ shot-stopper Louis Carey kept the damage at just the four goals on what was an excellent afternoon for Dartford.
With the fog coming in and the temperature dropping, Max Fiddes’ performance earned him a deserved Man of The Match award in a game where every Dartford player stood tall to get the three points.
DARTFORD: Ryan Sandford, Ben Swift (c), Joe Tennent, George Whitefield, Dan Smith, Max Fiddes, Ben Greenhalgh, Brandon Davey, Jordan Higgs, Tyler Ibe, Ike Orji.
SUBSTITUTES: Emmanuel Oke, Scott Wagstaff, Matty MacArthur, Louie Atkins, Jeremiah Pinder.
EASTBOURNE BOROUGH: Louis Carey, Matthew Hayden, Elliott Johnson (c), Josh Rees, Harry Phipps, Kai Corbett, Max Sheaf, Darren McQueen, Samuel Oguntayo, Shayon Harrison, Paul McCallum.
SUBSTITUTES: Gold Omotayo, Liam Nash, Terrell Egbri, T’Yano Wilson, Nathan Laleye.
Referee: Tommy Fleming
Assists: Ashley Diamond, Liam Dawson
Att: 1,108
MoTM: Max Fiddes
Match report: Chris Palmer
Before the match got underway there was a presentation of 100 appearances for George Whitefield, followed by the Remembrance Day observance with wreaths laid from both Men's and Women's teams.
Dartford destroyed Eastbourne Borough in a superb first-half display, as they made sure that former manager Steve King's return to Princes Park was a miserable one.
Such was the Darts’ ruthless state of play, that the 1,108 supporters had barely gotten comfortable when Sports’ goalkeeper Louis Carey pulled off a brilliant save on the line within seconds of kick-off! The goalkeeper made another good save seconds later, before the somewhat lively Kai Corbett sent a free-kick wide of Ryan Sandford’s upright at the other end (4). Josh Rees then forced the Dartford shot-stopper into a routine save following good work by former Dartford striker Darren McQueen (12). Three minutes later saw Dan Smith break the deadlock with a superb finish to net his eighth goal of the season (15), before Max Fiddes saw an effort cleared off the line seven minutes later! The in-form striker didn’t have to wait too long for another opportunity though and, when Smith’s delightful back-heel released him, there was only going to be one outcome… as he fired the hosts into a deserved 2-0 lead (26). Ben Greenhalgh fired in a third with a delightful low drive into the bottom corner (34), before Fiddes raced clear to score a fourth deep into stoppage time at the end of what had been a scintillating half for the Darts (45+3). Josh Rees did miss a glorious opportunity to pull a goal back for the visitors earlier (25), before Darren McQueen saw an effort blocked by the Dartford defence (40) in what was a miserable half for the Sports.
The second forty-five was a tighter affair between the two sides, as Eastbourne Borough tried to get themselves back into the game. Ryan Sandford made a routine save from Shayon Harrison (52), before a Corbett free-kick clipped the crossbar (66). The visitors were first to move in terms of substitutions when they replaced Darren McQueen with Terrell Egbri (69). Liam Nash then came on for Paul McCallum (71), before T’Yano Wilson came on for Kai Corbett (76). Dartford made their first change on 71 minutes, when Ben Greenhalgh made way for Jeremiah Pinder. That was followed by Louie Atkins coming on for Max Fiddes (77), before Scott Wagstaff came on for Jordan Higgs (80) and Ike Orji made way for Matty MacArthur (84). As we return to the action, substitute Liam Nash pulled a goal back within a minute of coming on (72), but the goal proved to be no more than a consolation goal for Steve King’s side. In fact, the hosts could have easily added to their scoreline via Ben Greenhalgh (twice) and Louie Atkins, but Sports’ shot-stopper Louis Carey kept the damage at just the four goals on what was an excellent afternoon for Dartford.
With the fog coming in and the temperature dropping, Max Fiddes’ performance earned him a deserved Man of The Match award in a game where every Dartford player stood tall to get the three points.
DARTFORD: Ryan Sandford, Ben Swift (c), Joe Tennent, George Whitefield, Dan Smith, Max Fiddes, Ben Greenhalgh, Brandon Davey, Jordan Higgs, Tyler Ibe, Ike Orji.
SUBSTITUTES: Emmanuel Oke, Scott Wagstaff, Matty MacArthur, Louie Atkins, Jeremiah Pinder.
EASTBOURNE BOROUGH: Louis Carey, Matthew Hayden, Elliott Johnson (c), Josh Rees, Harry Phipps, Kai Corbett, Max Sheaf, Darren McQueen, Samuel Oguntayo, Shayon Harrison, Paul McCallum.
SUBSTITUTES: Gold Omotayo, Liam Nash, Terrell Egbri, T’Yano Wilson, Nathan Laleye.
Referee: Tommy Fleming
Assists: Ashley Diamond, Liam Dawson
Att: 1,108
MoTM: Max Fiddes
Match report: Chris Palmer
