Created 26-Jan-25
195 photos
25 January 2025. Dartford win 4:0 on a beautiful afternoon in the sun, far removed from Storm Eowyn. Goals - Ollie Box 4', George Whitefield 14', Callum Jones 62', Eddie Dsane 72'.
Dartford stretched their unbeaten run to an incredible seventeen league games, after demolishing high-flying Billericay Town in a thrilling encounter at Bericote Powerhouse Princes Park in front of 1,634 supporters. The Darts flew out of the blocks on this beautiful afternoon to take an early lead via a superb drive into the top corner from Olly Box (5). That was followed by a George Whitefield header from Samir Carruthers’ corner in the fifteenth minute, as the hosts put the visitors to the proverbial sword. With the Dartford faithful in full voice, Ady Pennock’s side were in scintillating form, as they seemed to rip open the Billericay defence at every opportunity on the way to an eighth straight win. Not even the loss of Carruthers to injury after just 23 minutes could derail Pennock’s men, nor the loss of Box to injury after the hour. Both Louis Dunne and Eddie Dsane slotted in with ease to replace the duo respectively. The remaining outfield substitutes would also contribute this afternoon, with Tyler Christian-Law coming on for Josh Hill (76) and Jeremiah Pinder replacing Hayden Bullas (82).
Returning to the first-half action, the visitors did gain some minutes of possession before the break, but the Josh Hill-led Dartford defence dealt with everything that came its way. In fact, only Blues’ skipper Matthew Johnson’s timely block prevented Box from netting a third for the hosts before the interval. With Billericay boss Gary McCann understandably unhappy with his side, he made two changes at the beginning of the second forty-five. Tommy Davis and Tyrell Miller-Rodney were the two to leave the field, as Emmanuel Moses and Elliott Long replaced them respectively. Those changes would then be followed by a triple swap in personnel in the 75th minute, with Charlie Panton, Ade Azeez, and Ashley Nzala coming on to replace Matthew Johnson, Femi Akinwande, and Jack Paxman. Returning to the action, the early stages of the second-half saw the visitors begin keeping the ball more. Yet despite their possession, they failed to trouble the Dartford defence and, it wasn’t long before goalkeeper Sam Donkin was called into action to pull off two excellent saves to thwart Olly Box (58) and Eddie Dsane (61). However, the second save forced a corner, which Callum Jones reached first to score his ninth goal of the season and Dartford’s third (62). Billericay did respond on this occasion though, but a brilliant block by George Whitefield prevented De’Carry Sheriff from pulling a goal back (68), before Jacob Marsden denied Femi Akinwande shortly afterwards. The result was then sealed by a fine Eddie Dsane finish (72), following superb work by the excellent Callum Jones who had stolen the ball from Matthew Johnson, raced to the byline while fending off the Billericay skipper, before chipping in the perfect ball for his teammate. The Dartford number seven’s performance earned him a thoroughly deserved Man of The Match award this afternoon. The visitors responded via De’Carry Sheriff once again, following good work by Ashley Nzala. But Marsden stood firm to tip the ball behind to secure his ninth clean sheet of the campaign (89), as the Darts went on to leapfrog their opponents in the Isthmian Premier League table after a superb display in Kent.
DARTFORD: Jacob Marsden, Sam Odaudu, Luther Williams, Josh Hill (c), Michael Olarewaju, George Whitefield, Hayden Bullas, Denzelle Olopade, Samir Carruthers, Olly Box, Callum Jones.
SUBSTITUTES: Tyler Christian-Law, Eddie Dsane, Louis Dunne, Josh Atkinson, Jeremiah Pinder.
BILLERICAY TOWN: Sam Donkin, Jay Porter, Matthew Johnson (c), Frankie Merrifield, De’Carry Sheriff, Tommy Davis, Tyrell Miller-Rodney, Femi Akinwande, Jack Paxman, Ben Steward, Bradley Williams.
SUBSTITUTES: Emmanuel Moses, Ade Azeez, Ashley Nzala, Charlie Panton, Elliott Long.
Referee: Dan Blades
Assists: Grant Steel, David Lambert
Att: 1,634
MoTM: Callum Jones
Report by Chris Palmer
Images by Carol White-Griffiths and Peter White
Dartford stretched their unbeaten run to an incredible seventeen league games, after demolishing high-flying Billericay Town in a thrilling encounter at Bericote Powerhouse Princes Park in front of 1,634 supporters. The Darts flew out of the blocks on this beautiful afternoon to take an early lead via a superb drive into the top corner from Olly Box (5). That was followed by a George Whitefield header from Samir Carruthers’ corner in the fifteenth minute, as the hosts put the visitors to the proverbial sword. With the Dartford faithful in full voice, Ady Pennock’s side were in scintillating form, as they seemed to rip open the Billericay defence at every opportunity on the way to an eighth straight win. Not even the loss of Carruthers to injury after just 23 minutes could derail Pennock’s men, nor the loss of Box to injury after the hour. Both Louis Dunne and Eddie Dsane slotted in with ease to replace the duo respectively. The remaining outfield substitutes would also contribute this afternoon, with Tyler Christian-Law coming on for Josh Hill (76) and Jeremiah Pinder replacing Hayden Bullas (82).
Returning to the first-half action, the visitors did gain some minutes of possession before the break, but the Josh Hill-led Dartford defence dealt with everything that came its way. In fact, only Blues’ skipper Matthew Johnson’s timely block prevented Box from netting a third for the hosts before the interval. With Billericay boss Gary McCann understandably unhappy with his side, he made two changes at the beginning of the second forty-five. Tommy Davis and Tyrell Miller-Rodney were the two to leave the field, as Emmanuel Moses and Elliott Long replaced them respectively. Those changes would then be followed by a triple swap in personnel in the 75th minute, with Charlie Panton, Ade Azeez, and Ashley Nzala coming on to replace Matthew Johnson, Femi Akinwande, and Jack Paxman. Returning to the action, the early stages of the second-half saw the visitors begin keeping the ball more. Yet despite their possession, they failed to trouble the Dartford defence and, it wasn’t long before goalkeeper Sam Donkin was called into action to pull off two excellent saves to thwart Olly Box (58) and Eddie Dsane (61). However, the second save forced a corner, which Callum Jones reached first to score his ninth goal of the season and Dartford’s third (62). Billericay did respond on this occasion though, but a brilliant block by George Whitefield prevented De’Carry Sheriff from pulling a goal back (68), before Jacob Marsden denied Femi Akinwande shortly afterwards. The result was then sealed by a fine Eddie Dsane finish (72), following superb work by the excellent Callum Jones who had stolen the ball from Matthew Johnson, raced to the byline while fending off the Billericay skipper, before chipping in the perfect ball for his teammate. The Dartford number seven’s performance earned him a thoroughly deserved Man of The Match award this afternoon. The visitors responded via De’Carry Sheriff once again, following good work by Ashley Nzala. But Marsden stood firm to tip the ball behind to secure his ninth clean sheet of the campaign (89), as the Darts went on to leapfrog their opponents in the Isthmian Premier League table after a superb display in Kent.
DARTFORD: Jacob Marsden, Sam Odaudu, Luther Williams, Josh Hill (c), Michael Olarewaju, George Whitefield, Hayden Bullas, Denzelle Olopade, Samir Carruthers, Olly Box, Callum Jones.
SUBSTITUTES: Tyler Christian-Law, Eddie Dsane, Louis Dunne, Josh Atkinson, Jeremiah Pinder.
BILLERICAY TOWN: Sam Donkin, Jay Porter, Matthew Johnson (c), Frankie Merrifield, De’Carry Sheriff, Tommy Davis, Tyrell Miller-Rodney, Femi Akinwande, Jack Paxman, Ben Steward, Bradley Williams.
SUBSTITUTES: Emmanuel Moses, Ade Azeez, Ashley Nzala, Charlie Panton, Elliott Long.
Referee: Dan Blades
Assists: Grant Steel, David Lambert
Att: 1,634
MoTM: Callum Jones
Report by Chris Palmer
Images by Carol White-Griffiths and Peter White
(c) SportShotz Photography