MATCH PREVIEW: Horsham v Dartford

Dartford aim to maintain a top five place and continue their unbeaten run when they return to Sussex to face Horsham on Tuesday night.

The Darts can go ten league games without defeat if they pick up at least a point at Worthing Road, their best set of results since Adrian Pennock took charge. In that time Dartford have picked up four victories with only one of those on the road. The Darts won their last Isthmian Premier fixture away from Princes Park and since then they have taken four more points at home to occupy the final playoff spot. So tight is the current standings that if Horsham win their two games in hand over Pennock’s side they will go two points ahead of the Darts, yet the Hornets are currently down in thirteenth place.

For a third league away game in a row, Dartford travel to Sussex. In fact, four of the last five Isthmian Premier encounters have been against teams from the county and so far, Dartford have picked up ten points from those games beating Lewes, Hastings United, Bognor Regis Town and drawing with Chichester City.

The Darts have also enjoyed their last two visits to Horsham at two different venues. Just over five years ago they were drawn together in the F.A Cup second qualifying round. Two months into their new stadium on Worthing Road, the Hornets were knocked out by Dartford under interim manager Tony Burman at the time. Late goals in either half from Darren McQueen and Luke Allen secured a 2-0 away win for the Kent side.

Match Highlights courtesy of sonytino

Burman was also in charge for the last league outing back in March 2010. Heading towards the Isthmian Premier League title, Dartford came home with all three points from Gorings Mead. As early as five minutes, Elliot Bradbrook put the visitors ahead from close range. Ryan Hayes set up the first and supplied Allan Tait for the second. Bradbrook tidily finished for the third before Pat Harding scored a consolation for the Hornets.

On the weekend, Dartford found themselves in control, lost a lead and salvaged a point against Dulwich Hamlet. An unchanged side for the third consecutive match saw a fifth draw in the last nine league outings. Callum Jones opened the scoring with his first goal since late September, a run of 13 appearances. On the stroke of half-time, former Dart, Luke Wanadio came back to haunt his old side again with the equaliser. The forward also scored the winner to knock Dartford out of the F.A Trophy earlier this season. Hamlet took the lead in the second half when Ralfi Hand put the visitors in front. Once again, Olly Box took centre stage with a leveller and his fifth goal in his last six starts. Although the Darts created enough opportunities to build a first-half lead they were unable to convert their chances. However, the side showed character to rescue a point and keep hold of their unbeaten run.

Tyler Christian-Law and Eddie Dsane were both unused substitutes on the weekend. If involved in the midweek fixture at Horsham they will be up against one of their former teams. Christian-Law joined the Hornets in November 2022 and departed three months later. Dsane had two spells at Horsham joining in September 2020 then again in November 2022, having played for Margate in between.

Horsham dropped out of the Isthmian Premier two years later sinking to the Southern Combination Premier by 2015. The Sussex club bounced back straight away with the title at the first attempt and took another three seasons to return to where they are now. Last term was historic for the Hornets despite losing the playoff semi-final. Horsham recorded their highest ever league finish, reached the F.A Cup second round for the second time in their history and won the Sussex Senior Cup.

Although Dominic Di Paola’s team haven’t reached the heights of last term, they remain strong at home and have put decent cup runs together. On their own patch they have breezed past strugglers Whitehawk as well as Bowers and Pitsea. Add another two wins over fellow county sides Chichester City and Lewes and a triumph over Potters Bar Town, the Hornets could feel confident ahead of their weekend clash with Cheshunt.

That confidence came through on Saturday thanks to a former Dartford striker bagging a hat-trick. Chris Dickson scored three goals in eight appearances for the Darts during the 2020/2021 campaign. The 3-1 victory over Cheshunt put the disappointment of the F.A Trophy exit a week ago behind the Hornets. Dickson will turn 40 years-old next week and he opened the scoring from the penalty spot. He doubled the lead five minutes after the break and missed a penalty with the score at 2-1. However, Dickson was determined to take home the match ball, and he secured it with his third of the afternoon. Victory was the Hornets second in a row at home in the Isthmian Premier having put five past Bowers and Pitsea at the end of November.

Current League Form

Head to Head

Dartford wins: 6 / Horsham wins: 2 / Draws: 2

Previous Meetings

Horsham 0 – 2 Dartford (21/09/2019 – F.A Cup)
Horsham 1 – 3 Dartford (18/03/2010 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 3 – 2 Horsham (15/08/2009 – Isthmian Premier)
Horsham 3 – 2 Dartford (18/02/2009 – Isthmian League Cup)
Horsham 0 – 3 Dartford (24/01/2009 – Isthmian Premier)
Dartford 4 – 0 Horsham (20/09/2008 – Isthmian Premier)

Statistics

• Dartford have won five of the last six games against Horsham in all competitions (D1)
• The Darts have won the last two games at Horsham
• Dartford are four league games unbeaten on the road (W1, D3), their longest unbeaten away run since September/October 2022

On This Day

Dave Tarpey scored a stunning goal that went viral on this day as the Darts were humbled 5-0 at Maidenhead United. The striker went on to get a hat-trick in that game and the Magpies ended up as the 2016/2017 National South champions. That was Dartford’s only other defeat in 16 matches on 17 December. The biggest win on this day came in 1988 when Peter Taylor’s side beat Moor Green 5-1 in the Southern Premier League at Watling Street. Whilst the last away victory on 17 December was in 1964 in a Kent Floodlight League fixture against Deal Town, the Darts won 3-1.

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