MATCH REPORT | DULWICH HAMLET 0 DARTFORD 3
Callum Jones scored a brace, as Dartford put three goals past struggling Dulwich Hamlet to remain top of the Isthmian Premier League table with five games left to play.
With 3,334 supporters enjoying the beautiful weather at Champion Hill, the hosts were quick out of the blocks as they bossed the opening exchanges of this encounter.
Having seen Dartford’s Olly Box fire narrowly wide within two minutes of the start, Luke Wanadio forced Jacob Marsden into a good save from his low drive (4).
The former Dart was at it again eight minutes later. Having received the ball from Jerome Binnom-Williams, Wanadio beat Marsden with another low strike, only to see the ball smack back off the upright whereby the Dartford goalkeeper was able to collect it (12).
The visitors responded with a fine effort of their own three minutes later, after Samir Carruthers’ quick free-kick released the excellent Callum Jones. However, his strike was deflected behind and the resulting corner was met by the head of George Whitefield, which was superbly tipped behind by Dillon Barnes (15)!
Dartford took a deserved lead after 23 minutes, when a Sam Odaudu pass found Hayden Bullas just outside the Hamlet area, who pulled the trigger on a delightful strike which left Barnes with no chance.
One should have been two when Barnes spilt the ball into the path of Jones, who set up Olly Box. However, the youngster saw his effort blocked on the line by an alert Hamlet defender (26).
Dartford did get that important second goal twelve minutes later, after Marsden’s long kick was met and kept in by Sam Odaudu. He in turn found Carruthers, who found Jones with a lovely cross to the far post, whereby the Dartford number seven headed home (38).
Callum Jones came close to adding a third soon after the restart, only for Dillon Barnes thwart him following good work by Hayden Bullas (48), before Olly Box fired narrowly wide seconds later.
If Dulwich thought they were still in the game at this point, their hopes were dashed two minutes later when Hayden Bullas intercepted the ball high up the pitch, before releasing Jones… and the Dartford striker didn’t miss, as he cooly fired beyond the hapless Barnes to score his second and Dartford’s third of the afternoon (51).
Samir Carruthers then came close with an effort, which flew narrowly over Barnes’ crossbar (66), before he left the field to be replaced by Jeremiah Pinder, with Eddie Dsane coming on for Olly Box at the same time (67).
Boss Ady Pennock would go on to make just the one further change in personnel late on, with Callum Jones being swapped for Duane Ofori-Acheampong (90).
The excellent Hayden Bullas prevented a one-on-one situation for his goalkeeper by making another timely interception (77), before Sam Odaudu used his strength late on to do the same (90), as Jacob Marsden collected his fourteenth clean sheet of the campaign.
Meanwhile, Callum Jones’ efforts this afternoon means that he is now the Darts’ top goalscorer, with 14 goals in all competitions. With both Olly Box and Eddie Dsane also in double figures, as well as Samir Carruthers on nine goals, the race for the Dartford golden boot is certainly hotting up!
TEAMS
DULWICH HAMLET: Dillon Barnes, Aaron Williams-Bushell, Michael Chambers, Ben Mason, Luke Wanadio, Ryley Scott, Danny Mills, Mark Marshall, David Bremang, Arj Krasniqi, Jerome Binnom-Williams (c).
SUBSTITUTES: Louis Ramsay, Anthony Jeffrey, George Porter, Sean Bonnett-Johnson, Amaru Kaunda.
DARTFORD: Jacob Marsden, Sam Odaudu, Michael Olarewaju, George Whitefield, Josh Hill (c), Samuel Okoye, Hayden Bullas, Denzelle Olopade, Samir Carruthers, Olly Box, Callum Jones.
SUBSTITUTES: Duane Ofori-Acheampong, Tyler Christian-Law, Eddie Dsane, Joseph Kpaka, Jeremiah Pinder.
Chris Palmer
The post MATCH REPORT | DULWICH HAMLET 0 DARTFORD 3 appeared first on Dartford Football Club Official Website.