Dartford 3 Tonbridge 0

Match 59/19/1781 - Saturday, 28th December 2019 - National South

Dartford (1) 3 McQueen 27 Romain 68 Sheringham 90+3
Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Attendance: 1,239

Admission: Pass
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 64/4,614

Since the start of the season and a narrow defeat at home to Dulwich, I and many others have made the comment that nobody has really turned Tonbridge over, unfortunately that comment is no more, Dartford well and truly turned us over.

Dartford fielded a side that showed just one player from that Tuesday evening in early September when the Angels 3-2 victory ended the reign of Jamie Coyle and Adam Flanagan at Princes Park. That Dartford side were a shambles, this one was one, if not the, best sides we have played this season.

Tonbridge were on the back foot from the outset with Jack Parter clearing Elliott Romain’s header from the line after five minutes.

Dartford continued to hold the momentum with a penalty claim after Darren McQueen had been brought down. Meanwhile, Tonbridge were literally barely getting out of their own half, let alone threatening the home goal.

The opening goal, that had been a long time coming, was scored after 27 minutes when a long ball over the top was seized upon by Tyrique Hyde whose initial effort was blocked but the rebound fell for McQueen to fire into the roof of the net.

The one-way traffic continued and a clearance from the line was once more required to deny Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong.

After 41 minutes, Tonbridge finally registered a shot on target, albeit that Jared Small’s effort was little more than fielding practice for the Darts’ goalkeeper, Alhaji Sesay.

A minute later, Dartford struck the post when Romain’s low shot stayed out after hitting the inside of the woodwork and rebounding across the face of the goal. Tonbridge were somehow still in the game at half-time with a single goal deficit with both sets of supporters wondering how.

With, what could only have been a half-time rollicking from Steve McKimm ringing in their ears, Tonbridge came out and, for a 20 minute period, looked to be competitive and threatening with Small actually bringing a meaningful save out of Sesay with a couple of minutes gone.

The game was quite end-to-end and hopes were beginning to rise but these came crashng to earth when Romain was allowed to run with the ball before unleashing a fierce 25-yarder into the bottom corner to double Dartford’s advantage.

That was probably it and it took the sting out of the game as Dartford easily contained any threat from their visitors and seemed content with what they had. But a curious incident with a couple of minutes remaining might well have set up a grandstand finish. A seemingly innocuous challenge from Khale Da Costa on Sesay sparked a melee in which the Dartford central defender Josh Hill push a Tonbridge player to the ground with the referee brandishing a red card in his direction in lightening fashion. Tonbridge contended that the offence should result in a penalty but the referee gave a free kick to Dartford for the initial offence from which he appeared to have played on.

With Tonbridge throwing Sonny Miles forward in search of a consolation, a right wing surge from Luke Wanadio ended with a pull back from the bye-line offering Charlie Sheringham a tap-in for Dartford’s third. Sheringham and Wanadio coming off the bench really highlighted the differences in resources between the clubs.

After the Boxing Day postponement of the derby day fixture against Maidstone United and this defeat, it has not been a Christmas to remember for the Angels.