The Darts Regenerated - A Dartford Story

Update Soon!!!

December: Leading at half-time!

The Results

Dorchester 3 - Dartford 2

Losing this game was very disappointing as we dominated the biggest part of it. We were leading 2-1 at the 51st minute and the referee gave them a harsh penalty. They scored and after that we didn't seem to play as well as we done so far. The players were tired and the mental was beginning to be really low at the worst part of the season. After the game nobody had a moral higher than fairly poor and I was really afraid of the effect it could have with the long series of game which was coming.

Dartford 1 - Dover 1 (FA Trophy)

What could have been worse than that? Getting a draw meant that we will have a replay 4 days later. I should have give up the game after Reeney stupid red card (which gave him 3 match bans, but his absence is now extended because he manage to injure himself in a friendly with the reserves!). We were losing 1-0 and finally equalized by Murphy, but getting the draw was lucky (or unlucky) as Dover dominated the game.

Dover 0 - Dartford 3 (FA Trophy)

So now that we got that replay we are not going to let down this competition but I'm really, really afraid before this game. We have 7 players injured and all the team is tired (I had to make two changes before half-time and couldn't make more at the 50th minute), I think it's time for Dover to get there revenge from the 3-0 lose in League.
And they seem good, they are dominating, they are playing well...still 0-0 after half an hour, we are lucky but can the players fight off for one hour more? And they could be extra-time! This is a nightmare...
39th minute: Good move now, this could actually be a goal! Yeah! Dixion scores!!!!!!!!!!!!
45th minute: Nice free-kick just before half-time. If we could score now it would be perfect, oh! DIXION AGAIN!!!
In the second half we had only one objective: handle our lead and keeping everyone fresh. Our only chance to score was on set pieces and it was on a corner that Tshepe ensured our victory.

Dartford 3 - Weston-Super-Mare 1

So can we keep going three days later? Again a lot of players out and the team morale is still low. We didn't play the greatest football ever but a header from Hervé Lecuras on a corner and two goals from the man in form, Derek Dixion, was enough to secure three more points and keep the six point ahead of Salisbury.

Bromley 0 - Dartford 5

Let the Dixion show begin! Today he scored three, created Turner own-goal and had the assist for Spring incredible goal. He was the key of our domination and we can't really say if Bromley, 5th before the game, were disappointing or just outdone by our display.

Sutton United 2 - Dartford 1

So we played two days ago against the 5th place team, now we are going to play the 6th knowing that in three days we will receive the league second Salisbury, our biggest opponent for direct promotion. And two days after there is also a game Hornchurch. All this when the team is awesomely tired and need a rest.
I gave them that rest and decide that even if the game at Sutton was a tricky one I want take any risk. It was a B team who played against them and I would have been ecstatic with a draw. They scored first but we came back at the start of the second half with a great goal for Pirrie, is first for the club. All the game was absolutely dominated by Sutton and we were heroic defensively until the 91th minute and 58 seconds, Evans touching the post and Groves managing to be exactly at the right place to push the ball in the open goal.

Dartford 3 - Salisbury 1

After losing against Sutton we had only three points more than Salisbury and it was the perfect occasion for them to level on points.
Even if I still had several players injured, I was pleased with the line-up I manage to fit in my 5-1-5. Murphy was back as a striker after several game on the wings and he had an immediate effect scoring the opener after 5 minutes. The game was rather balanced but I was a bit worried when they equalized at the start of the second half. Still for the same reason, the fatigue. But once again they reacted well and it was Murphy who scored again, giving us the lead. On a Prior corner, Knock manage to get his first goal of the season. This month set piece were very important for us, I didn't train my players to that but we got a lot of important goals on them. This one ensure our victory that gave us a new six points lead on Salisbury.

Knock Knock, who's there? Dartford is and we're going up.

2013-04-30 18:24#96610 Toon : Knock Knock, who's there? Dartford is and we're going up.

Hahaha

December: Leading at half-time

Month Overview

I'm very happy with this month. We won 4 of our 7 games, losing only two, and we are still first of the league with 6 points more than Salisbury after 23 games.
I was afraid that this month was the one where we would lose our lead because I felt all the team was tired and we played a lot. And the first game did not reassure me, we lost it when all the team was tired and I couldn't make any more changes.
The next game against Dover in FA Trophy also was disappointing because it was a draw and that mean a replay three days later. But finally I was happy with the results, the lose against Sutton wasn't a big surprise as I rotated the squad.

Player of the Month

Derek Dixion
My favourite wonderkid was once again fabulous and I was very surprise he wasn't even in the three Blue Square Bet South Players of the Month. In league, he scored five goals and created two others. He also scored two in the FA Trophy replay against Dover.

Next Month

Six games are planned next month and there could be one more if we get a replay against Blue Square Bet Premier leaders, Luton, in FA Trophy second round.

Another great month, the title will be yours

You're doing brilliantly, the league will be your's!

You should be able to continue your run of form mate, keep it up.

Thank you guys

After losing 4-1 to Bath, Dartford's manager Alex Sonwild can't explain how his players performed so badly.
"After losing to Hornchurch last week (2-0), we were finishing a long row of hard games and the team was tired so I wasn't as upset as today. Bath is a good team, we knew it, last timrthey won 3-1 against us (in August), and we had well prepared this game. We still had some player injured but the team we started with was one of the best I could line-up and I really don't understand how we didn't manage to do better."

Bath scored two in the first seven minutes and a great free-kick from Gary Orchard put them three goals up at half-time. They also started the second half with one player more than the Darts as Cassim Banton got sent-off at the 44th minute...for is second yellow card in 4 minutes.
"I don't think Cassim should have been given the first card, said Sonwild, but after that he should have been carefull and his second foul was unacceptable. Otherwise, Cassim will be back in the team as soon as possible, he is an important element of our team and I don't plan to sanction him more than the FA will do."

The second half went from bad to worse for the Darts, conceding a 4th goal, the second from Orchard, after only two minutes. Striker Mike Reeney was then forced to go out on injury and his substitute Zeid Taïder didn't stay long either, being injured too after only 20 minutes on the pitch.
If Taïder could be back for the next game, news are not so good for Reeney who is out until the end of the season and this is a very bad news for Dartford.
The 30 year old Englishman was Sonwild first signing as a manager and he scored 12 goals in 17 league games for the Darts.

The good new for Sonwild mens is that Salisbury drew 1-1 with Billericay and stay two points behind. For one hour Salisbury was on the top of Blue Square Bet Sout but a great effort from Nightingal with 15 minutes left on the clock saved Dartford. Champions Luck?

Yay, it's back!

Well at least you're still top! Although barely

That wasn't really a good update, game-wise, not quality wise
Good to see you back, Alex. Dartford is still on top, but you've got to correct your form. We don't need playoffs, we'll be headed to the BSP as champions!

It's back


Tough luck on that game, but now you've gotta kick on and end the season as champions!

Good to see you back Alex. Tough result but a great update and you're hanging on to that first place spot!

Thanks guys for the support Don't worry we will be Champions!