CLINICAL DARTS KEEP IN TOUCH
By Mike Brett-Smith
DARFORD 4 CANVEY ISLAND 0
Noble 16, Flanagan 51 pen,
Haworth 61, Hayes Att; 1053
Darts returned to form with a victory over Canvey Island which was witnessed by a disappointingly ‘low’ and generally mute gate of just over one thousand as Canvey succomed to their usual drubbing against their Kentish hosts!
There were a couple of pluses for the visitors. Obviously playing in the excellent Princes Park stadium was one of them and the other was the way the visiting support out voiced their larger (numerically) opposite numbers.
The game got off to the customary start with Darts attacking the Academy End and the visitors shading the early possession. Whereas Darts usually concede an early goal to a nothing free-kick which finds the only open spot in the defensive set-up it was Darts who struck first when the ebullient Lee Noble latched on to a pass inside from the left and fired briskly home with a shot which took a slight deflection.
From then on Darts held sway with play which became more and more exuberant as the game wore on. On the left Lee Noble and Bradley Woods-Garness were forging a good partnership until it was broken up by the withdrawal of the latter after the umpteenth heavy tackle from behind.
Meanwhile Ryan Hayes had taken it in mind to give a vintage performance which included the full gamut from intricate dancing to outrageous long-range strikes at goal. Elsewhere everybody was chipping in with telling contribution which made this a satisfying team effort.
Sis minutes into the second Darts doubled their advantage when Ryan Hayes was pulled back in the Canvey penalty area allowing skipper Adam Flanagan to score from the spot with clinical ease. A flurry of activity ten minutes later saw goals three and four come in quick time.
First Lee Noble robbed a defender to lay in a low cross for Rob Haworth to turn into the net with his trade mark ‘all body’ sweeping/sliding finish. Then Ryan Hayes set the game alight with a goal which beggars description and only he could score – a sort of high speed chip-cum-lob-cum-volley
to round off an enjoyable afternoon.
Dartford Young, Osborne, Gross, Flanagan, Coyle, Dafter (White 76), Hayes, Day, Haworth), Bradley Woods-Garness (Carley 41).Noble (Butterworth 73) Subs not used – May and Ibrahim.
