Dartford will be back in F.A Trophy action on Tuesday night when the try and win a place in the last eight of the competition.

A week ago The Darts were pegged back twice as Wealdstone forced a replay to take the tie back to St George’s Stadium. Pressure from the Dartford attack was rewarded on 27 minutes when The Stones goalkeeper Jonathan North spilt the ball, Danny Harris followed up and put Dartford in front. On the stroke of half time Wealdstone equalised courtesy of Richard Jolly’s header.

Five minutes after the break The Darts were back ahead when substitute Lee Noble speculatively volleyed the ball goal wards from a headed clearance. Noble’s shot took a deflection off Stones defender Alan Massey and the ball nestled in North’s goal. Wealdstone pushed for an equaliser and in the last ten minutes managed a second equaliser with Chris O’Leary’s stunning header hit the underside of the cross bar and went in.

The stalemate was not ideal for both clubs, Tony Burman spoke to PURE DFC after last weeks F.A Trophy tie and said: “We don’t want a replay and I don’t think Wealdstone want a replay either. They are doing well and have got an opportunity in their league but nevertheless that is what we’ve got”.

After a fortnight without a match Burman felt his side’s first half performance was ‘excellent for thirty five minutes’, he added “Wealdstone have had a ten minute spell in the first half where we’ve made some mistakes, gave free kicks away and we’ve been punished. In the second half we’ve taken the lead and to be fair to Wealdstone they have come and had a go, that’s typical cup football. It doesn’t matter who you are playing, a team higher than you or lower than you, that’s how cup football works out”.

On the weekend The Darts suffered disappointment in the Conference South as they were edged out by league leaders Woking. The 1-0 defeat leaves Dartford fourteen points adrift from top spot with two games in hand. Alan Inns yet again scored early on to give The Cards the lead on three minutes, a minute quicker than his opener at Princes Park back in December. The Surrey side held out as Dartford dominated but could not find a breakthrough.

Wealdstone had beetr luck on the weekend with an impressive 5-2 home victory against struggling Aveley. Richard Jolly’s first goal was cancelled out by Aveley’s Troy Powell. Lee Chappell put The Stones back in front to leave the score 2-1 at the break. Spencer Harrison levelled the match again but The Stone pulled away in the final twenty minutes. Kevin Mully was unfortuante enough to score an own goal, Scott Fitzgerald netted a fourth and Jolly made it five with his 32nd goal this season. The Stones are now eighth in the Isthmian Premier League and six points behind the play off zone.

The winners of Tuesday nights replay will face Conference Premier’s Cambridge United or Conference North’s Guiseley who also play on Tuesday.

Team News

Elliot Bradbrook left the field of play after just seven minutes in the last meeting between the sides. Dartford’s captain pulled a hamstring and missed the Woking game on Saturday. Matt Jones also missed the top of the table clash on the weekend when he collided with Wealdstone’s Chris O’Leary. Paul Goodacre returned on Saturday and played against the side he was injured against back in December.

Statistics

Dartford (2nd – Conference South) versus Wealdstone (8th Isthmian Premier)

Current Form (league and cup) – FAT = F.A Trophy / KSC = Kent Senior Cup / AET = After Extra Time

Did you know…

Dartford’s failure to score against Woking was their first blank in the league for 21 games and ended a seven game unbeaten run.

Wealdstone have lost just once in their last 19 competitive fixtures and will playing their ninth F.A Trophy tie this season.

Lee Burns made his 100th start for The Darts in all competitions when he lined up against Wealdstone last week.

It may be third time lucky on Tuesday night if Dartford and Wealdstone manage to complete their F.A Trophy Third Round tie.

The Darts will be eyeing up a Quarter Final spot when they host The Stones in the last sixteen of the F.A Trophy. Having progressed in one cup competition in their last fixture, The Darts will hope to reach the last eight for the first time since 1989. That season the F.A Trophy run ended in the semi-finals to eventual runners up Macclesfield Town.

Preparation for Tuesday night’s game has been restricted due to the poor weather conditions meaning Dartford have yet to play a match this month. The Darts have met Wealdstone four times over the last three and a half seasons with every meeting ending in a draw. You have to go back to 1991 since The Darts last won against The Stones which ended 4-1 at Watling Street.

Lee Burns equalises in the last meeting against Wealdstone at Princes Park

In Dartford’s championship winning season two years ago the two sides played out a 1-1 draw at Princes Park. Chris O’Leary didn’t give fans time to blink when he scored after 47 seconds but a Lee Burns equaliser ensured both sides shared a point. In the return fixture Lee Noble gave The Darts the lead which was cancelled out by Rob Fitzgerald as the scoreline was repeated. Three years ago both sides failed to score in a goalless draw at St George’s Stadium but the earlier meeting at Princes Park ended 2-2 with goals by Rob Haworth and Danny Dafter.

The Darts enter Tuesday’s cup tie a division higher than their opponents. The Stones currently occupy eleventh position in the Isthmian Premier League making them the second lowest team left in the competition. Despite their mid table standing Wealdstone have only been beaten six times in the league only leaders Billericay Town have lost fewer games and conceded less goals.

Managed by Gordon Bartlett and unbeaten in seventeen matches, their 2-0 victory over Tooting and Mitcham on Saturday was their first triumph in the league in five attempts. The Middlesex club’s solid foundations at the back is complimented with a promising strike force. Richard Jolly has scored nine times during the F.A Trophy run so far.

Jolly had scored 117 goals for The Stones in 178 appearances for The Stones before his third spell with the club. This season he rejoined Wealdstone and has netted an incredible 29 goals already in all competitions. Britt Assombalonga had also been a player to watch during The Stones cup run but he has since signed for Braintree Town.

Road To Wembley

Erskine celebrates his hat trick

Second Round

Dartford 4 Boston United 2

For a successive season The darts made it through to the last sixteen with an excellent performance against Conference North side Boston United. Spearheaded by former Premier League striker Jason Lee The Pilgrims could not handle Dartford’s work ethic and passing. Jacob Erskine decided to take the cup tie into his own hands and his audacious back heel opened the scoring early on. The lead was cancelled out when Spencer Weir-Daley nodded in from a corner. The second half came to life when  Erskine somehow flicked in number two. Lee Noble reacted the quickest to make it three before Leon Constantine pulled back a goal for The Pilgrims. It was Erskine completing a well deserved hat trick which sealed the tie and the striker took home the match ball.

Wealdstone 2 AFC Barrow 1

The Stones caused an upset when they beat 2010 F.A Trophy winners AFC Barrow. The Bluebirds took the lead just before half time thanks to Richie Baker. Undeterred Wealdstone fought back in a gripping cup tie. Jolly showed his worth with a superb volley to level the scores. Then on the hour Assombalonga made a name for himself when he was lurking at the far post to smash in the winner.

First Round

Brackley Town 0 Dartford 3

The Darts negotiated their way into round two with a comfortable display in Northamptonshire. Dartford were awarded a dubious penalty which Elliot Bradbrook scored from placing a powerful shot into the top corner. In the second half Lee Burns and Jacob Erskine traded one two’s up the pitch before Erskine curled a delightful shot in off the bar. Erskine then slid in to make it 3-0 and secure Dartford’s passage to round two.

Wealdstone 5 Uxbridge 0

Yet again Wealdstone made home advantage count in some style when they swept aside neighbours Uxbridge who play in the Southern League Division One Central. Once again Jolly took home the match ball with a successive F.A Trophy hat trick but it took 39 minutes for the deadlock to break when Jolly headed in his first. His second came moments later when he finished from an acute angle. Britt Assombalonga put The Stones three ahead with a fine 20 yard strike then followed the strike up with another goal. The fifth came from Jolly as he also tried his luck from distance.

Tom Champion after his goal on Tuesday night

Third Qualifying Round – Replay

Dartford 2 Eastbourne Borough 1

At the second attempt Dartford knocked out Eastbourne Borough in a replay. Tom Champion’s long range effort in the second half was a stunning way to open the scoring. After a second goal from Danny Harris, Eastbourne Borough were awarded a bizarre penalty when two Borough players fell over each other. Former Dart Carl Rook scored a consolation goal which wasn’t enough to complete a comeback.

Wealdstone 4 Banbury United 0

Jolly netted a hat trick to help The Stones cruise into the first round. However the scoring was opened by Chris O’Leary’s volley nineteen minutes into the match. Two minutes later the lead was doubled when O’Leary provided a pass for Jolly who slotted in his first. Jolly scored number three when he received Dyer’s cut back and calmly finished the move. The hat trick was completed when Jolly smacked in Wealdstone’s fourth.

Third Qualifying Round

Eastbourne Borough 0 Dartford 0

Dartford’s F.A Trophy adventures started at Priory Road in blustery conditions. The Darts dominated the first half but had with very few chances. Jacob Erskine powered a header wide and a couple of long range efforts never really tested Clark Masters in the Eastbourne goal. Eastbourne’s Ben Watson squandered a one on one with Louis Wells in the second half and Dartford’s Adam Green hit the woodwork from a swirling cross. James Rogers almost won it in the last minute when his volley was acrobatically cleared off the line.

Banbury United 0 Wealdstone 0

The Stones travelled away from home to draw 0-0 in the third qualifying round against Southern Leaguers Banbury United. Like Dartford at the same stage of the F.A Trophy they were involved in a tense and scrappy affair in blustery conditions. The Stones had to try again and faced their fifth fixture in the competition.

Second Qualifying Round – Replay

Wealdstone 2 Margate 1

Alex Dyer was the hero late on when his winning goal prevented a repeat of the scoreline from the previous match against Margate. Jolly opened the scoring half way from the first period and the one goal advantage was cancelled out on fifty minutes by Kwesi Appiah’s penalty.

Second Qualifying Round

Margate 1 Wealdstone 1

A disappointing game was lit up when Scott Fitzgerald’s cheeky lob at Hartsdown Park earned The Stones a replay. Margate had earlier taken the lead when former Dartford defender Richard Avery smashed in a loose ball to give the Kent club the lead.

First Qualifying Round

Wealdstone 3 Tooting and Mitcham 0

The Stones started their campaign back in October by easing passed fellow league side Tooting and Mitcham. Wes Parker opened the scoring with a header before the break and a penalty was tucked away by Scott Fitzgerald to give Wealdstone a two goal lead at half time. A third was added by Richard Jolly whose excellent control and strength staved off the defender and he slotted home.

Statistics

Dartford (2nd – Conference South) versus Wealdstone (11th Isthmian Premier)

Current Form (league and cup) – FAT = F.A Trophy

F.A Trophy Performances

Did you know…

At this stage 23 years ago Dartford defeated Bishop Auckland 2-0 at Watling Street.

Wealdstone were name dropped in our last F.A Trophy ‘did you know’ because they beat Boston United in the 1984/85 final. More interestingly The Stones were the first ever side to complete the non league double of winning the top league (then known as the Gola League) and the F.A Trophy.

The Stones took part in the first ever televised broadcast of a football match in 1946 versus Barnet in the Athenian League. They were also involved in the first showing of a F.A Cup tie in 1949 when they played Colchester United.

Out of the sixteen teams remaining, 10 play in the Conference National, 2 take part in the Conference South, 1 club plays in the Conference North, 2 compete in the Isthmian Premier and 1 in the Northern Premier League