The Darts face an important trip to Woking on Saturday aiming to extend the gap on the bottom four of the Conference Premier.
Dartford sit four places above the Cards with a four point cushion. Victory on the weekend will keep their Surrey opponents in the relegation zone.
Over the last two season’s there has been little to choose between both sides. Woking beat the Darts to the Conference South title in 2012 whilst Dartford edged the Cards last season to finish as the best part timers.
Dartford have continued to struggle on the road and have to go back to the end of August for their only league triumph. The story was much the same on the weekend as Tony Burman’s depleted squad stumbled out of the F.A Cup at Salisbury City. Reverting to a 4-3-3 formation the Darts failed to get to grips and found themselves 3-0 down by half time. Burman spoke to BBC Radio Kent and said: ”There was some kamikaze defending. It was schoolboy stuff. It wasn’t anything to do with the back four as a unit, but individually it was dreadful defending”. Lee Burns pulled a goal back with an excellently taken volley and after Salisbury City netted a fourth Max Cornhill notched a last minute consolation.
Woking had a weekend off as they were not involved in F.A Cup first round action. The Surrey side have the second worst home record in the Conference Premier this term, picking up their only home win at the end of September. Garry Hill’s team were beaten 2-1 in their last fixture at the Kingfield Stadium by a ninetieth minute goal from Grimsby Town. Kevin Betsy’s equaliser fell either side of Ross Hannah’s first minute strike and Craig Disley’s last gasp stunner.
Last season the two clubs met on a Tuesday night with the Conference Premier clash turning a little feisty. Lee Noble was sent off after two cautions and with the Darts almost holding on, their hard work was undone by a contentious late penalty. After the fracas between players died down, Giuseppe Sole scored from the spot with eight minutes remaining to earn Woking a 1-0 win.
Garry Hill has identified his attacking options need strengthening. Scott Rendell arrived from Luton Town and has credentials at this level, scoring the winner to knock Premier League side Norwich City out of the F.A Cup last season. The 27 year old joined in September and has managed three goals in nine league starts. More recently, Fulham winger Charles Banya has a month to gain experience and 19 year old striker Jack Marriott joins from Championship outfit Ipswich Town.
Team News
Tyrone Sterling and Jason Prior returned to action in Saturday’s defeat at Salisbury. The pair came off the substitute’s bench in the second half. Sterling replaced an injured Lee Noble, who missed the last league fixture at Forest Green Rovers. Elliot Bradbrook travelled with the squad despite suffering from cracked ribs, the Dartford captain was passed unfit and will be assessed again before Tuesday’s match. Strikers Matthew Godden and Adam Birchall can return after sitting out the F.A Cup tie to prevent them getting cup tied for their parent clubs. Matthew Fry, Kenny Clark and Lee Noble are all one caution away from picking up a one match ban.
Brett Johnson is the only long term absentee for the Cards. Youngster, Charles Banya made his début against Grimsby Town which ended in a 2-1 loss.
Head to Head
Woking wins: 3 / Dartford wins: 3 / Draws 1
Current League Form
Woking (LLDDDW)
Dartford (LWDDLW)
Grimsby Town
H
1-2
Forest Green Rovers
A
0-1
Wrexham
A
0-2
Hyde
H
4-3
FC Halifax Town
H
0-0
Hereford United
A
2-2
Barnet
H
0-0
Salisbury City
H
1-1
Southport
A
1-1
Gateshead
A
0-2
Nuneaton Town
H
2-0
Southport
H
1-0
Last League Meeting at The Kingfield Stadium
14 August 2012 – Woking 1 Dartford 0 – Att: 1846
Goalscorers: Sole (82 pen)
The Cards Lineup: Howe, Newton, Cestor, Johnson, McNerney, Ricketts, Sawyer, Betsy, Pires, Bubb, Williams (subs used: Sinclair, McCullum, Sole)
The Darts Lineup: Wells, Burns, Bonner, Arber, Green, Noble, Champion, Bradbrook, Rogers, Erskine, Harris (subs used: Rose, Collier, Crawford)
Match Stats
Previous Meetings (* – F.A Cup)
01.04.2013
Dartford
4
Woking
1
14.08.2012
Woking
1
Dartford
0
18.02.2012
Woking
1
Dartford
0
13.12.2011
Dartford
2
Woking
3
09.04.2011
Dartford
3
Woking
2
27.11.2010
Woking
2
Dartford
2
21.10.1972*
Dartford
3
Woking
2
Stats (taken from bbc.co.uk)
2 – Only two players who featured in Dartford’s last league outing featured in this fixture last season. Lee Burns started the last time he visited the Kingfield Stadium whilst Nathan Collier came off the bench.
7 – The number of different goalscorers for Woking in Conference Premier games this season. Only Hyde have fewer number of players scoring (5).
11 – Woking have conceded 11 goals between 16 and 30 minutes, more than any other Conference Premier club this season.
14 – Dartford have conceded the most goals this season fifteen minutes either side of half time.
52% – The percentage of attempts at goal on target for the Darts, only matched by Gateshead and Kidderminster Harriers, a league high.
59 – Dartford have had just 59 shots off target, a Conference Premier low this term. However, only Chester have had fewer attempts at goal.
Five of the seven meetings between the two clubs have featured four goals or more. When these sides meet they average 3.71 goals per game