Dartford 0-2 Hastings United. Arrows inflict Darts' first loss

The East Sussex side stunned the home faithful by taking the lead after 13 minutes through Lee Carey’s third goal of the season before Ade Olorunde headed them into a deserved two goal lead on the half-hour mark with his second of the campaign, which has seen them lose their first four league outings.

But their FA Cup preliminary round replay win at Merstham on Tuesday night, which they won 4-2 after extra time, was the spark they needed to pull off a fine result in Essex today.

The visitors made their intentions known from the first whistle and created the first chance of the game, from their second corner, on 13 minutes.

The impressive left sided winger Russell Eldridge cut back a corner to the onrushing Lee Carey, whose right footed drive from 20-yards, with the Darts defence slow in coming out, flew high over the bar.

That should have been the warning for Tony Burman’s side as the east Sussex side deservedly took the lead on 16 minutes.

Goalkeeper Kevin Hudson failed to prevent John Farley’s header from going out for a corner.

Eldridge’s resulting corner was cut back to Carey, who controlled the ball with his chest before striking the ball into the right hand corner from 20-yards.

Then Ade Olorunda squared the ball to Carey, whose right-footed drive from 30-yards took a deflection past Hudson’s upright.

The stunned league leaders, however, came close after 24 minutes. Anthony Henry pumped forward a long ball aimed at Dave Martin, who latched onto a back pass from Matt Piper but was denied by alert Hastings goalkeeper Will Toal.

Hastings deservedly doubled their lead on the half-hour mark through Ade Olorunda’s looping header.

Eldridge latched onto a diagonal ball down the left hand side and raced into the area. His cross was cut out by Henry, but Elridge nodded the ball to Olorunda, looping a header over Hudson from close range.

The shell-shocked Darts created their only chance of a poor half after 37 minutes when Martin crossed into the middle for eight-goal striker Jay May, but his right-footed shot from 16-yards was straight at Toal.

May exchanged a one-two with strike partner Brendon Cass, but his right-footed shot from 25-yards was just over the bar.

Ade Olorunda’s angled drive from an acute angle brought a full-stretch save from Hudson and at the other end, Martin carved open a chance for himself, after being played in by Tommy Osborne but his shot rolled to Toal, who saved at his near post.

Dartford’s first corner of the game came on 56 minutes when Ryan Briggs’ flag-kick was headed out straight back to him but his low drive was comfortably collected by Toal.

With thirteen minutes remaining Martin’s deep cross from the left was met by a hooked volley from substitute Ryan Hayes, which screamed past the far post.

Hayes’ cross from the right was met on the volley by Martin, but Toal made a brave save at the near post with Cass ready to pounce.

The Darts will be looking to bounce back against Folkestone Invicta in the Westview Cup second round on Tuesday night and gain revenge over Hastings in the first qualifying round of the FA Cup in seven days time.