Dartford 0-3 Crystal Palace

The Championship club opened the scoring after 16 minutes through Carl Fletcher, before doubling the lead nine minutes into the second half with Stuart Green beating Tony Kessell.

And the Eagles netted a flattering third late on, when Paul Ilfil netted past substitute goalkeeper James Tedder.

Crystal Palace created their first chance after just 185 seconds of this pre-season friendly when Victor Moses cut in from the left, but his fierce drive was blocked by the advancing Kessell.

Dougie Freedman showed his class after seven minutes when he burst forward, and with the Darts’ defence backing off, his right-footed shot from 20-yards, was tipped around the left post by the highly-rated former Folkestone Invicta stopper.

But the Championship side deservedly opened the scoring after 16 minutes when Lewis Graham ran at the hosts’ defence, cut inside and rolled the ball square to central midfielder Carl Fletcher.

Fletcher thumped a 25-yard right-footed drive that gave Kessell no chance as it flashed into the bottom right-hand corner.

Dartford, playing just Jay May up front, in a defensive 4-5-1 formation, created their only chance of the first half, four minutes later.

Ryan Hayes’s trickery, when he twisted and turned on the right, allowed the former Slade Green winger to send over a far post cross to May, but the former Tonbridge Angels striker headed agonisingly over from just three-yards out.

Another chance fell the Eagles’ way when the impressive Moses slipped the ball to Lewis Graham, and with the Darts defence backing off again, his left-footed shot flew over from 16-yards.

Slack defending from Alex O’Brien, a holding midfielder signed during the summer from Tonbridge Angels, saw him dwell on the ball before losing his footing - and the ball - to Graham, which gave the south Londoners another chance.

Graham played in Moses on the right and his far-post cross was met by a looping header by Shefri Kuqi, which was plucked out of the air by Kessell.

Fletcher curled a low shot past the foot of the far post as the Eagles dominated the first half.

Darts’ central midfielder, Eddie McClements was penalised for a foul on Fletcher from behind, and Danny Butterfield sent his right-footed free-kick from twenty-yards just over.

Crystal Palace made ten changes at the interval, which included former Dartford star winger, Dave Martin.

The former Slade Green winger signed for the Selhurst Park outfit last January, for a £25,000 transfer fee - and tonight’s friendly thrown in.

Dartford reverted to their usual 4-4-2 formation for the second half, as Brendon Cass, who scored 30 goals last season, replaced Jamie Coyle, who played in an unfamiliar central midfield role.

The impressive Stuart Green created the visitors’ first chance of the second half when his right-footed effort from 25-yards dipped just over Kessell’s bar.

Then, at the other end, Hayes tried his luck from long-range, only to see his left-footed drive flash past the foot of the right post.

Kessell made a smart low save to thwart Ben Watson, who tried his luck from 25-yards.

But Crystal Palace doubled their lead after 56 minutes when Green’s right-footed drive from 25-yards trickled past a diving Kessell, to find the bottom left-hand corner.

Kessell, however, made amends soon after, acrobatically tipping over Green’s right-footed shot from 25-yards.

But with their side 2-0 down, Darts fans were still in full voice and gave their former manager, Peter Taylor an emotional reception.

Taylor was making his first visit to Dartford since leaving the club seventeen years ago.

Martin’s first effort on goal, after Dartford made a double change, arrived after 67 minutes, but his 30-yard shot rolled straight into Kessell’s grateful arms.

But Palace were desperately unlucky a minute later, when Paul Ilfil’s glancing header from eight-yards, clipped the top of the far post, after Martin’s cross from the left.

And Martin, who switched from the left flank to the right, skimmed Dartford’s crossbar with fourteen minutes remaining, after the Ryman League Division One North side had replaced Kessell with James Tedder.

Cass should have done better for Dartford but he blazed his right-footed shot high over Julian Speroni’s crossbar late on.

And Ifil went close again when his low shot flashed agonisingly past the foot of the far post.

But he netted a flattering third in the 89^th minute when he leapt to head Green’s far-post cross into the top left hand corner from just three-yards.

Dartford manager Tony Burman said afterwards that striker Jay May had “gone over on his ankle” and that it had “swollen up.”

He’s expected to sit out the Darts next friendly, at Kent League side Tunbridge Wells next Tuesday.

Dartford: Tony Kessell (James Tedder 76), Tommy Osborne (Tommy Youle 83), Steve Norman, Adam Flanagan, John Guest, Alex O’Brien, Jamie Coyle (Brendon Cass 45), Jay May (Jack Roberts 55), Rikki Cable (Jamie Lawrence 83), Eddie Clements (Brad Potter 66), Ryan Hayes (Mark Green 66).

Crystal Palace: Scott Flinders (Julian Speroni 45), Danny Butterfield (Matthew Lawrence 45), Lee Hills (Tony Craig 45), Moses Swaibu, Mark Hudson (Leon Cort 45), Lewis Grabban (Stuart Green 45), Tom Soares (Ben Watson 45), Carl Fletcher (John Bastock 45), Victor Moses (Dave Martin 45), Dougie Freedman (James Scrowfield 45), Shefri Kuqi (Paul Ifil 45).

Subs: Ryan Hall, Ben Kudjudi, James Dayton, David Wilkinson.

Goals: Carl Fletcher 16, Stuart Green 56, Paul Ilfil 89

Attendance: 4,100
Referee: Mr Steve Bennett (Orpington)
Assistants: Mr Ian Fissenden & Mr Constantine Hatzidakis