Dartford 3-3 Canvey Island (9-8 pens) - Darts keep their nerve to book Leiston trip

But Andrew Young, criticised recently by a small minority on the Darts forum, proved his worth with a brilliant save, turning Matt Game’s kick onto his right hand post to keep the contest alive, before Canvey substitute Jason Hallett steered his side’s 10th kick wide of the same post.

In a repeat of Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Canvey, where Tony Burman said his side were the better side, it was the visitors who took the lead with the first real chance of the match.

Tom Champion appeared to have won the ball fairly 25 yards out, but after a free kick was controversially awarded, the Darts didn’t clear the danger from that or the resulting corner.

Canvey’s last minute hero, Rob King ended up putting a hopeful ball back into the home area, where Frank Everett was given the freedom of the box to put a header past Young into the bottom corner.

Dartford hit back immediately through Danny Harris’ fourth goal of the season.

Harris, a pre-match doubt, glanced a header home from 6 yards, after Ryan Hayes had headed Tom Bonner’s long cross back into the danger area. 

This seemed to settle the home side and a good flowing move led to a corner, from which Harris flicked a header just past the back post.

Dartford’s pressure paid off five minutes before half-time, when Carl Rook was crudely wrestled to the ground by Steve Ward, having smartly turned his marker in the area. 

Hayes stepped up to take the resulting penalty, but unlike Saturday when Hayes equalised, Canvey’s James Russell pulled off a full length save to his right.  Hayes was quickest to the rebound, but having rounded the prone keeper, lost control and Rook pounced to fire home for his third of the season.

Canvey started the second half looking for a way back into the game and Bonner somehow got a block on King’s early shot at a vacant net.  But the game turned in a 10 minute spell that saw 2 goals and 2 key substitutions.

First, Dartford lost Champion to injury, who along with Paul Goodacre had been the dominant force in the Darts’ defence.  

Hayes was then lucky to get a chance to cross the ball in, as his original corner was overhit and somehow Elliot Bradbrook’s lunging retrieving volley found its way back across field to the winger.  Goodacre then capitalised on Hayes’ 2nd attempt, powering a header off the back post to give Dartford a 3-1 lead.

If the home fans thought this was a sign to relax and celebrate, Alex Rhodes soon dampened the atmosphere drilling a low shot through the crowd and into the far corner of Young’s net. 

With this goal, Canvey threw on striker Jason Hallett, who was to be the main influence on the remainder of the game.

Hallett soon caused problems for the Darts’ defence, drawing a free-kick 25 yards out, which King crashed onto the angle of post and bar.  Young, helpless at the free kick, had to be brave to deny John Curran from close range, but the pressure was beginning to tell.

Canvey’s equaliser was due to more hesitancy in the Dartford defence.

Curran took possession in the middle of the park, and had time to look up and loft a ball behind the full back for Rhodes to run onto.  Rhodes burst past Bonner with his first touch and with his second calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner past the advancing Young.

As the 90 minutes came to an end, both sides had chances to score the decider; Charlie Sheringham’s shot was blocked by Ashley Dumas, Rook headed over from distance and Young was grateful that and Everett header looped into his arms while still grounded from saving Heale’s shot.

Both periods of extra-time were cagey affairs with both sides looking more afraid of making the crucial mistake and losing the game, rather than looking for the winner. 

Canvey probably had the best chances, through that man Hallett, who crashed a left foot volley against the face of Young’s bar, then toe-poked wide at the end of the first period. 

Whereas for Dartford, Rook saw a header fly over, and Sheringham couldn’t get a full contact onto a Hayes cross.

And so to the spot-kicks!  Burman later admitted that he’d never seen so many well taken penalties, but after Sheringham, Bradbrook, White, Hayes and Harris had all scored for Dartford, with replies from King, Davidson, Dumas, Rhodes and Heale for Canvey, it came down to the rest.

Joe Bruce stepped up and although he sent Russell the wrong way, his kick clipped the top of the bar. 

Game, with a chance to win it, saw Young brilliantly save his effort – the only save of the competition. 

The Canvey players were so convinced that the ball had gone in, that they were well on their way to celebrate before realising things weren’t over yet.

Soon it was 6-all, with Burchell and Isa scoring, although Russell could only parry Burchell’s effort into the corner; 7-all through Bonner and Ward; then 8-all after Gross and Moore scored.  Goodacre then fired his penalty home, before Hallett fired wide of Young’s right hand post to spark the Dartford celebrations.

For those who looked away from the celebrations through, the true spirit of the competition could be seen as skipper Bradbrook stayed to commiserate with the devastated Canvey players, while on the touchline, both Burman and Paul Sawyer were first into the Canvey dugout with the visiting management team.

As Burman admitted after the game, his side hadn’t played well on the night but probably deserved to win overall having played so well the previous Saturday.

Reaction from Burman will follow later on in the week.

Dartford: Andrew Young, Joe Bruce, Tom Bonner, Tom Champion (Adam Gross 57), Paul Goodacre, Michael Shinn (Charlie Sheringham 80), Ryan Hayes, James White, Danny Harris, Carl Rook (Adam Burchell 109), Elliot Bradbrook.
Subs: Lee Burns, Lee Noble, Oliver Berquez, John Whitehouse.

Goals: Danny Harris 21, Carl Rook 40, Paul Goodacre 64

Booked: Paul Goodacre 23

Penalty Shoot out:
Charlie Sheringham (scored)
Elliot Bradbrook (scored)
James White (scored)
Ryan Hayes (scored)
Danny Harris (scored)
Joe Bruce (missed)
Adam Burchell (scored)
Tom Bonner (scored)
Adam Gross (scored)
Paul Goodacre (scored)

Canvey Island: James Russell, Frank Everett (Craig Davidson 117), Ashley Dumas, Kevin Dobbinson (Jason Hallett 68), Chris Moore, Steve Ward, Rob King, Matt Game, John Curran (Hussain Isa 112), Danny Heale, Alex Rhodes.
Subs: Andrew West, John Easterford, Jon Golacki, Ellis Skidmore.

Goals: Frank Everett 17, Alex Rhodes 67, 75

Booked: Steve Ward 39

Penalty Shoot out:
Rob King (scored)
Craig Davidson (scored)
Ashley Dumas (scored)
Alex Rhodes (scored)
Danny Heale (scored)
Matt Game (saved)
Hussain Isa (scored)
Steve Ward (scored)
Chris Moore (scored)
Jason Hallett (missed)

Attendance: 665
Referee: Mr David Spain
Assistants: Mr Mark Graves & Mr Mike Marsh