Darts expect another stern fitness test against Gills

Sunday 12th July 2009

DARTFORD continue their pre-season programme against Coca Cola League One opposition when Gillingham visit Princes Park on Tuesday night, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Darts succumbed to a 7-2 home defeat to Gills’ rivals Norwich City on Saturday, although the Ryman Premier League title chasing side performed better than the score line suggests.

Lee Noble, who later went off injured despite playing with a badly bruised foot, cancelled out Michael Nelson’s third minute opener, after ten minutes and he, Ryan Hayes and James White impressed for the depleted Kent side.

But Norwich raced into a flattering 3-1 win at half-time through Scott Neilson’s fine solo strike and a Gary Doherty header, before fitness told and two second half braces from strikers Chris Martin and Jamie Cureton wrapped up a comfortable win.

Steve Moseley, Dartford’s assistant manager, who was speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk, expects another stern fitness examination against Mark Stimson’s Gillingham, who eased to a 3-0 win at Ryman League Division One South side Folkestone Invicta at the weekend.

“It’s a good fixture for us, it’s a bit more of a local game than the Norwich game, but it will be exactly the same,” said Moseley.

“It will be another step on the road to get ready for the 15th of August.”

The Ryman Football League finally announce their fixtures of Wednesday morning and the Darts are among the sides that are expected to challenge for the title.

Moseley says the club’s under 21s, Seun Eferakorho, Karl Dent, Husein Isa, Kieran Dingri, Adam Burchell, who delivered an excellent cross for White’s 69th minute diving header, and Danny Crouch more game time in the forthcoming friendlies.

“They’ve been training with us and these boys are very good footballers,” he said.

“It’s a good experience and this is a way of us being able to give them the experience of playing at Princes Park in front of a decent crowd.”

Tickets, at normal prices, can be purchased from the turnstiles.

www.kentishfootball.co.uk will be covering this game.

Visit Dartford’s websites: www.dartfordfc.co.uk & www.dartfordfootballclub.co.uk

Dartford v Gillingham

Pre-Season Friendly

Tuesday 14th July 2009

Kick Off 7:45pm

At Princes Park Stadium, Grassbanks, Darenth Road, Dartford, Kent DA1 1RT