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Dartford 1 Ebbsfleet United 1 match report

Dartford and Ebbsfleet continued their pre-season with a derby draw at Princes Park on Tuesday night.

Centre-half Josh Hill headed Darts in front but the Fleet levelled things up through academy player Tahjae Anderson.

As friendlies go, this was competitive and very watchable in front of a decent crowd for the time of year.

Dartford joint-managers Adam Flanagan and Jamie Coyle Picture: Andy Jones
Dartford joint-managers Adam Flanagan and Jamie Coyle Picture: Andy Jones

Former AFC Wimbledon midfielder Alfie Egan got a start in the Ebbsfleet midfield while Dartford fielded a trialist at left-back.

A wicked low cross from Aswad Thomas was scrambled behind early on but it was the Darts who looked more cohesive in their play during the first half.

Ryan Hayes' cross was just too strong for Darren McQueen, who then chased a ball to the byline and set up Luke Wanadio for a shot which was blocked by a red shirt.

Wanadio did well to spread play wide and Hayes' floated cross forced Ebbsfleet to concede a corner.

Myles Weston looked sharp for the visitors and made a couple of good driving runs through midfield but Ugwu was feeding off scraps with Dartford's backline largely untroubled.

A neat pass from Wanadio played in Charlie Sheringham but he lifted his shot over the bar as Nathan Ashmore rushed out and spread himself.

Fleet's Sean Shields dragged a low shot wide from outside the box but McQueen, lively against his former club, turned smartly and saw his low shot cannon back off Jack King.

Shields did well to work a yard of space and his next effort was on target but straight at Mark Smith in the Dartford goal.

The home side, though, were building up a head of steam with McQueen's shot deflecting behind and Hayes forcing Ashmore to grab his rising drive from outside the box.

Ashmore did well to push Luke Allen's low shot behind for a corner but when Wanadio delivered the set-piece from the left, 10 minutes before half-time, Josh Hill's downward header squeezed beyond the keeper and into the net.

It was almost 2-0 when Ashmore's attempted clearance crashed against Jamie Grimes, rebounding back past him and rolling just wide.

A left-footed shot from Sheringham then had Ashmore scrambling as Dartford reached half-time well on top.

Ayo Obileye, again playing in the Fleet midfield, showed quick feet after the break but pulled his shot well wide from outside the box.

At the other end, Wanadio picked out Sam Blackman from the byline and his sidefooted effort was heading on target until Thomas threw himself in the way.

Fleet skipper King made way for another trialist just before the hour, Obileye dropping back into defence so the new man could take up a midfield role.

Play was rather scrappy now, with so many changes being made, and Allen skewed a volley well wide when Fleet failed to clear another Wanadio cross.

Anderson, one of several Fleet substitutes, punished a defensive mix-up by rolling in the equaliser 20 minutes from time - his second goal in as many games.

Dartford's Cameron Brodie had a low shot saved at the end of a good passing move while Grimes sent a diving header narrowly wide from a corner.

Dartford: Smith, Wynter (Leveson 77mins), Trialist (Trialist 46mins), Bonner (Vint 46mins), Hayes (Greenhalgh 46mins), Allen (Brodie 64mins), Sheringham (Flisher 46mins), McQueen, Hill, Blackman, Wanadio (Smith 75mins). Subs: Brodie, Pugh, Town.

Ebbsfleet: Ashmore, King (Trialist 57mins), Thomas, Lawless (Dainkeh 68mins), Obileye, Grimes, Weston (Magri 72mins), Ugwu (Anderson 65mins), Wilson, Shields (Trialist 46mins), Egan (Achuba 79mins).

Attendance: 847.

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