Dartford took on Cray Valley PM on Saturday in what was our last league game of the season. The matchday programme for that fixture featured Chris Palmer’s Season Review. For those who missed it, here is the article:
As the 2025-26 Isthmian Premier League regular season comes to an end this afternoon, let’s take a look back on what has been a challenging season for Dartford…
AUGUST
P6 W1 D3 L2
Having played host to the likes of Charlton Athletic (2-3), Eastbourne Borough (1-0), Gillingham (0-2), and rivals Ebbsfleet United (2-2) at Princes Park, the Darts also travelled to Herne Bay (2-2), and Faversham Town (0-0) during the build-up to the 2025-26 Isthmian Premier League campaign.
However, the early signs of possible struggles on the road were evident after Dartford lost their opening two away fixtures in the league. Having lost at Dulwich Hamlet on the first day, Ady Pennock’s side responded with a fine 1-1 draw against Billericay Town at Princes Park before then being beaten at St Albans City.
The Darts went on a good run from then on, with only one defeat in their next nine games (in all competitions).
A 4-1 victory over Carshalton Athletic was followed by an incredible 4-4 draw at Ramsgate, whereby Eddie Dsane came off the bench to score a hat-trick!
The month was finished off with a trip to Bracknell Town in the FA Cup. Despite the Darts coming from 2-0 down to take the tie to a replay at home at the start of September…
SEPTEMBER
P6 W1 D4 L1
…the Berkshire side stunned the Darts in front of their own crowd to condemn Ady Pennock’s men to their only defeat of the month. Well, only defeat in open play at least!
September saw the Darts victorious just the once in five outings, as the early struggles continued with four draws. One of which was the 1-1 draw at Erith Town in the Kent Senior Cup. Despite naming a side which contained many from the Dartford Academy, all of whom did the team proud, the hosts progressed to the next round courtesy of the lottery of a penalty shootout.
The sole win came against Cheshunt, as Olly Box and Eddie Dsane both scored to secure a 2-0 success.
OCTOBER
P5 W3 D1 L1
October saw the Darts come off second best to exit the FA Trophy at the hands of Hadley FC at the start of the month, in what was the only defeat.
An excellent 1-1 draw at in-form Brentwood Town was followed by four excellent victories. The first two came at Princes Park, where the Darts beat Whitehawk (3-0) and Potters Bar Town (4-1), before an excellent win at Cray Wanderers (2-0) courtesy of Callum Jones and Eddie Dsane extended the unbeaten run to four games.
NOVEMBER
P7 W4 D1 L2
The month of November started well with a 3-1 derby day success over Welling United at Princes Park. However, a shock defeat at the hands of Wingate & Finchley was followed by a humbling 3-1 defeat at Billericay Town.
Ady Pennock’s side did return to winning ways by beating Chichester City (2-0), before earning a hard-fought point at Cray Valley PM. Dartford finished the month with a double-winning victory at Whitehawk, before narrowly defeating Dulwich Hamlet 1-0 in Kent.
DECEMBER
P4 W2 D0 L2
December was a month of mixed emotions for everyone involved with the club. Two successive defeats at the hands of Lewes (0-1) and Folkestone Invicta (1-2), were followed by two victories over St Albans City (1-0) and Kent rivals Chatham Town (away). The latter saw defensive duo Joe Tennent and George Whitefield score to condemn The Chats to a 2-1 defeat at The Bauvill Stadium.
JANUARY
P4 W2 D1 L1
The opening exchanges of the new year saw the weather playing its part in disrupting the Non-League game. With fixtures being postponed across the league, Dartford would only play four times in January and three times the following month.
2026 began with a 2-2 draw at Hashtag United, before a 2-0 win over Aveley at Princes Park. A Denzelle Olopade pyledriver got the hosts ahead in the latter fixture, before Joe Tennent secured the points in the second-half.
Burgess Hill Town then beat the Darts at Leylands Park (1-2), before Eddie Dsane came off the bench to score the winner in a thrilling 3-2 victory over Brentwood Town at Princes Park.
FEBRUARY
P3 W1 D1 L1
A poor performance at Parkfield Stadium saw Dartford beaten by a struggling Potters Bar Town, before Joe Tennent rescued a point in a rather dull game against Cray Wanderers. The game will be remembered more for the fact that goalkeeper Jonny Henly saved a penalty and made a few excellent saves.
The month finished on a high though, after a very late debut goal for QPR Development Squad loanee Rohan Vaughan, who earned the Darts a win and derby double over Welling United at Park View Road.
MARCH
P6 W4 D1 L1
The remainder of the season would see Ady Pennock’s outfit lose just the once during a ten-game run. However, with Dartford chasing down a potential playoff spot, that defeat (at Wingate & Finchley) proved to be costly.
The penultimate month began with a 1-0 win over Ramsgate, courtesy of a Denzelle Olopade strike. That was swiftly followed by that defeat at the Maurice Rebak Stadium, before Dartford travelled to Cheshunt and won 1-0. A trip to high-flying Folkestone Invicta came next, whereby a lovely Callum Jones brace helped the Darts secure a 2-2 draw.
Dartford then smashed home eleven goals in the next two fixtures at Princes Park to close out the month. A 4-1 win over Lewes was then followed by a 7-0 demolition job over relegation-threatened Hashtag United! Dan Smith was the in-form player for the Darts at this point, as he scored twice against Lewes and scored again against The Tags. But the highlight of that 7-0 victory was definitely Jeremiah Pinder’s first senior hat-trick!
APRIL
P4 W2 D2 L0
The good run continued into the final month of the Isthmian Premier League campaign, but two costly draws on the road at Carshalton Athletic and Chichester City cost Dartford that playoff spot in the end.
April did see Dartford complete the league double over Chatham Town (3-2), courtesy of another Dan Smith Double on Bank Holiday Monday. A win that was followed by an easy 4-0 win at relegated Canvey Island, which saw another double goalscorer in the form of Callum Jones.
With Cray Valley PM being the visitors on this final fixture of the season, the Darts will be hoping to finish on a high afterall, they do have the joint-second best home record in the league.
Jonny Henly has collected ten clean sheets this season, and he’ll want to add to that statistic. Meanwhile at the other end, the chase for top goalscorer is between Olly Box (17) and Eddie Dsane (15), while Dan Smith sits on eleven goals. Callum Jones needs just a solitary goal to reach double figures, so there’s something to play for.
By Chris Palmer