Post by Keithsson on Feb 28, 2024 11:23:10 GMT
Obviously I can't start this preview piece without mentioning the elephant in the room, the seismic event that happened to us since our last fixture... that's right folks, we've got Jack Spong 
Match centre - Link
Match Tickets - Dartford Website
Coach/minibus - WFCSA Travel
Ground Guide - Princes Park
Earlier this season we lost pitifully 3-4 at home (Ollie, Ricky, Cash). And that was after doing the double over them last season, 1-2 at their patch (Joel & Callum) and 3-0 at home (Ollie, Davide Rodari & an OG).
Dartford v WFC highlights (27/08/22) - YouTube
Finishing comfortably second last season (five points ahead of eventually promoted Oxford City) Darts were fancied to do well this time round too. However they've been bang average all campaign. Never troubling the play-off places, they've had a high of 9th (game 16) and a low of 19th (games 30-31). They're currently 18th with 35 points from 28 games.
Our position of 3rd hasn't changed but results in last night's 'games in hand' session were a mixed bag for us. Braintree kept their locomotive steaming onwards with another away win albeit beating Bath (1-2) thus using up one of their games in hand with a blank. Further back but still a threat Hampton won too at home to Havant (2-0). Aveley, still in the race, won too, 1-2 away to our hosts Dartford. More of a surprise having just beaten Yeovil on Saturday, Cheltenham dropped two points at Farnborough (1-1).
NLS Table - Link
Form wise and we are 5th overall for current form with 12/18, Darts are down in 17th with just 4/18. Indeed that's four of only the five points they've picked up in the last ten games!... and three of those points came at lowly Dover!!
Away from home we remain the form side in the league, 1st with 15/18 points on the road. Dartford meanwhile are plumb last with just 2 points from the last 18 available at Prince's Park. They were 1-1 draws with such luminaries as crisis club Taunton Town on Saturday and (the rubbish, pre renaissance) Welling United back in December.
NLS Form (last 6 H&A) - Link
They have a game more in their legs this week (as do Chelmsford who we visit on Monday) and that goes in our favour. If the numbers on Saturday favoured Braintree then these surely favour us. We can never afford to count any chickens anyway, but there's is a big added variable this week. Saying that though our new manager is undefeated in football management and has a great chance to improve the results from the back to back defeats handed over to him from the previous incumbent
Squad wise, no great changes bar the availability now of Jack Spong who has been training with us for a while so could slip into defensive midfield if selected. Joel is back available after serving his ban but Roobs remains suspended until Taunton at home on the 9th. Expect no monumental changes though, this after all a continuity management team, not a revolutionary management team.
All Saturday fixtures...
Chelmsford City v Aveley
Chippenham Town v Weston-super-Mare
Dartford v Worthing
Dover Athletic v Maidstone United
Farnborough v Yeovil Town
Hemel Hempstead Town v Havant & Waterlooville
Slough Town v Bath City
St Albans City v Hampton & Richmond Borough
Tonbridge Angels v Eastbourne Borough
Truro City v Taunton Town
Welling United v Braintree Town
Weymouth v Torquay United
Done right, this could be a weekend for making up some lost ground on last week. Chelmsford don't exactly have a walkover home game, St Albans and Hampton play each other and we know only too well that Welling will give Braintree a tough game. As an aside, you just know the game between Truro and Taunton on their 'shared pitch' will fall foul of Thursday's rain.
Safe travel to all heading up.
And come on you undeflectable... unde-railable... refocused and united Rebels!
Match centre - Link
Match Tickets - Dartford Website
Coach/minibus - WFCSA Travel
Ground Guide - Princes Park
Earlier this season we lost pitifully 3-4 at home (Ollie, Ricky, Cash). And that was after doing the double over them last season, 1-2 at their patch (Joel & Callum) and 3-0 at home (Ollie, Davide Rodari & an OG).
Dartford v WFC highlights (27/08/22) - YouTube
Finishing comfortably second last season (five points ahead of eventually promoted Oxford City) Darts were fancied to do well this time round too. However they've been bang average all campaign. Never troubling the play-off places, they've had a high of 9th (game 16) and a low of 19th (games 30-31). They're currently 18th with 35 points from 28 games.
Our position of 3rd hasn't changed but results in last night's 'games in hand' session were a mixed bag for us. Braintree kept their locomotive steaming onwards with another away win albeit beating Bath (1-2) thus using up one of their games in hand with a blank. Further back but still a threat Hampton won too at home to Havant (2-0). Aveley, still in the race, won too, 1-2 away to our hosts Dartford. More of a surprise having just beaten Yeovil on Saturday, Cheltenham dropped two points at Farnborough (1-1).
NLS Table - Link
Form wise and we are 5th overall for current form with 12/18, Darts are down in 17th with just 4/18. Indeed that's four of only the five points they've picked up in the last ten games!... and three of those points came at lowly Dover!!
Away from home we remain the form side in the league, 1st with 15/18 points on the road. Dartford meanwhile are plumb last with just 2 points from the last 18 available at Prince's Park. They were 1-1 draws with such luminaries as crisis club Taunton Town on Saturday and (the rubbish, pre renaissance) Welling United back in December.
NLS Form (last 6 H&A) - Link
They have a game more in their legs this week (as do Chelmsford who we visit on Monday) and that goes in our favour. If the numbers on Saturday favoured Braintree then these surely favour us. We can never afford to count any chickens anyway, but there's is a big added variable this week. Saying that though our new manager is undefeated in football management and has a great chance to improve the results from the back to back defeats handed over to him from the previous incumbent
Squad wise, no great changes bar the availability now of Jack Spong who has been training with us for a while so could slip into defensive midfield if selected. Joel is back available after serving his ban but Roobs remains suspended until Taunton at home on the 9th. Expect no monumental changes though, this after all a continuity management team, not a revolutionary management team.
All Saturday fixtures...
Chelmsford City v Aveley
Chippenham Town v Weston-super-Mare
Dartford v Worthing
Dover Athletic v Maidstone United
Farnborough v Yeovil Town
Hemel Hempstead Town v Havant & Waterlooville
Slough Town v Bath City
St Albans City v Hampton & Richmond Borough
Tonbridge Angels v Eastbourne Borough
Truro City v Taunton Town
Welling United v Braintree Town
Weymouth v Torquay United
Done right, this could be a weekend for making up some lost ground on last week. Chelmsford don't exactly have a walkover home game, St Albans and Hampton play each other and we know only too well that Welling will give Braintree a tough game. As an aside, you just know the game between Truro and Taunton on their 'shared pitch' will fall foul of Thursday's rain.
Safe travel to all heading up.
And come on you undeflectable... unde-railable... refocused and united Rebels!
