Aerial Battle: Dartford rise highest in the battle for opening day points

Dartford’s return to the top flight of non-league football ended in defeat despite a rousing finale against Tamworth at Princes Park.

With the Darts trailing 3-1 substitute Harry Crawford pulled a goal back 11 minutes from time, but the hosts could not find an equaliser.

An impressive crowd of 1,370 turned up to watch Tony Burman’s newly-promoted charges make their Blue Square Bet Premier bow, but it was Tamworth who made the running early on before James Rogers twice went close for Dartford at the other end.

However, when the Darts failed to deal with a long clearance by Lambs goalkeeper Tony Breeden, Peter Till stole in to lift the ball over Louis Wells for the opening goal.

More hesitation at the back then gifted possession to Adam Cunnington, who punished the mistake by rifling Tamworth into a 2-0 lead.

Dartford struck back in first-half stoppage-time, though, when Elliot Bradbrook drilled a hotly-disputed free-kick low into the net.

With 14 minutes left it looked as though Tamworth had put the game out of reach when Cunnington’s curling shot from the edge of the box gave Wells no chance.

But just three minutes later Bradbrook’s flick was turned home by Crawford.

Bradbrook then had one effort cleared off the line and saw another flash wide in the dying stages, but there was to be no fairytale ending on Dartford’s big day.