Welling United 2 Dartford 2 match report
Published: 21:30, 30 September 2014
Dartford came from behind twice to earn a point at Welling on Tuesday night.
Peter Sweeney cancelled out a Rory McAuley own goal and Darts skipper Elliot Bradbrook restored parity for a second time after Jamal Fyfield had put Welling back in front.
The home side looked the most likely winners in the second half but it finished all square at Park View Road - a result which keeps the Wings one point above Dartford in the Vanarama Conference.
Both sides came into the derby having won away at the weekend. Welling were riding high after a 4-0 triumph at Altrincham, while the Darts had come from behind to beat Nuneaton 2-1.
Dartford boss Tony Burman made two changes to his starting line-up, handing new signing Tom Bender his full debut at left-back and restoring Danny Harris to the starting line-up for the first time since September 6. The two players to make way were Ryan Hayes and Harry Crawford.
Sam Corne replaced Zach Fagan in Welling's only change.
An explosive start to the derby saw three goals scored in the first 14 minutes.
Welling broke the deadlock in the sixth minute. Ben Jefford's cross from the left was too strong for Harry Beautyman but McAuley, under pressure from Joe Healy, inadvertently turned the ball into his own net.
But the home side's lead only lasted three minutes. Dartford hit back through Sweeney, who played a one-two with Harris on the edge of the box and despatched the return pass inside Jonathan Henly's near post.
That had the Darts fans singing, but their cheers died in their throats moments later.
Beautyman swung over a deep corner from the right and Fyfield rose, unmarked, to plant a firm header past Jason Brown at the back post.
Welling were enjoying plenty of possession but two dangerous set-pieces from Sweeney almost got Dartford back in the game. His first free-kick was almost converted by Mat Mitchel-King, with Henly puling off a terrific save, before Sweeney curled in another delivery which hit Elliot Bradbrook and bounced wide.
The next weapon Dartford unleashed on their hosts was the long throw of centre-half Mitchel-King.
His first throw bounced up and hit a Wings player in the six-yard box but referee Dean Treleaven wasn't swayed by the loud penalty appeals from the men in blue shirts and the hundreds of travelling fans behind the goal.
Mitchel-King hurled in another throw from the left and McAuley's header was going in until Henly dived to his right to pull off an important save.
But then, nine minutes before half-time, came Dartford's second equaliser. Welling failed to clear another Mitchel-King throw and Elliot Bradbrook rifled a right-footed shot into the bottom corner.
The game tightened up after half-time and it took until the hour-mark for either side to fashion a chance. Good work by Welling's Tyrone Marsh on the edge of the area created room for Jefford, whose low cross was turned just past his own post by Bender.
Welling now had the Darts pinned back in their own half and after Marsh had almost got on the end of a fantastic Beautyman cross, Brown got down well to push a curling Marsh strike round the base of his left-hand post.
The game threatened to boil over in the closing stages after a bust-up between Lee Burns and Beautyman sparked a big melee in the Dartford half.
But neither side could find a winning goal in what was a frantic finish to the game.
Welling: Henly, Fyfield, Gallagher, Bush, Beautyman, Marsh, Jefford, Baselle (Fazakerley 57mins), Corne (Nouble 80mins), Williams, Healy. Subs not used: Turner, Fagan, Hudson.
Dartford: Brown, Burns, Mitchel-King, McAuley, Bender, Collier, Daley (Pugh 81mins), Sweeney, E Bradbrook, Harris (Cornhill 90mins), T Bradbrook (Crawford 65mins). Subs not used: Hayes, Ibrahim.
Attendance: 1,306.
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Steve Tervet