Dartford 3-0 Boreham Wood

A BRACE from Cody McDonald helped Dartford to a comfortable victory over Boreham Wood at Princes Park on Saturday.

Tony Burman made one change to the side which faced St Albans as Sean Eferakorho came in for Adam Flanagan in the number four shirt, actually slotting into the right back berth with Tommy Osborne filling a more central role. The other starting change saw Ryan Hayes come in for James White.

A grey, cold drizzly day provided the backdrop as Darts kicked to the Academy End, getting into the action first when a McDonald shot was fumbled away for a corner.

At the back, and defending a soggy goalmouth, Darts were coolness epitomised, restricting the visitors to a couple of forays up the right which were easily snuffed out.

McDonald was hauled down on 20 minutes having been set up by Lee Noble. The latter’s free-kick was charged down allowing the visitors to mount a counter-charge, which ended with Andrew Young’s neat gather.

Rob Howarth then worked his way up the left, slipped a pass into the Wood penalty area where McDonald muscled past a pair of defenders to slot home and put Darts one up.

The rest of the half was pretty even with the visitors shading possession. Just before the break McDonald ran through and got a shot in despite being tripped in the process, goalkeeper Anthony Anstead making a hasty save.

Conditions worsened with heavy, icy rain setting in for the second half. Darts had an early free-kick which Ryan Hayes fired in the effort being deflected for a corner. This was punched clear to Jamie Day who launched his shot out into the car park.

Boreham Wood dug in with the intention of sneaking a leveller if the opportunity came. It didn’t as Darts defended with ease and the midfield worked hard, none more than Danny Dafter who turned in yet another dominant display. With less than fifteen minutes left Darts settled matters beyond doubt. First, Hayes fired in a left foot screamer into the far corner of the goal from way out on the right.

Two minutes later, McDonald took advantage of indecision in the Wood defence from a corner to hit the ball home.

The usual substitutions followed as Darts wrapped up the points.

Dartford: Young, Osborne, Gross, Eferakorho, Coyle, Dafter, Hayes, Day (White 76), Haworth (Cass 84), McDonald, Noble (Butterworth 84). Subs not used: Bartley, Ibrahim. Att: 906.