Hayes gives Dover torrid time at Princes Park (From News Shopper)

Dartford 3-1 Dover

10:43am Monday 5th December 2011 in Dartford By Mike Brett-Smith

DARTFORD moved up to third in the Conference South table on Saturday with a Kent derby win against Dover at Princes Park.

A popular US TV show ended each week with the ‘real Mr X standing up to surprise the audience.

On Saturday against the French, so-called because of their proximity to France, the real Dartford certainly stood up – to the delight of the majority of the 1,558 present.

Pre-match speculation on the terraces concerned the home line-up and, doubtless, the discussions in the Dover dressing room were very intense and centred around who was going to mark who.

All was dispelled within seven minutes when Dover skipper Shane Huke felled Dartford skipper Elliot Bradbrook in the visiting penalty area.

Adam Green waited patiently until Dover's Michael Jaimez-Ruiz went through an intricate anti-penalty routine before curving the spot-kick past the diving custodian to put Dartford in front.

Dover drew level eight minutes later when Barry Cogan's deadly accurate free-kick was headed past Louis Wells to make it 1-1.

The visitors gave as good for the rest of the half and might even have led at the interval had Glen Southam not missed a great chance in a goalmouth melee.

But Dartford found an extra gear for the second half and completely dominated the remainder of the contest.

Ryan Hayes, who seems to enjoy playing against the French, was irresistible, playing mainly wide on the right but occasionally finding space wide on the left as well.

A hefty foul on Hayes saw him produce a fierce, low left-footed free-kick through a crowded goalmouth to put Dartford 2-1 in front on 62 minutes.

Did it take a deflection?

Maybe, but Hayes has scored many a similar goal over the seasons, so it really was no fluke.

When Hayes was substituted late on by Lee Noble, his designated marker gave up a little prayer of thanks.

The coup de grace came on 88 minutes when Bradbrook controlled the ball deftly with his left foot before cracking home number three from 30 yards.

By now the stuffing had been taken out of the Dover fans who directed their attentions to their club chairman. It was a sad ending for the French.

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Dartford: Wells, Jones, Green, Bonner, Goodacre, Champion, Hayes (Noble 83), Wallis (Graham 89), Burns (Harris 83), Bradbrook, Rogers. Subs not used: Erskine, Ibrahim. Att: 1,558.