Dartford 2-2 Maldon Town

THOSE who believed the Division One North was to be an easy ride for the Darts would have had second thoughts on Saturday as Dartford and Maldon fought out a pulsating 2-2 draw in a match every bit as good as the best in the South Division last season, writes Mike Brett-Smith.

Darts drafted in four debutants - Jamie Coyle (ex-Dulwich) and Adam Flanagan (ex-Folkestone) together with last-minute loan signings Alex Martin (Bishops Stortford) and Matt Bodkin (Grays).

Eddie McClements and Ryan Hayes were ruled out through injury and it took a while for the newcomers to bed in and while they did, Maldon were first to show.

After just two minutes, a Maldon right-side free-kick to the far post found Oates, but his shot went wide.

A John Guest effort and a Steve Norman free-kick put Darts back in the picture, but on eight minutes Ollie Berquez spotted Tony Kessell off his line and lobbed Maldon's opener from 25 yards..

By now Coyle and Flanagan were getting to know the rest of the back four and Alex O'Brien and Brad Potter were beginning to work well together.

Bodkin was taking a grip in midfield, aided by Martin, and Darts won a brace of corners.

From the second, on the right, Jay May rose high to head firmly downwards and over the line to level matters on 17 minutes.

For the rest of the half it was attack and counter, with both defences allowing few chances.

Maldon picked up the pace after the break, but found Darts really solid.

Now working the ball out of defence with astute passes, Darts found Brendan Cass on his own after 63 minutes just over halfway on the left.

The striker ghosted between two defenders and left them chasing forlornly as he bore down on the Maldon goalkeeper and calmly slotted Darts into the lead on 63 minutes.

This heralded Dartford's best spell and Maldon knew they were in a game.

There followed a flurry of substitutions, a couple of protracted injuries and the dismissal of O'Brien for a headbutt.

With time running out, Darts might have scored the killer third goal when Mark Green broke down the left, but the visiting keeper smothered the danger.

Dartford were left to rue the miss in the 95th minute as Maldon snatched a leveller when a ball into the box was misjudged by Kessell and it ran free for the last-gasp leveller.

Dartford: Kessell, Coyle, Norman, Flanagan, Guest, O'Brien, Potter, May (Bradbrook 81), Cass (Avery 71), Martin, Bodkin (Green 86). Subs not used: Osborne, Sam. Att: 947. Man of the Match - Jamie Coyle.