Northwood 3-2 Dartford

DARTFORD'S stuttering start to the season continued on Saturday with a surprise defeat at Northwood, writes Mike Brett-Smith.

The tree-surrounded Northwood Park ground is reminiscent of Tunbridge Wells, has a similar slope and boasts an excellent playing surface.

Darts played up the slope and were faced with old-style Isthmian game plan - long ball out of defence, by-passing midfield, and pacy forwards chasing for the ball.

Darts coped well enough at the back under the pressure but, on 18 minutes, were undone by a superb goal.

New signing Kyle Matthews hit a diagonal pass from the right wing to Elliott Buchanan on the left touchline.

He cut inside two defenders and fired home a fierce curler past Tony Kessell's left shoulder into the top of the goal.

Darts then got to grips with the home side and Jay May caused the home defence plenty of problems in the air and Northwood keeper Liam Watson was kept busy.

It was May who set up Darts' equaliser from a right-side corner, knocking the ball to Eddie McClements, who fired home.

Steve Norman hit a good chance wide just before the break and the teams trooped off on level terms.

The manager's half-time tactical talk seemed to have done the trick as within four minutes of the restart, Darts took the lead.

In a crowded home goalmouth Watson made two point-blank saves, the second one parried to Brendon Cass, who buried a six-yarder into the net.

Darts were more relaxed now, but the Northwood style proved to be the side's achilles' heel.

On 75 minutes, centre-half Adam Theo hit a howitzer of a shot past Kessell from all of 25 yards to level things up.

Matt Bodkin replaced Richard Avery and made some typical runs which came to nought.

Then Northwood snatched a late winner through substitute Bradley Hewitt.