Dartford 5-0 Ilford

DARTFORD climbed to the summit of the Ryman Division One North table after an emphatic success against Ilford on Saturday.

Jay May, returning after suspension, replaced Tom Bradbrook in an otherwise unchanged line-up for the visit of lowly, leaky Ilford and the game started in bright sunlight.

Apart from a slight variation to the usual Phil Williams opening, it was the same old Dartford as the visitors were systematically dismembered.

The first ominous sign was a Ryan Hayes raid on the right, ending with a trademark left-foot curler beyond the far post.

Ilford rarely got over the halfway line with Petre Elbie being their most effective player.

They did manage a few corners and even the obligatory strike against the crossbar but, that apart, it was life on the back foot.

May was working hard in support of Brendon Cass and Eddie McClements continued his regal patch, bringing each wing in turn into play.

With Williams being double-marked, wing-switching was less of a tactic and just after the hour he was replaced by Junior Kadi.

Mostly it was the expected instinctive stuff from Darts and much of the midfield play bringing the wings into play was breathtaking, if not inspirational.

It was a typical scything attack which led to the opening goal on 27 minutes as Steve Norman's free-kick was headed on by John Guest and finished by the head of Cass.

Four minutes later, the Darts doubled their advantage.

A Jamie Coyle throw in was flicked by the mercurial McClements to Cass, whose assist was flicked home by May.

Five minutes into the second half the points were banked as Cass collected a deflection off Bob Dimmen's thigh, galloped 40 yards, drew James Marrable in the Ilford goal and buried the ball in the empty net.

The crowd was by now enjoying their afternoon as wave after wave of relentless attacking brought a further two goals and the chance to see Yohance Lewis produce his own brand of wizardry.

Soon after Lewis's appearance, a Hayes corner was headed goalwards by Adam Flanagan for Guest to duly nod home past Marrable.

The scoring was rounded off when Lewis gained possession in the Ilford half and created an opening for Steve Norman to blast home.

Where Darts do have a big advantage is in goalscoring.

Cass (22) and May (12) may have got half of Darts' league goals this season between them.

You might occasionally block out the dynamic duo but you can't keep out the other goal scorers week in, week out.

Dartford: Kessell, Coyle, Norman, Flanagan, Guest, O'Brien, Hayes, May (Bradbrook 80), Cass, McClements (Kadi 66), Williams (Lewis 61). Subs not used: Green, Osborne. Att: 1,213