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Dartford 0 Bath City 0: Charlie Sheringham has goal disallowed in National League South bore draw

Dartford’s run of eight consecutive home league wins came to a halt after a bore draw with Bath on Saturday.

Both teams had a goal disallowed but the goalless scoreline was a true reflection of a National League South contest that lacked quality in cold conditions.

Dartford's Tom Bonner - two excellent pieces of defending ensured his team kept a clean sheet. Picture: Keith Gillard
Dartford's Tom Bonner - two excellent pieces of defending ensured his team kept a clean sheet. Picture: Keith Gillard

That said, Dartford were indebted to captain Tom Bonner for two tremendous pieces of defending in the last two minutes to preserve their clean sheet.

The first half never really got going at Princes Park. Callum Ebanks’ early effort lacked power and the Bath striker then failed to read James Morton’s excellent delivery midway through the half.

Referee Jack Packman harshly showed Jordan Wynter an early yellow card and also booked Bath’s Dan Hayfield for a shirt pull on new Darts loanee Malachi Napa, who has joined from Wealdstone.

Napa delivered two decent crosses into the box but that apart, Darts were never able to go forward with any real quality. Two many passes went astray, first touches were too heavy and Bath were not exempt from the same shortcomings.

The official took an age to depart at half-time as he waited until the Bath manager had retreated down the tunnel. Whatever was said behind closed doors, the referee was card happy at the start of the second half.

Sam Odaudu and Connor Essam were both cautioned for fouls and Dartford were not impressed with the official when they thought they’d found a breakthrough 11 minutes after the break.

Max Statham delivered a cross from the right which was headed in at the far post by Charlie Sheringham, the eagled-eyed official spotting a push to cut short the celebrations.

As Dartford protested, Bath got on with the game and they were nearly caught napping but Scott Wilson’s deflected shot went straight to keeper Archie Mair.

Bath’s Jordan Dyer joined those in the notepad for a challenge from behind on Sheringham before the visistors finished the stronger.

A three-on-one break 15 minutes from time ended with Wilson’s cross being volleyed in by Ebanks, who was rightly flagged offside by the assistant referee.

Hayfield’s deflected shot was easily saved, Tom Smith shot wide after Odaudu’s poor header and then Ebanks headed straight at Mair after the keeper made a mess of taking Hayfield’s right-wing centre.

Bath thought they’d won it when Smith lined up a shot from 10 yards in the 88th minute but Bonner produced a brilliant block to deny him.

Then Bonner was at it again, this time getting back to deny Wilson after the striker bore down on goal.

It was a game low on quality, neither side were particularly happy with the standard of refereeing and the Darts could have easily been left empty-handed. As it was, a point was probably a fair result as neither team produced enough to take all three points.

Dartford: Mair, Wynter, Carruthers, Essam, Bonner, Murtagh (Allen 66mins), Statham, Fonkeu, Sheringham (Wall 77mins), Odaudu, Napa (Rodari 72mins). Subs not used: Campbell, Coulson.

Bath: Gould, Raynes, Greenslade, Dyer, Parselle, Hayfield, Smith, Lines, Wilson, Morton, Ebanks. Subs not used: Batten, Ford, Clarke, Spokes, Mannings.

Referee: Jack Packman.

Attendance: 835.

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