Match Report: Dartford 3 Torquay United 0

Torquay United looked nowhere near a promotion side as they were unceremoniously swept aside by Dartford, slipping further down the National League South table, on a depressing afternoon for Gulls fans at chilly Princes Park.

All the damage was done in a 15-minute spell before half-time when Dartford, who had lost their previous three home games, scored through debutants Richard Chin and George Alexander, and then veteran defender Moussa Diarra.

So lightweight were United in attack that Dartford goalkeeper Ryan Sandford was a spectator for most of a match which ended with travelling Torquay fans venting their frustrations at another away defeat.

In recent weeks, the Gulls have conceded three goals at Hemel Hempstead, Hampton & Richmond, Weston-super-Mare and now Dartford, lightened only by a 2-0 win at bottom of the table Havant & Waterlooville.

They seldom looked the part in Kent, and they now face another long trip to Eastbourne Borough next Tuesday night.

It was no consolation that, only a few miles away, runaway leaders Yeovil Town were also routed 4-1 at Welling United.

Ross Marshall, Jack Stobbs and Ethon Archer, injured or cup-tied for last Saturday’s FA Trophy win over Yeovil Town, were all back.

Goalie Mark Halstead, who has been sidelined by a concussion protocol, was also named in the first start-sheet, but then taken out and Rhys Lovett held his place.

Centre-back Marshall went straight into the starting XI, while forwards Stobbs and Archer were named on the bench.

But Shaun Donnellan and Ryan Hanson had joined the injury list, so skipper Asa Hall replaced Hanson and Marshall came in for Donnellan.

Dartford had signed Charlton midfielder Chin and Bromley striker Alexander on loan during the week, and they both started.

Alexander was playing against the Gulls for the second time this season – he’d previously been on loan at Slough Town.

United hardly got out of second gear, let alone third, in the early stages of a pretty scrappy start.

Dartford played with more method and understanding, and they created chances for defender Joash Nembard and winger Tyrell Miller-Rodney in the first quarter of an hour.

The hosts’ key man was Luke Coulson on their left – Dartford sought him out repeatedly, United seemed powerless to stop the supply and he also took all their set-pieces with interest.

It was nearly 20 minutes before the Gulls forced even a corner through Callum Dolan.

Hall nearly volleyed in from Dolan’s flag-kick and almost immediately, in the 21st minute, Hall found Theo Williams with a through-ball, but he lifted a great chance over Sandford and the bar with the ‘keeper well off his line.

It was a let-off for Dartford, and how they made the most of it.

They moved up a gear and, after Miller-Rodney and Alexander had gone close, Chin made the breakthrough in the 31st minute.

He latched on to a half-clearance by Dean Moxey, moved the ball from right to left foot on the edge of the area and scored into the top corner...1-0.

Nine minutes later, Alexander’s good touch enabled him to work room for an angled right-foot across the goalmouth and into the bottom corner...2-0.

And as the half moved into stoppage-time, Coulson’s free-kick found Diarra and he finished with a volley which the lanky defender doesn’t often enjoy in opposition goalmouths...3-0.

United’s defence was AWOL again.

To rub salt into Torquay wounds, just before the interval whistle Williams had a clear chance to pull a goal back, but blazed over from six yards after a cross by De Silva.

Quite what Johnson said to his players at half-time is not hard to imagine, but he matched words with action.

Lewis Collins and Stobbs were on for Crowe and De Silva.

Torquay showed a bit more urgency in the second half, but the more they went forward, the more open they looked on the break and Alexander and Miller-Rodney were both denied by Lovett.

Dartford continued to tackle with more determination and, with United carrying so little threat up front, it was the hosts who still looked more likely to score again.

There was precious little encouragement for the increasingly cold and depressed Gulls fans as the second half wore on.

Archer replaced Williams, who’d had an afternoon in which little had gone right.

But Dartford, who almost seemed to have settled for their comfortable lead, were still able to cruise through the closing stages without any real worries.

Dartford (4-4-2): Sandford; Wynter, Diarra, Nembard, Statham; Miller-Rodney, Chin (Barzey 78), Odaudu (Altintop 85), Coulson; Alexander, Bradbury; subs not used – Allen, Woods, Wall.

Booked: Miller-Rodney 24, Nembard 26, Alexander 64.

Torquay United (3-1-4-2): Lovett; Marshall, Tomlinson, Moxey; McGavin; De Silva (Stobbs 46), Hall, Dolan, Crowe (Collins 46); Williams (Archer 74), Ash; subs not used – Harris.

Booked: Crowe 42, Tomlinson 67.

Referee: Emily Heaslip (Suffolk).

United’s Under-18 side maintained their 100% record in the SW Counties Youth League with a 6-0 home win over Hamworthy United.