COVENTRY MESSAGE BOARD

Match Report: Nuneaton Town 1 Dartford 2



TWO late goals denied Liam Daish what looked like being a winning start as the new Boro manager.

Craig Curran’s first goal for the club had looked like being enough until visiting skipper Eliot Bradbrook levelled from the penalty spot 13 minutes from time.

Substitutre Danny Harris then grabbed the winner five minutes later.

There was early work for Reice Charles-Cooke to do when Tom Bradbrook tested him with a shot taken first time but the keeper was down smartly to gather to his left.

James Armson then had a sight of goal but his effort over the stand.

Moments later Armson supplied a corner to the head of Andy Brown but under pressure he could not direct the ball on target.

Boro were looking sharp in the early exchanges and another Armson effort curled to the right of Jason Brown’s goal had the Dartford custodian moving to his left save with some comfort in the end.

There was danger at the other end when a Luke Daly free-kick found two players unmarked but central defender Rory McCauley headed wide with Charles-Cooke scrambling to his left.

But Boro suffered a massive blow when Andy Brown limped off and was replaced by Ben Hutchinson midway through the first period.

Strangely Brown’s departure seemed to put both sides on the back foot and there was a real lull to proceedings.

Almost out of the blue there was to be a breakthrough in the 35th minute and it went to the home side. Jason Brown made a mess of Theo Streete’s hanging cross conceding a corner, and appealing that he was fouled. But referee Adam Bromley thought otherwise and the resulting flag kick from Armson wasn’t cleared and Curran hooked in his first goal for the club from 12 yards through a crowded goalmouth.

Harry Crawford had a half chance to level almost immediately but fired wide of Charles-Cooke’s goal from just inside the area.

Armson then played a deft ball over the top for Streete to take on the chest and fizz dangerously across the six-yard box.

Right at the start of the second period there was a chance for Crawford who got in behind Boro in the inside right position but he lashed his shot well wide of the left-hand post.

Hesitancy in the home defence then almost let in Tom Bradbrook, Craig Dean trying to allow Streete’s header back to his keeper and the Dartford man stabbing the ball over the top.

Boro had a rea;l chance to go further ahead, Hutchinson and Adam Walker eventually getting the ball to Armson who twisted and turned the Dartford defence but had his left-foot shot blocked.

Peter Sweeney was a whisker away from levelling, his curling left-foot free-kick going inches wide after Lee Fowler was adjudged to have impeded Tom Bradbrook.

Substitute Danny Harris then caused problems for Connor Franklin leaving him standing out on the right but his cross into the six-yard box was well ahead of anyone in a yellow shirt.

Dartford were level in the 77th minute when Jason Brown’s long clearance went over the top of the Boro defence and Dean, allowing it to bounce then got in a mess before wrestling Tom Bradbrook to the ground and was lucky to receive only a yellow card. Eliot Bradbrook though made the hosts pay by coolly converting the penalty that resulted

Boro then had huge appeals for handball in the area turned down much to the anger of Dean who had headed goalwards.

And seconds later the hosts were made to pay as Sweeney floated the ball in and Harris unmarked headed past Charles-Cooke who got a hand on it, but could not keep it out.

Anton Brown almost rescued it with a flicked header from Exodus Geogeghan’s enormous throw but Jason Brown at full stretch palmed the ball to safety.

Nuneaton: Reice-Cooke, Franklin, Geogeghan, Dean ©, Fowler, Walker, Curran, Armson (for John 90minbs), McSweeney (Anton Brown68mins), Andy Brown (for Hutchinson 20mins), Streete. Subs: Wren, John, Anton Brown, Starosta, Hutchinson.

Attendance: 759