Dartford 1 Bowers & Pitsea 2 match report: Late Callum Jones goal not enough for Isthmian Premier Darts as two-goal Alfie Evans does the damage against old club

Two first-half goals from former Dartford Academy midfielder Alfie Evans consigned the Darts to a dramatic Isthmian Premier defeat to Bowers & Pitsea on Saturday.

He netted twice inside the first 30 minutes for early strugglers Bowers & Pitsea, who claimed their first league victory of the season.

The Darts pulled one back through Callum Jones late on and the away team had Valckx Fernandes sent off in stoppage time but it finished 2-1.

Dartford got off to the worst possible start at Princes Park when they fell behind inside the fourth minute in front of a crowd of 879.

TQ Addy swung in an in-swinging delivery and midfielder Evans headed past Dartford goalkeeper Jacob Marsden.

Two minutes later, Ady Pennock’s men had an opportunity to swiftly equalise, only for playmaker Samir Carruthers to fire his free-kick straight at goalkeeper Rhys Byrne, who was on loan at Dartford at the end of last season.

Home striker Eddie Dsane then twice went close.

He was denied by a brave block from Bowers defender Joseph Halsey after a quickly-taken free-kick by Carruthers before Dsane sent a 19th-minute header just over.

But six minutes later, the visitors - and Evans - got their second. He arrowed a low drive past Marsden and into the bottom right-hand corner from the edge of the penalty box.

It nearly got worse for the below-par home team, too, shortly before the half-hour mark. Marsden parried striker Alex Teniola’s effort, his right-wing cross then just evading a team-mate.

The Darts had the ball in the net on 34 minutes, only for Jones’ strike to be ruled out for offside.

And Jones again went close before half-time. Marsden boomed a free-kick up the field and opposite number Byrne got his legs in the way after defender Sam Odaudu had headed into the forward’s path.

At the start of first-half stoppage time, Bowers & Pitsea - managed by former Cray Valley, Faversham and Chatham manager James Collins - got away with switching off. Odaudu curled over Carruthers’ short corner at the end of a forgettable 45 minutes for Dartford.

Dartford were denied what looked like a penalty inside the first two second-half minutes.

Carruthers went down in the box in front of the home fans but referee Marcin Indyk waved away the appeals and, instead, the 31-year-old one-time Premier League player with Aston Villa was booked for his protests.

With Byrne getting lengthy treatment, Bowers & Pitsea appeared to have been left potentially to decide which outfield player would have to go in goal. In the end, though, Byrne was fit enough to continue.

Marsden was next to be tested as he tipped over a free-kick from Rohdell Gordon.

Dsane steered wide Dartford team-mate Jones’ low left-wing cross in the 63rd minute, with the home side really starting to throw bodies forward.

But with 20 minutes to play, Evans came close to his hat-trick, sending wide former Tonbridge winger Addy’s drag-back before Jeremiah Pinder blasted wide from long range at the other end.

Substitute Brandon Aveiro broke clean through and could have put the result beyond doubt but his effort hit Marsden when he should have done so much better.

Dartford substitute Ben Allen sent a free-kick onto the roof of the net with eight minutes of normal time to play after good work by Jones before Byrne tipped wide to thwart Odaudu.

But the hosts got one back in the final seconds ahead of 10 minutes of stoppage time. Byrne did well to thwart Allen, only for Jones to bundle into the net to set up a grandstand finish.

The visitors were then reduced to 10 men as defender Fernandes was dismissed with five minutes still to play for a second bookable offence and tempers boiled over.

Denzelle Olopade and Allen were among those to miss the target for the Darts in the time that remained. But there was no leveller for them.

Referee Mr Indyk, who sent off Dartford substitute Duane Ofori-Acheampong after the full-time whistle, came off the pitch to home boos, having handed out several yellow cards.

Dartford manager Pennock named an unchanged starting line-up from the team which had seen off Leatherhead 2-0 in the FA Cup.

Experienced forward Ofori-Acheampong was on the Dartford substitutes’ bench for the first time since his summer return.

Among the away side were Leyton Orient keeper Byrne and Evans, as well as versatile midfielder Lewis Chambers, formerly of Faversham and Sittingbourne, who skippered their side.

Dartford: Marsden, Odaudu, Carruthers (Allen 77mins), Hill, Jones, Olopade, Okoye, Williams (Christian-Law 64mins), Dsane (Ofori-Acheampong 77mins), Pinder, Apat. Subs not used: Kerbey, Whitefield.

Bowers & Pitsea: Byrne, Halsey, Chambers, Peter, Gordon (Ambroisine 59mins), Teniola (Aveiro 59mins), Turner (Bland 46mins), Cane, Evans (Deslandes 87mins), Fernandes, Addy. Sub not used: Straker.

Referee: Marcin Indyk.

Attendance: 879.