As the 580 supporters braved the cold and wet conditions inside The Artic Stadium, a combination of injuries, illnesses, and suspensions left the Darts rather short in terms of players for this encounter.

With the return of Sammie McLeod on a substitutes bench comprising just four players, Ady Pennock had to adjust his team which saw defender Sam Smith playing in the midfield alongside Denzelle Olopade and Samir Carruthers.

Ben Frempah slotted in at right-back, alongside Joe Tennent, Michael Olarewaju, and George Whitefield at the back, as the attack comprised of Callum Jones, Olly Box, and Dan Smith.

After a couple of half-chances for both sides during the opening exchanges, it was the visitors who broke the deadlock in the thirteenth minute. A lovely pass released Olly Box, who forced goalkeeper Shaun Rowley into a fine save with an excellent strike. However, Rowley couldn’t prevent the loose ball from finding the boot of Dan Smith who pounced to score his fifth goal of the season.

The goalscorer was then unable to capitalise on Samir Carruthers’ good work to double the Darts’ advantage (24), before Jonny Henly was called into action to prevent the lively Rowan Liburd from equalising (28).

Henly then made a more routine save to thwart Dan Ajakaiye (31), before Sam Smith fired straight at Rowley at the other end (33).

George Whitefield wasn’t able to convert a good opportunity (37), before Joe Tennent was alert at the other end to block another Liburd effort following good work by Ajakaiye (40).

As the conditions worsened at the start of the second forty-five, the Millers began to probe even more in a bid to draw level. And only the alertness of George Whitefield prevented Rowan Liburd from equalising, as the Dartford number six cleared the troublesome Millers’ effort off the line after just five minutes of the restart.

The visitors responded via Carruthers, whose lovely chip found Dan Smith inside the Millers box, only to see a defender snuff out the danger first (54).

The hosts finally found the equaliser, after a through-ball was pounced upon by Liburd who calmly tucked the ball beyond Jonny Henly as the rain lashed down (65).

Dartford responded via Dan Smith, but his teasing cross flashed across the Cray Valley box (77), before Callum Jones was fouled inside the area late on, but the appeals for a spot-kick were denied by the referee (85).

With his team short on bodies, Ady Pennock refrained from using any of his substitutes this afternoon as both teams held each other at bay in the closing stages to secure the draw which, in hindsight, was a fair result.

CRAY VALLEY PM: Shaun Rowley, Crossley Lema, Kurtis Cumberbatch, Dan Bowry, Olajuwon Ogunwamide, Marvel Ekpiteta, Tom Beere (c), Rowan Liburd, Isaiha Harvey, Liam Moore, Dan Ajakaiye.
SUBSTITUTES: Matthew Vigor, Danny Waldren, Emmanuel Adebiyi, Fumnaya Shomotun, Ibby Akanbi.

DARTFORD: Jonny Henly, George Whitefield, Michael Olarewaju (c), Joe Tennent, Ben Frempah, Sam Smith, Denzelle Olopade, Samir Carruthers, Olly Box, Callum Jones, Dan Smith.
SUBSTITUTES: Carter Sullivan, Elliot Oviawe, Sammie McLeod, Richie Atkins.

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Chris Palmer