Dartford vs Ebbsfleet United

Both sides used separate XIs in each half, a common approach in early pre-season, and the first 45 minutes passed without a goal. Ebbsfleet carved the better chances: Toby Edser struck the upright inside two minutes, Dominic Samuel had a goal ruled out for offside, and Olly Box — making his first return to Princes Park since his summer switch to the Fleet — forced a save from Carter Sullivan.

Dan Smith went closest for Dartford before the break, drawing a stop from Will Buse, but the half finished goalless.

The visitors broke through seven minutes after the restart. Finlay Barnes drove down the right flank and delivered a dangerous cross that Kennedy met with a low drive beyond Ryan Sandford (52'). Ben Chapman and Kennedy both went close to doubling the lead moments later.

Greenhalgh introduced Atkins for Smith on 62 minutes, and the substitution swung the momentum. Atkins won a penalty after being fouled by an Ebbsfleet defender and sent Matt Hall the wrong way from the spot (72').

Seven minutes later, Trialist #26 capitalised on a defensive lapse from James Vennings, stealing possession, racing clear and finishing past Hall (79'). The goal was the 21-year-old trialist's first in a Dartford shirt.

Ebbsfleet pushed for an equaliser. Barnes forced a save from Sandford from a tight angle, and Rem Oteh hit the woodwork in stoppage time, but the Darts held on.

Atkins' introduction on 62 minutes changed the game. Dartford had created little in the second half until that point, but the forward's direct running drew the foul that produced the penalty. The equaliser arrived within ten minutes of his arrival, and the winning goal followed seven minutes later. Greenhalgh's willingness to change his front line at the right moment broke Ebbsfleet's grip on the contest.

Louie Atkins (Dartford) — Changed the game within ten minutes of coming off the bench. Won and converted the penalty that brought Dartford level, then saw his team-mate score the winner. Impact substitute in the truest sense.

Trialist #26 / Owen Moore (Dartford) — The trialist's 79th-minute winner was ruthless: he stole possession, sprinted clear and finished with composure. Identified post-match by the Dartford forum as Owen Moore, previously of Colchester United's academy.

Gene Kennedy (Ebbsfleet United) — Scored the opener with a crisp finish from Barnes' cross and was a threat in the minutes that followed. His goal was the quality moment the Fleet's first-half dominance deserved.

Player of the Match: Louie Atkins — his penalty and the momentum shift he triggered proved decisive.

The 612 attendance at Princes Park reflected the local derby nature of the fixture, the highest-profile friendly on Dartford's pre-season schedule. Dartford's comeback — scoring twice in seven second-half minutes (72', 79') — was their first win in four attempts against Ebbsfleet in pre-season; the previous three friendlies had all ended in draws. The Darts' two goals came from just three shots on target in the second half, illustrating the clinical edge that had been missing in their 1-0 defeat to Charlton Athletic on 3 July.

Dartford's first win of the Greenhalgh era, after a 1-0 loss to Charlton Athletic on 3 July, provides a platform ahead of their next friendly at Folkestone Invicta on 11 July. The Isthmian League Premier Division season begins on 8 August. For Ebbsfleet United, who missed the National League South playoffs on goal difference last season, this was their second pre-season outing after a 5-1 win over Sevenoaks Town. They face Aveley away on 14 July.

A proper local derby atmosphere in a pre-season friendly is rare, but Princes Park delivered. Dartford were second best for long spells but showed a resilience and sharpness off the bench that Greenhalgh will value. The identity of Trialist #26 — Owen Moore — is one to watch through the rest of pre-season. Ebbsfleet will feel they should have been out of sight before the hour mark, and Danny Searle will want more ruthlessness in front of goal.