DARTFORD’S outside hopes of automatic promotion suffered a major dent when they went down to a narrow defeat at leaders Woking on Saturday.

The result means Woking are now 14 points clear of second-placed Darts, although the outcome was harsh on Tony Burman’s side as they outplayed their hosts in all areas except the vital one of finishing.

Pre-match the 400 plus Darts supporters who made their way to Kingfield knew they were to be segregated in a stadium which doesn’t really cater for such a situation, it being a traditional non-league ground gradually being modernised.

With a modern stand at one end and a shed at the other, it is unlikely those in the seats want to avail themselves of ‘shed’ accommodation by a change ends at half-time.

Thus any group subject to segregation has to stand on the side facing the main stand which, thanks to the occasional downpour on Saturday, was hazardous to health and well-being.

That the Dartford contingent out-sang the home fans in the 2,528 crowd is a tremendous credit to them.

Dartford paraded the only 16 players available for selection, which included Paul Goodacre returning after a spell out injured and Lee Burns dropping back for Matt Jones.

To be fair Woking were on top for three minutes, during which they grabbed the only goal of the game when Alan Inns power-headed the ball past Louis Wells from a right-side cross.

Woking supporters acknowledged the return after 13 years of Kevin Betsy, who named Fulham among a list of full-time clubs.

It was he whose shot was deflected for the corner which led to Inns’ goal.

For a while it was end-to-end stuff, with home keeper Aaron Howe saving a Jacob Erskine shot.

Moses Ademola hit a shot which grazed Darts’ bar but, by now, the visitors were knocking the ball around, probing for openings and turning up the pressure on the table-toppers.

In the second half Darts had Woking in handcuffs and the home side were reduced to booting the ball anywhere just to get some relief from the pressure.

The drenched Darts supporters were in good voice despite monsoon conditions and their team responded so that any stranger visiting Kingfield would find it impossible to believe that the team in red and white were the runaway leaders of Conference South.

With Jon Wallis orchestrating matters, Darts forced a number of saves from Howe.

Even he was powerless when Danny Harris waltzed past home defenders to work an opening for a shot which went agonisingly wide.

Substitute Ryan Hayes put in a cross which Tony Garrod couldn't quite get enough power on.

It was just not to be Darts’ day.

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Dartford: Wells, Burns, Green, Bonner, Goodacre, Champion, Noble (Hayes 63), Wallis, Erskine (Garrod 75), Rogers (Graham 81), Harris. Subs not used: Jones, Ibrahim. Att: 2,528.