DARTFORD ended their debut season in the Ryman Premiership in eighth spot after signing off with a 0-0 draw at Boreham Wood on Saturday.

From the side which ran in four goals against Ashford Town on Tuesday, Tommy Osborne returned for Sean Eferakorho, James White for Danny Dafter and Rob Haworth for Jay May.

Boreham Wood required victory for absolute security and Darts a win to maintain seventh place.

However, happenings elsewhere during the afternoon changed the requirements minute by minute and, in the end a draw satisfied the hosts and a draw allowed Darts to finish a very creditable eighth.

The game itself was of the Curate’s Egg variety with Boreham Wood shading the early stages, while proving profligate in the last third.

Darts were more content to let things happen with Ryan Hayes, although inventive, perhaps a little below his best of late. However, his reputation preceded him and the hosts tried to crowd him out – a rather fruitless exercise.

On the other flank, the Carley-Noble partnership flourished. Overall a rather capricious wind spoilt the game but not the carnival atmosphere, buoyed up by the large Dartford contingent in Boreham Wood’s best crowd on the season.

After the interval, Darts had the advantage of the wind and a Jamie Day dipping volley had home keeper Overland beaten as the shot brushed the crossbar.

Darts, well marshalled by skipper Adam Flanagan, had few problems from Boreham Wood and when the home forwards did get a sight of goal, they were denied by some fine saves from Andrew Young ,who delivered his 16th clean sheet in thirty-four league games.

For the statistically minded, the gate of 453 enabled Darts to attract an average away attendance of slightly 500 per competitive game, a figure most clubs would like as a home average.

Finally, having lifted the John Stevens Memorial Trophy last week, Tommy Osborne completed the double by lifting the away supporters’ Grassbank Trophy.

Dartford: Young, Osborne, Gross, Flanagan, Coyle, White (Butterworth 72),Hayes, Day, Haworth (May 57), Carley (Woods-Garness 57), Noble - Subs not used: Guest and Ibrahim. Att: 453.