DARTFORD reached the midway point in the Ryman Premier Division campaign with a home draw against Carshalton Athletic on Saturday.

It was a sort of fresh start all round after the recent chilly spell for players and spectators alike.

What Darts proved is they have retained one essential asset – the ability to stick at a task and rescue something from a game where the breaks tended to go for the opposition.

For the spectators, the voices returned and the drum got stronger as the game wore on.

Defending the Academy End on a surface in remarkably good condition considering what nature had thrown at it in recent weeks, Darts made the first running but soon found the visitors were not just going to make the numbers up.

With the lights on early to counteract the gunmetal cloud cover seemingly just above the stadium roof, Darts had to be vigilant as the Robins’ rearguard gave them little room, with a literal close-marking regime which earned the referee’s displeasure.

Overall, it may not have been as spectacular spectacle as had been the fixture at Carshalton.

Indeed, the Robins got on the score sheet just before the break when the prolific Richard Jolly was left free to pop in a typical individual effort from close in.

The lead lasted 13 second half minutes before, from a testing deep cross from Ryan Hayes, Jamie Coyle got round the back of the bunch in the Robins’ goal area to head firmly past Nick Hamman in the away goal.

Perhaps this was a fair result overall, although Adam Burchell had the ball in the net only to have the effort ruled out, which most neutrals thought somewhat unlucky.

Still, with second-placed Hastings going down 2-0, it’s status quo as the second half of the season starts with Dartford firmly in command at the top.

Dartford: Young, Burgess, Gross, Beales, Coyle, White, Hayes (Carlos 72), Johnson, Haworth, Burchell, Harris (Crouch 88). Subs not used: Dafter, Flanagan, Kessell. Att: 1,217.