LIKE special guests Virgin Atlantic, Darts made a perfect take-off and opened their account with a goal on 10 minutes.

Visitors Maidstone United are going through a poor spell at the moment with a new management team bedding in and although they competed in the opening exchanges, ultimately, it was high flyers against circuit and bumpers.

A crumpled grey sky covered Princes Park like a jumble-sale blanket but slipped momentarily to allow the gods to glimpse Lee Burns’ goal before resuming the status quo ante bellum.

Kicking to the Academy End, Darts were immediately into their stride and took the lead in the 10th minute when an Adam Gross run down the left ended with a cross, which Burns nodded on for Danny Dafter to score from close range.

This was a fair reward for his current performance purple patch and Darts’ best league gate of the season erupted.

Settled, Darts played some attractive, instinctive football which drew appreciative applause from the audience.

Although going through the familiar routines, including some vintage John Beales long throws – for which the visitors were ill-prepared – it was just 10 minutes from the break before Darts added a second.

Danny Harris set Allan Tait on his way and the latter selflessly laid off for Burns to score by the back post.

The second half saw Dartford slip down through the gears and, with the game drifting on to its end, those present were treated to a goal which, perhaps, only Ryan Hayes can conjure up.

Picking up a wayward Maidstone pass in acres of space, he essayed a soft-shoe shuffle and curved a left-footer past the bewildered visiting keeper.

There remained time for the unfortunate Roland Edge to execute a last-player tackle on Rob Haworth and earn a red card to round off the Stone’s misery.

Dartford: Young, Johnson (Coyle 58), Gross, Flanagan, Beales, Dafter, Hayes, Harris, Tait (White 85), Burns (Haworth 47), Bradbrook. Subs not used: Rook, Noble. Att: 1,501.