DANNY Harris hit a hat-trick as Dartford hammered Basingstoke last night.

Monday night football might be part of NFL life but, where proper football is played, it seems to involve strange side effects.

First, the electric Princes Park scoreboard failed twice, then the team sheet had Richard Graham wearing 14 and Tony Garrod wearing 15 when in fact the wearers were reversed.

This caused a momentary glitch for John Hall and a brief consultation with the referee when it came to Darts' first substitution.

That apart, Darts' 4-1 win allowed the gap on Woking to be closed to nine points with a game in hand.

Welling losing 4-2 at Staines aided Dartford's cause somewhat.

The early stages of the game were a carbon copy of the one against Salisbury City, with ball on the deck at a premium.

This suited the visitors who had the lion's share of the first quarter but found Louis Wells in fine handling fettle.

Basingstoke lost key man Delano Sam-White to injury midway through the half but they still had the edge although Darts began to find their men with a greater frequency and, against the overall run of play, went in at half-time a goal to the good.

On 43 minutes Dartford won a free-kick outside the area which, quickly taken, saw Harris waltz through the visiting defence and thump a shot past Ashley Bayes.

The second half saw Darts revert to the carpet football they are capable of and the visitors had no answer to it.

Wave after wave of multi-man passing moves left the visitors breathless.

Every Dart played his part in a purple patch lasting probably no more than 20 minutes.

It was enough.

Darts' second goal came on 53 minutes when Adam Green came out of defence on a surging run and his cross was headed away for a corner.

The flag kick was headed home by Harris.

Two-nil became 2-1 when slack marking allowed Basingstoke briefly back into the game, Stuart Lake getting the final touch on the ball as it limped over the line.

A flowing move involving six players and a dozen passes allowed Tony Garrod to restore the two-goal margin.

To cap an important evening, Harris completed a deserved hat-trick with a delightful curler, which beat Bayes all hands down.

Woking are approaching Beecher's Brook for the second, but the pack is closing!

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Dartford: Wells, Jones, Green, Bonner, Wilkinson, Champion, Noble, Wallis (Graham 86), Erskine (Garrod 74), Rogers, Harris (Hayes 86). Subs not used:Goodacre, Ibrahim. Att: 783.