HENDON arrived at Princes Park with a good start to the season in the kit-bag but left with a chastening defeat.

The early afternoon sun gave way to dull cloud cover for most of the ensuing 90 minutes but Darts lit up Princes Park with another ‘nap-hand’, finishing the afternoon five points clear at the top of the Ryman Premier table.

Another good turn out bearing in mind Charlton, Welling and Ebbsfleet were all at home, saw Darts kick off to the Academy End and reduce the visitors to sporadic raids led by the mercurial Hamada, backed up by Peter Dean.

Darts were first to show and on nine minutes when a handball offence in the penalty area set up the chance of an early goal, but visiting keeper James Reading guessed correctly to make an excellent penalty save.

For most of the rest of the half, Darts were methodical in build-up with a slightly subdued Ryan Hayed providing a series of testing balls into the box.

One such ball was pursued by Rob Haworth who was tripped in full flight in the box and was, surprisingly, deemed to have dived.

Three minutes before the interval, Haworth shrugged off a challenge and, as Reading narrowed the angle, drove an astute shot past him to put Darts in front.

The second half saw Darts up the pace and soon the advantage was doubled.

Ryan Hayes chased the ball in the Hendon box and, with Howarth harrying Reading, it fell to the ubiquitous Lee Burns, who rammed in his ninth goal of the season.

Haworth made way for Jay May whose first touch was a deft header, followed by a crafty pass out right, a header on goal and, finally, a looping headed goal from a Lee Noble pass.

By now the off-ball running was a joy to behold and, typically, a fourth goal was scored when a move involving Burns, Day, Burgess and Tait ended with May netting from close in.

In the final minute, May became provider when he chased a long pass from Adam Flanagan, ran half the length of the pitch and waited for Noble to arrive.

May insolently rolled a pass across the face of the penalty area for Noble to smash home and complete the rout.

Dartford: Young, Burgess, Gross, Flanagan, Coyle, Dafter, Hayes (Noble 59), Day, Haworth (May 76), Burns, Bradbrook (Tait 78). Subs not used: Beale, Kessell. Att: 1,100.