Dartford 2-0 Harrow Borough

Shades of the weather to come were evident with the match played under a low cloud base of grey cumulus from the South Siberian Steppes, but this did not deter a fine crowd of 1,326 enjoying win number 11 in 12 outings.

Harrow Borough asked Darts to kick to the Academy End, thus facing the fickle wind with the hope of going in at half-time at 0-0 and snatching a second-half winner.

With the two goalkeepers on display capable of 70-yarders in normal circumstances, the wind added length and swirling drift to kicks thus discomfiting defences.

Action was more intermittent that usual and patterns rarely emerged and chances were few.

As is customary with Darts – in particular Ryan Hayes – altered points of attack with sudden first time passes of anything up to 50 yards were served up.

By contrast, Harrow, who had a fair share of the ball, worked forward with some neat, crisp inter-passing but they foundered on Darts’ all consuming defence which, as usual, was in stingy mood.

Early on, James White was pulled down in full flight and Hayes’ free-kick rebounded from the wall. Then a quick break was thwarted by Harrow keeper Joe Day, the bustling Jamie Day had an effort turned down for offside and then the deadlock was broken when Lee Burns cheekily lobbed Day to put Darts in front.

The second half saw Darts exert firm control and, just past the hour, Burns caught Day in two minds to put Darts 2-0 up.

Day, however, made some amends by saving a fiercely-stuck Adam Flanagan penalty awarded when the busy Lee Noble was knocked over cutting in to the box.

A wag in the crowd joked: ‘0.6 on the Richter Scale, 6.0 for artistic content.’ There was sufficient time for a cameo display from Allan Tait who revealed some nice touches and also dropped back when required. A good afternoon all round.

Dartford: Young, Burgess, Gross, Flanagan, Coyle, White, Hayes, Noble, Haworth (May 66), Burns, Bradbrook (Tait 77). Subs not used: Beales, Dafter, Kessell. Att: 1,326.