THE abiding memory of Dartford’s epic victory at Aveley was of lone hero Jay May up front and the orange jumpered Andrew Young who dominated the visitors’ penalty box with second heroics.

May, assigned to chase lost causes, did his work so well forcing them into errors they should not have committed.

At the other end, Young was a giant who caught every thing coming his way with consummate adroitness.

They were equalled by eight heroes in black and white.

A game which began under heavy grey cloud was heading towards a 1-1 half-time when Dartford were awarded a free-kick just outside the home penalty area.

As the Aveley wall lined up, the nearby linesman spotted something which led to Adam Flanagan receiving a red card and two Aveley players a yellow each.

What actually happened is unclear, but Darts had to play 50 minutes one short, 45 of them uphill.

The game was a typical one involving the two sides with Darts taking the lead on 17 minutes when Ryan Hayes turned in a neat cross following a quickly-taken throw-in.

Ten minutes later an injury saw Allan Tait replaced by May.

Aveley levelled on 32 minutes when a bit of Junior Dadson trickery set up Ryan Edgar, who slotted home low inside Young’s left post.

Whatever was said in the visitors’ dressing room had a galvanising effect and Darts’ first post-break move upfield ended in a corner which was swung in to the far post, where Jamie Coyle neatly headed in to restore the lead.

Now the sun broke through to brighten proceedings and though Aveley were pressing they couldn’t beat the ubiquitous Young and his co-defenders.

Millers’ hearts were broken when May got just desserts for a selfless afternoon by getting a final touch in the home goalmouth.

In the fourth minute of the 12 added on, Hayes did what only he can do – run through the opposition and score Darts’ fourth with a cheeky sweep home after his first shot rebounded off the home keeper’s knees.

Again praise for the travelling support which annexed the covered side and vocally and musically backed their heroes for the whole 102 minutes.

Dartford: Young, Burgess (Coyle 40), Gross, Flanagan, Beales, White, Hayes, Dafter, Tait (May 26), Burns, Bradbrook (Noble 62). Subs not used: Harris, Moran. Att: 541.