Darts cement play-off bid with Salisbury success (From News Shopper)

Dartford 2-0 Salisbury City

10:57am Monday 27th February 2012 in Dartford By Mike Brett-Smith

DARTFORD started a catch-up weekend with a comfortable win over mid-table Salisbury City at Princes Park, a result which allowed them to reclaim second spot in the Conference South.

A win at home to Basingstoke tonight will not only eradicate the away loss suffered earlier in the season but, more importantly, consolidate Darts in pole position for the play-off places.

The first half was pretty much forgettable with far too much of it spent with the ball in the air and although Dartford always had the edge, Salisbury had a brief flurry just before the break which proved to be fruitless.

Perhaps the highlight of the first 45 minutes was a blood shirt change for on-loan from Dagenham & Redbridge central defender Luke Wilkinson.

The game was watched by Dartford legend Johnny Ripley, who asked at half-time: ‘Do you always hit long balls, not use the full width of the pitch?’

Perhaps similar questions were asked in the home dressing room, as immediately after the change-round Darts started knocking the ball around and killed the game off in a six-minute spell.

Just two minutes into the second half Jacob Erskine laid a pass to Lee Noble.

Noble beat his marker to set up Erskine, who calmly lobbed Salisbury keeper Mark Scott for the opening goal.

Within six minutes it was 2-0 when a fine close-passing move, which scythed through the Salisbury defence, was finished with a crisp shot from James Rogers.

Dartford were in full control and the pace of the game slackened markedly, suiting Tony Burman’s side who entertain Basingstoke this evening.

Salisbury were not completely out of it and, in a rare break, Charlie Lasosso latched on to a through ball and with just Louis Wells to beat, put his shot wide of the right post.

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Dartford: Wells, Burns, Green, Bonner, Wilkinson Champion, Noble, Wallis, Erskine (Garrod 85), Rogers (Graham 82), Harris. Subs not used: Hayes, Goodacre, Jones. Att: 941.