DARTFORD’S FA Cup dream is over after a combination of injuries and unavailable goal-scorers proved their undoing in Saturday’s first round defeat at Salisbury City.

Without on-loan strikers, and with recovering skipper Elliot Bradbrook still ruled out, manager Tony Burman was restricted in his final selection against the in-form hosts.

Salisbury had given full warning of their capabilities when they visited Princes Park earlier in the season and enjoyed the better of a 1-1 draw.

Straight from the first whistle City gave Darts no time to settle and virtually won the tie with a brace of goals in the 13th and 18th minutes from Dan Fitchett and Ben Wright.

The first by Fitchett came as the result of a neat one-two with Ebbsfleet’s 2008 Wembley FA Trophy hero Chris McPhee, and the second after Darts failed to deal with a looping cross, allowing Wright to hit home from just inside the area.

The tie was virtually dead and buried just before half-time when Elliot Frear scored from close in following a low cross by Fitchett to make it 3-0.

However, Darts didn’t lie down and reduced the arrears midway through the second half with a typical Lee Burns goal.

But despite their spirited rally, Dartford’s chances of an unlikely comeback were finally cut off when Fitchett made it 4-1 with four minutes left.

There was still time Max Cornhill to grab a late consolation but it is Salisbury who go through to face Shortwood or Port Vale in the second round.

For Darts it is back to the Conference campaign and away games at Woking tomorrow evening and Macclesfield on Saturday.

Dartford: Julian: Burns, Clark, Mitchel-King: Fry, Woodyard, Collier (Ibemere 60), Noble (Sterling 68), Cornhill, Hayes, Harris (Prior 60). Subs not used: Forecast, Eisa, Dembele. Att: 1,298.