Tony Burman remained upbeat about his side's play-off hopes despite being held to a goalless draw against bottom side Basingstoke Town at Princes Park on Saturday.

In a first half bereft of chances, Dartford went closest to breaking the deadlock when Andy Pugh headed a Ryan Hayes cross inches wide on 28 minutes.

After the restart, the Darts continued to press but were thwarted yet again when Becka-Kah Dembele rounded off some audacious skills to see his shot deflected into the hands of Dan Lincoln.

Already relegated Basingstoke enjoyed a flurry of chances as the game ended and should have taken all three points when Liam Enver-Marum fired over in stoppage time.

Burman said: "I think we needed to score early in the game to open things up a little bit but we have huffed and puffed and the players have given a good account of themselves.

"We just could not break the five man defence at the back, it happens.

"You just have got to move on again and hopefully turn it into three points next week."

With just two games left, Burman's side have a less intense schedule than their play-off rivals, something the Dartford manager is happy to have: "It is going to be a busy two weeks for some of the teams and it is a welcome rest for us to try and get some of the players who have got some injuries back into the frame.

"We have not lost today and we got a point, which we are grateful for but it would have been nice to get the three. It was not to be and we move on."

Burman handed Dean Gardikiotis his first appearance for Dartford, with the stopper a replacement for the injured Deren Ibrahim, who looks set to miss the rest of the campaign with a shoulder injury.

The Dartford boss was pleased with what he saw from the new keeper, saying: "I think he has done okay.

“He has been training with us for the last three months and he was waiting for an opportunity. He signed for us before the deadline.

"I am pleased with what he did. It is difficult to come in and he knows how important the games are. I think he has made a couple of decent saves and I am pleased for him.

"He is going to be playing, it looks like, until the end of the season although Deren has a meeting with the consultant on Monday to see how things are.”

The Dartford manager still believes despite this setback that his side have a possibility of making the playoffs.

He added: "I am pleased that we are challenging for the play-offs. That was the aim.

"We have had two difficult years and I feel that we have managed to come back this season and kept our own.

"We have done well and to go into the last three games with something to play for is a credit to the players."

Dartford will continue their search for a play-off place when they host Oxford City on Saturday.