DARTFORD co-chairman Bill Archer has criticised the Ryman League after the Princes Park side were forced into the Division One North last night.

The Darts, who were strong favourites to win the southern section this season, discovered they will instead be playing in the northern division after a vote by other Isthmian clubs.

Mr Archer told News Shopper: "It leaves a nasty taste in the mouth when you realise how it happened.

"As a club we will have to take the decision on the chin and get on with it.

"We did plan to appeal, but having spoken to the Ryman League and the FA, we have discovered there is no right of appeal against a decision taken following a members' vote."

Dartford received 27 votes in total to consign them to the northern league, six more than second-placed Corinthian Casuals.

Mr Archer added: "I think there is a certain team in the southern section who could just as easily be playing in the French league bearing in mind where they are.

"We will just have to get on with it and make sure we win the title to get out of this division as soon as possible."

Manager Tony Burman claimed his job has just been made much harder by the decision.

He explained: "At the moment I'm still trying to calm down, but it doesn't make life any easier.

"I've spent the past three months trying to bring in the players who I feel would have been able to earn us promotion from the southern division.

"Now all of my planning has gone out of the window because we are going to be facing teams and players I know little or nothing about."

A statement from the Dartford board was released to the club's official website.

It read: "We are still in a state of shock at the events of last night, where this situation was sprung upon us without any prior knowledge.

"It was obviously something which had been arranged by a group of other clubs in advance, and it would have been only right and proper to have had advance notice.

"The apparent collusion of the northern clubs is understandable, where they will benefit financially from the large away following we will bring, but the reasoning of certain clubs in the south is less understandable."