Wingate & Finchley 0-2 Dartford

DARTFORD made one enforced change from Tuesday's victorious side at Tilbury, with Eddie McClements coming in for Mark Green, who sustained a broken bone in his hand and may be sidelined for a couple of weeks.

Saturday's game marked Tony Kessels' 100th start for the Darts and he completed the afternoon with his 11th clean sheet of the season.

On a mild afternoon and in bright sunshine, Darts elected to play up the slope on a nicely grassed surface.

More than 200 joyful Dartford supporters occupied the Michael Dulin Stand and spent a happy afternoon musically and chorally giving 90 minutes of unceasing support to their favourites.

The match was far from spectacular and once the Darts got the measure of the home side, they coasted to a comfortable win without moving much out of bottom gear.

Soon the now-familiar routines were unfolded and it wasn't surprising when Brendon Cass nodded Darts in front after 17 minutes with a far post header from a deep right wing cross.

The home side were rarely in the game, foundering on Darts' excellent defence, but they did have a chance to level matters when Joe O'Brien ballooned over the bar from a left-side cross.

Darts immediately struck back, but Jay May's header was ruled out as John Guest had drifted marginally offside. No matter.

Just before the interval, May made sure with a copybook header from the same wing.

Two up at the break, Darts were in no mood to surrender the points.

Cass almost added a third shortly into the second half when a neat McClements ball enabled him to scythe into the home area on the left, check back and hit a fierce drive, which hit the keeper's knees and went away to safety.

Wingate did have their moments, but Darts' defence was equal to anything they had to offer and, on the few occasions they did break through, they failed to hit the target.

As entertainment it was a little short of high points, but the Darts faithful will be more encouraged by a sixth successive league win than with aesthetics.

Dartford: Kessell, Coyle, Norman, Flanagan, Guest, O'Brien, Hayes (Lewis 83), Kadi, Cass, J May, McClements (Moore 86). Subs not used: Potter, Bradbrook. Att: 280