Dartford 1-0 Arlesey Town

A FIRST half winner from Adam Flanagan maintained Dartford's four-point lead at the top of the table on Saturday.

Unchanged Darts attacked the Brooklands end on an overcast, chilly afternoon.

With yet another four-figure crowd spurring them on, the league leaders soon found why Arlesey had a miserly away record - defence in numbers.

This was both their salvation and their downfall.

As early as the fourth minute, on-song Eddie McClements found his way barred by four makers.

On more than one occasion, Darts strung the ball across the full width of the pitch and back again to find a way through, which with a bagful of patience they did.

Even so, Arlesey double-marked both Ryan Hayes and Phil Williams and their play suffered as a result.

The visitors did win a free-kick wide on the left and Tony Kessell was called on to make a smart save.

Williams was on the receiving end of some heavy tackles with one low Hayes free-kick ending in a corner on the right side.

Arlesey pulled their entire team back, but Hayes' corner was met with precision by Flanagan, who headed home the only goal of the match on 20 minutes.

For the rest of the half, Darts kept on the front foot with McClements continuing his fine form and even Alex O'Brien exchanged his containing role for a marauding one on the far right.

Arlesey's only answer was a first-time big boot out of defence.

The second half saw Darts up the pressure and Arlesey's defence, with its fair share of gangling knees and elbows, was put through the mill.

Jay May, receiving an amount of close attention, worked hard along with McClements to prise open the visitors' back eight with some success.

It was Darts' pace, flair and imagination which kept the crowd on its toes and there were one or two chances to add to the score.

The best one was when Williams bore down and took aim at goal, but was denied his first goal for the club when a divot intervened at the last second.

Arlesey really had to work when Junior Kadi replaced Williams as the newcomer produced magic they hadn't catered for.

At times it was goalkeeper Jake Whincup against the world and a series of daring saves saved a rout.

Right at the end, of course, Arlesey threw caution to the wind trying to snatch an undeserved leveller, but Darts' defence weren't having any of it.

Dartford: Kessell, Coyle, Norman, Flanagan, Guest, O'Brien, Hayes, May, Cass (Lewis 85), McClements, Williams (Kadi 63). Subs not used: Bradbrook, Osborne, Green. Att: 1,157