After the impressive win against St Leonards last Monday, Dartford slumped to a home defeat to Witney Town on Saturday.

The opening 25 minutes were very even and both sides effectively cancelled each other out and there were few goalscoring opportunities. Dartford’s best effort of the half came after 28 minutes when Nick Barnes hit a shot from 30 yards out but this was easily saved by Tom King in the Witney goal.

After 35 minutes, the game was held up for nearly ten minutes when Witney’s Gary Murphy collided with Shane Holbrook and had to be stretchered off the pitch and taken to hospital with a suspected dislocated elbow.

King was booked for a challenge on Chris Arnold outside the penalty area but the resulting free kick was blocked by the Witney wall. In the last five minutes of the first half, Witney had two opportunities to score but Richard Bourne shot against the outside of a post and then substitute Geoff Neville fired over the bar when well placed.

In the second half, Dartford had a goal disallowed after 55 minutes. King could only parry a shot from Barnes and although Arnold was on hand to follow up, the referee’s assistant’s flag was already raised for an offside infringement.

Witney took the lead in the 63^rd minute when a cross from Terry Morrisey was headed home by Richard Bourne from close range. Four minutes later, a Dartford attack broke down and Keith Knight managed to rob Mal Pointer on the half way line. He moved in on goal, rounding Williams before slotting the ball home.

In the dying minutes, Bourne headed home his second goal following a deep cross from the left.

Dartford: Williams, Adlington, Evans (P. Johns 60 mins), Pointer, L. Morrish, Roberts (Wilson 71 mins), Barnes, Guiver, Arnold, Jones and Holbrook (A. Morrish 71 mins).

Attendance 165.