Ryan Hayes tries to get between two Nuneaton defenders

by Steve Tervet

Nuneaton gate-crashed Dartford’s end-of-season party when Wesley York scored a late winner at Princes Park on Saturday.

A bumper crowd – including around 250 travelling fans – saw York convert a Jon Adams through-ball nine minutes from time to sink the Darts.

Having seen his side win 3-2 at Forest Green in midweek, Dartford manager Tony Burman named an unchanged team, but was left to regret the decision afterwards.

He said: “I have been changing the team and I decided not to do it. In hindsight, I should have done it. Too many of them hit the wall and it was a really poor performance.

“The harder they tried, the worse it got. There was no spark and I’m glad there wasn’t anything on the game. I’m very disappointed with the performance but I’m not going to dwell on it.

“We need to forget it and realise what a good season this has been.”

Darts skipper Elliot Bradbrook turned and fired a shot over the bar in a first half almost devoid of goalmouth activity.

York had a tame effort saved by Fulham loanee Csaba Somogyi after the restart and Andy Brown failed to convert Aaron Phillips’ cross at the back post.

The home side went close when Charlie Sheringham’s shot was blocked by Phillips. It was the visitors who looked the more likely scorers though, with Somogyi saving from Adams and Louis Moult seeing his powerful shot deflect wide.

Bradbrook headed a Jack Evans corner over the bar when he should have hit the target and Nuneaton went on to score their winner.

Defeat meant Dartford dropped a place to eighth in the final Blue Square Bet Premier table. They were England’s top-ranked part-time side in 2012-13.

After the game, Lee Burns was named Pure DFC player of the year, away player of the year and supporters’ player of the year. Tom Bonner and Ryan Hayes were second and third respectively in the supporters vote.