Manager Ady Pennock admits a poor first-half performance proved costly in Dartford’s home Isthmian Premier defeat to early strugglers Bowers & Pitsea on Saturday.

Former Dartford Academy midfielder Alfie Evans netted twice inside the first 30 minutes for the Essex side against his former club.

The Darts pulled one back through forward Callum Jones late on and the away team had defender Valckx Fernandes sent off in 10 minutes of stoppage time but it finished 2-1 as Bowers & Pitsea moved off the bottom of the table.

Pennock, who felt Dartford should have been awarded a penalty early in the second half for a foul on playmaker Samir Carruthers, said: “I was disappointed with the way we played in the first half.

“We conceded two poor goals and came out really slowly.

“But we’re a young side, we’re learning and these games do happen. For everyone coming here, it’s a beautiful stadium, a lovely pitch to play on, so they’ll lift themselves just for those reasons.

“But we have got to deal with it. I just thought that, in the first half, we didn’t do that.

Report: Dartford 1-2 Bowers & Pitsea

“Goals change games. Obviously, they had something to fight for after they went 1-0 and 2-0 up.

“In the second half, we came out on the front foot, which was better, and I thought the penalty decision really did change the game - it was a blatant penalty.

“But we didn’t get it so we just had to move on. We didn’t give up and that was a good thing.

“I thought the crowd was fantastic. They got right behind us and saw the effort the boys put in.

“But I was disappointed in the first half.”

Dartford got off to the worst possible start at Princes Park when they fell behind inside the fourth minute in front of a crowd of 879. Ex-Tonbridge winger TQ Addy was given space to cross for Evans, who headed past keeper Jacob Marsden.

Evans was again left unmarked in the 25th minute as he arrowed a low drive into the bottom right-hand corner from the edge of the area.

On the goals they conceded, Pennock said: “If I could swear, I’d swear!

“The two goals that we conceded were awful. I’m not going to swear - but they were very poor.

“The thing is that we do it in training. We do a lot in training around defending crosses and, going forward as well, we do a lot of work like that.

“But as the ball went back (to the crosser), we just stayed in the six-yard box, which made it hard for Jacob to see the ball because there were too many people in the six-yard box. We had to squeeze them up.

“With the second one, again I don’t want to swear, but it was poor.”

The result saw the Darts drop a position to sixth - still only one point outside the play-off places - as Bowers & Pitsea claimed their first league victory of the campaign.

Asked if the result had been a wake-up call for his squad, the boss replied: “Not at all.

“I don’t know how many times that we told them.

“Football is never easy, whatever league you’re in. But the players that I have got here are fantastic.

“They’re very honest and very good players, and we’ll just have to learn as we go along.”

Pennock also revealed experienced striker Duane Ofori-Acheampong, who had come off the substitutes’ bench to make his first competitive appearance since his summer return, had been sent off by influential referee Marcin Indyk after the full-time whistle.

“I didn’t realise that Duane had got a red card,” said the 53-year-old, who was also unable to confirm the reasoning behind Ofori-Acheampong’s dismissal.

“That’s a kick in the teeth. It’s something that he doesn’t need.

“There were a lot of yellow cards in the game but we have just got to get on with it.

“It is what it is. The referee isn’t going to change his mind now, is he?

“But I’m disappointed in the red card for Duane.”

Dartford will look to cause an FA Cup upset when they visit National League South Worthing in the third qualifying round next weekend.