Dartford co-chairman Steve Irving has revealed the club are edging closer to appointing a new manager.

The Darts have lost all four matches under caretaker boss Tony Burman after sacking Alan Dowson and now sit just six points above the relegation zone.

“I think probably tonight’s results means it will be sooner rather than later,” stated Mr Irving after Tuesday’s 1-0 home reverse to Chippenham.

“We were hoping that Tony could turn things around from where we were.

“Certainly, from a performance point of view, I think he’s done an incredible job in getting the same players to have more confidence in themselves and play a better style. Craig Belgrave coming in takes a lot of credit for that as well.

“But, unfortunately, the results still haven’t gone our way despite better performances, particularly at Bath on Saturday.

“The second half was our best performance of the season. Against Chippenham we started off well and should have been two or three goals up but we haven’t taken our chances.

“We probably are closer to making a decision than we might have been.”

Mr Irving also disclosed that Dartford will appoint a manager familiar with National League South football.

“It will be somebody with experience at this level for sure,” he added.

“What we’ve looked for is somebody that has a degree of success, whether it be from the league below through this division and perhaps into the National League.

“[We want somebody] that knows this club and the style we want to play, the type of club that we are and can embrace everything.

“More important than anything is to get a successful side and for the rest of this season that means getting somebody in that is going to at least keep us in this division.

“I still feel very confident that we will stay up but you look at the results and it doesn’t augur well. We wanted to take our time, we’ve had quality applicants come in.

“There was in the region of 40-plus and it’s taken a bit of time to talk to these people and whittle it down to a shortlist which we have done.”