Dartford lost to lower league opposition for the second time this season after being knocked out of the FA Trophy on Saturday.

The Darts, beaten by AFC Sudbury in the FA Cup, were beaten by a soft penalty decision in the second half at step 3 Needham Market.

Luke Ingram's 73rd-minute penalty came after Kevin Horlock's side had already been denied by the woodwork three times. And there was another still to come to prevent the goalscorer adding his second before a tense finale which saw an important save from Marcus Garnham preserve their lead.

Steve King's Darts made two changes from their 1-0 victory at Havant on Wednesday with the fit-again Danny Leonard and Jake Robinson coming in for Kalvin Kalala and Marcus Dinanga.

It was the Suffolk side who registered the first shot inside 50 seconds with Callum Page hitting a sweet half volley from 30 yards but goalkeeper Dan Wilks was comfortably behind it.

Dartford's first opening came after 12 minutes but the home defence held up well after Leonard had turned Colchester loanee Harvey Sayer in the box.

Needham had largely been the ones asking the questions though and in the 21st minute the post came to the visitors' rescue. Centre-back Kory Roberts could only slice at Page's low cross and it came off Noah Collard's chest before coming back off the upright.

Dartford's Ade Azeez could not direct his header goalwards from Jordan Wynter's cross while Page sent a free-kick into Wilks hands as Needham threatened once again.

On the half-hour mark it was Garnham who was called into action, springing to his left to push a Leonard angled effort over the crossbar that had been destined for the top corner.

Needham ended the half strongly with Sayer catching the eye with a driving run that saw his cross saved while an Ingram header from a deep free-kick lacked sufficient power.

Just before the hour mark, Needham were denied by the post again following a powerful low shot from Jake Dye, who had carried the ball well to the edge of the box. His effort took a deflection off a defender on its way to coming back off the post with Ingram's follow-up too weak to trouble Wilks.

The home side continued to knock on the door with Ben Fowkes and Page both denied by defensive blocks in the box before the latter skied the rebound.

Within a minute it was the crossbar that denied them as Ingram attempted a chip from inside the box from Kyle Hammond's pass that bounced out before Dartford carried it clear.

A rare chance for the visitors saw Luke Allen find the stretched hands of Garnham from his sweetly hit half-volley.

But play was soon back up the other end and from a left-wing corner the referee pointed to the penalty spot for a push by Allen on Dan Morphew.

It seemed to take an age for Ingram to be allowed to take it but once he did, he fired it over the reach of the diving Wilks before celebrating in front of the home fans behind the goal.

Within three minute the same player's low shot came back off the post.

Dartford began to inevitably build the pressure as they sought an equaliser and it almost arrived in the 86th minute but QPR loanee Ody Alfa put his header from Wynter's cross wide of the target.

There were hearts in home mouths in the final minute as Robinson flicked on Alfa's cross to substitute Kalvin Kalala but Garnham smothered his shot from close range.

Four minutes of stoppage time were signalled and Needham almost got a second when Ingram ran in on goal from the halfway line only to see Wilks make the save.

Needham Market: Garnham, Dye, Sayer, K Morphew, D Morphew, Page, Collard, Ingram, Brothers, Fowkes, Hammond. Subs not used: Clark, Fitzgerald, Northwood, Chambers, Kudiabar, Harris, Johnson.

Dartford: Wilks, Wynter, Innocent, Allen, Roberts, Essam, Leonard (Kalala 80mins), Murtagh (Hyde 80mins), Robinson, Jebb, Azeez (Alfa 70mins). Subs not used: Bonner, Wray, Theobalds.

Attendance: 1,011.

Referee: Tom Bishop.