Alfie Pavey scored deep in stoppage-time as Dartford beat promotion rivals Hampton in the most dramatic circumstances.

Played in dreadful conditions in front of a bumper Good Friday crowd, the match seemed destined to finish all square.

But with just seconds to go, Pavey kept his cool to score a goal which keeps Dartford two points behind leaders Havant with six games to go.

Hours of incessant rain put the game in some doubt but the Dartford ground staff worked tirelessly to fork and sand the pitch in the hours before kick-off.

The first half was absorbing, if not technically great. Darts did their best to pass the ball through the mud but their best route forward was the direct one, with Hampton's centre-halves seemingly reluctant to head high balls.

Pavey had a cross from Nathan Collier taken off his head at the last second and the home side won a few corners without making them count.

At the other end, Hampton had a good little spell and Max Kretzschmar headed straight at Berti Schotterl before Shaun McAuley's cross was turned wide, on the stretch, by Shaun Jeffers.

Alex Brown had more time than he realised, the Darts midfielder hastily hitting a shot wide. Elliot Bradbrook's header from a Noble corner dropped wide as the Beavers continued to look hesitant in the air.

But it took a fine block from Ronnie Vint to thwart Kretzschmar in the Dartford box before some dangerous play from Hampton finished with Bradley Hudson-Odoi sidefooting wide.

Jeffers sent a header wide of the near post but clear chances were few and far between. Hampton broke from a Dartford corner but the final ball let them down.

Conditions were even worse at the start of the second half. Bradbrook found Pavey with a cross from the left but he took a heavy touch and Hampton cleared.

Twice Mr Smith stopped play and came over to speak to the managers as the pitch deteriorated but decided to play on, persuaded by both captains.

Dartford created a couple of openings, Pugh shooting over and then straight at goalkeeper Seny Dieng with a header from substitute Danny Mills looping over in between.

A low shot from Pavey was well saved by Dieng, who then turned Bradbrook's header from a Tom Murphy cross behind for a corner.

At the other, and with puddles now appearing on the pitch, Christian Jolley forced a save from Schotterl after showing quick feet in the penalty area.

The ball was holding up badly in the closing stages with the rain still falling and the pitch virtually unplayable.

But in the fourth and final minute of added time, Bradbrook's header over the top ran for Pavey and he stroked the ball home with his left foot to sent Princes Park wild.

Dartford: Schotterl, Collier, Bonner, Vint, Onyemah, Brown, Noble, Bradbrook, Pugh (Murphy 75mins), Pavey, Ofori-Acheampong (Mills 68mins). Subs not used: Hayes, Harris, Ibrahim.

Hampton & Richmond: Dieng, Wynter, Casey, Long, Wassmer, McAuley (Crawford 73mins), Hudson-Odoi (Jolley 69mins), Baptiste, Jeffers, Kretzschmar (Kamara 88mins), Kiernan. Subs not used: Sheldrick, Cook.

Attendance: 1,371.