Alan Dowson has a clear message ahead of a crucial period in Dartford’s season - bring it on!

The Darts are well placed for another crack at promotion from National League South, although they have played more league games than their rivals, sitting second.

They were beaten 1-0 at fellow play-off occupants Chelmsford, who are fourth in the table, last weekend but Dartford manager Dowson was keen to swiftly move on from the defeat ahead of a tough run of fixtures.

They host Bath this Saturday, now a 12.30pm kick-off, before a trip to fellow high-fliers Havant on Wednesday.

“We are well aware of that [how important the upcoming period is],” said Dowson, whose side visit rivals Ebbsfleet on Boxing Day and then host the same opponents on New Year’s Day.

“We are well aware of the teams around us. There will be a massive crowd at Havant and for the Ebbsfleet games.

“But I have never allowed a team to go for a draw. That’s, maybe, one of my faults.

“I have never felt pressure in football, ever.

"I have had five promotions but pressure is for wars and what’s going on in Ukraine and things like that. I don’t feel pressure at all.

“At the end of the day, at the start of the season, everyone wants a crack at promotion.

“But if you finish second or third, it doesn’t really matter, as long as we get promoted, and we are challenging at the moment.

“If I was a player, I would love to be involved in these games.”

Defender Tom Bonner’s late own goal consigned the Darts to defeat at Chelmsford. Dowson, though, felt there wasn’t a lot wrong with their display.

He reflected: “We were unlucky, it was a good performance.

"It was a last-minute own goal by Tom Bonner, which is a bit of a freak.

“I’m the worst loser in the world but I took heart from it. I have binned it and the lads need to bin it.”

Dartford started their campaign - and their time under Dowson after his appointment in the summer - with a 2-0 victory at Bath, so they will be looking to do the double over them.

But Dowson, who watched Hemel beat Bath 1-0 on Tuesday, said: “They are a good side, it will be a tricky game. It’s a chance to get a first double of the season.

“We fancy ourselves, of course we do, but I don’t think there’s any easy games in this league.

"But it’s up to us.”

Dowson concedes they have missed midfield duo Jack Smith and Luke Allen in recent weeks, although both could return from injury against Bath.

“We have missed him [Smith],” Dowson admitted. “I’m hoping, this weekend, he can make a comeback.

“Of course we are still looking, I still need a centre-half. I thought we had got one but the lad has been ill for 10 days.

“Luke Allen has been unfortunate to miss the last few weeks as well. We have missed Luke Allen’s goalscoring ability and Jack’s legs in there.

“But there’s a feel-good factor around the club and the changing room. We are ready.”

Darts played Margate on Monday in a friendly, in which striker Alex Wall bagged three goals and defender Kristian Campbell played 90 minutes.

Dowson added: “We got minutes into players’ legs.

"Hopefully we will be flying into [training on] Thursday and flying into Saturday.

“We are in a good place to attack the week.”