Dartford endured a Boxing Day they will want to forget quickly.

Goals from Charlie Strutton and Simeon Akinola fired Braintree to a comfortable win at Princes Park and deepened the Darts' relegation worries heading to the turn of the year.

This was a poor performance by Tony Burman's men, who undid all the good work they had put in by winning so impressively at Wrexham six days earlier.

Their only personnel change from that 3-1 triumph in North Wales was enforced. A hamstring problem ruled out Callum Driver, who was replaced at right-back by Nathan Collier. After more than six weeks out through injury, full-back Lee Burns was fit enough for a place on the bench.

The visitors, who won 2-0 at home to Torquay in their previous outing, were unchanged.

Braintree took the lead in the eighth minute from the first attack of any note. Ryan Peters' long throw from the right bounced up and struck Tom Bender on the hand, leaving referee David Rock little choice but to award a penalty.

Darts keeper Jason Brown guessed correctly but Strutton found the bottom right-hand corner to make it 1-0.

The home side were all at sea and James Mulley, on the stretch, fired wide as Braintree went in search of a second goal.

Alan Devonshire's side, having taken the lead, were content to disrupt the flow of the game at any opportunity. Darts skipper Elliot Bradbrook, having already voiced his frustration, went into the book for dissent after protesting to Mr Rock for a second time.

Mulley became the pantomime villain when he stayed down after an inoccuous-looking challenge. He sprang to his feet when the ball returned to his corner of the pitch, to the fury of the home faithful.

Dartford created almost nothing in the first 20 minutes but finally a chance fell their way. Luke Daley's shot was deflected into the path of Harry Crawford, whose first-time effort was beaten behind by Braintree goalkeeper Nick Hamann.

A corner from the right was headed over by Braintree's Remy Clerima as a dreary first half meandered to a close.

Things weren't much better after the restart.

It took until the hour mark for either side to register an effort on goal, Mulley cutting in from the Braintree right and Brown tipping his left-footed striker over the crossbar.

Simeon Akinola then curled a shot inches wide from the opposite side of the box.

Dartford needed a spark from somewhere and Tony Burman looked to Ryan Hayes to provide it, sending the winger on in place of former Braintree man Daley.

Hayes swung over a corner from the right which was dropped in the six-yard box by Hamann - but the keeper managed to grab the loose ball before it crossed the line.

The threat of a second Braintree goal remained though, and Mulley shot over before Dan Sparkes, on from the bench, had an effort blocked after latching onto Akinola's through-ball.

Sparkes should have made it 2-0 moments later, only for Brown to deny him by saving well with his foot.

But the Darts keeper was picking the ball out of his net 15 minutes from time when he was beaten to Chez Isaac's left-wing corner by Akinola, who nodded home.

Far from rallying to get back in the game, Dartford finished on the back foot.

Dan Sparkes almost added a third for Braintree, his powerful drive whistling just past the angle, before Matt Paine's header was brilliantly clawed out by Brown in stoppage-time..

Dartford: Brown, Collier, Mitchel-King, McAuley, Bender, Noble, Sweeney (Cornhill 79mins), E Bradbrook, Daley (Hayes 62mins), Crawford (Harris 73mins), T Bradbrook. Subs not used: Burns, Ibrahim.

Braintree: Hamann, Peters (Brundle 41mins), Clerima, Massey, Habergham, Muley, Paine, Isaac, Akinola (Cox 78mins), Strutton (Sparkes 68mins), Marks. Subs not used: Smith, Pentney.

Attendance: 1,201.