Dartford climbed back into the National League South play-off places with a narrow win over struggling St Albans on Saturday.

Andy Pugh opened the scoring at Princes Park but this wasn't comfortable viewing for the home crowd as the league's bottom side ran the Darts close in a poor game.

However, a second goal for Pugh in stoppage-time banished those nerves - and the memories of Dartford's 2-1 defeat to Wealdstone in their last home game, when they let a 1-0 lead slip away.

Ebou Adams left Dartford to sign for Norwich this week and his place in midfield was taken by Barry Cogan in manager Tony Burman's only change.

Lee Noble and Danny Harris were fit enough for the bench although there was no Tom Bradbrook in Dartford's squad, while Lee Burns faces another month out with a thigh injury.

The first half, after a promising start, would have made a good cure for insomniacs.

St Albans showed no ambition and Dartford lacked the quality to break them down, with the visitors happy to pack 10 men behind the ball whenever they weren't in possession.

Pugh rode a soft tackle and shot straight at Saints keeper Joe Welch from 20 yards.

A neat move down the right then saw full-back Tom Gardiner deliver a low cross which reached Jack Simmons. He took a touch and got a shot away but it was blocked.

Ryan Hayes cushioned a Pugh cross back into the six-yard box but there was no-one there in a white shirt to get on the end of it.

St Albans looked rocky when the home side put balls into the box, although Dartford's deliveries from wide areas left a lot to be desired at times.

Simmons teed up Pugh but his shot flew well wide and that summed up the opening 45 minutes.

Charlie MacDonald hacked a shot 20 yards wide for St Albans in the opening minute of the second half - the visitors' first attempt on goal all afternoon.

Burman gave it just six minutes before sending on Harris for Cogan - and the change worked.

Persistent play on the edge of the Saints box earned Dartford a yard of space and Harris set up Pugh for a cool finish which nestled in the bottom corner of the net.

St Albans looked to respond but Michael Thalassitis, once of Ebbsfleet, saw his long-range strike fly well wide.

At the other end, Elliot Bradbrook got his head to a deep cross from Hayes but a splendid diving save by Joe Welch denied the Darts skipper.

Dartford went close again when Tom Wynter's ball over the top got Pugh running in behind. He swapped passes with Hayes and floated a shot over the bar.

But there was a heart-stopping moment for Ronnie Vint when the young centre-half tangled with MacDonald in the Darts box. Both players went to ground and the referee's whistle went, with St Albans screaming for a penalty, although Carl Brook gave the foul against MacDonald much to Vint's relief.

However, nerves spread around Princes Park as St Albans pushed men forward in pursuit of a late equaliser. Dartford's defending matched the mood and substitute Biily Gibson dragged a shot just wide for the visitors.

Callum McNaughton rescued Dartford by sliding in to clear Louie Theophanous' dangerous low cross after the substitute got in behind Vint. Gibson then curled a free-kick narrowly over and the game was still in the balance as the board went up for three added minutes.

But in the second of those, Simmons raced down the left and crossed low for Pugh, who steadied himself before planting the ball beyond Welch - who should have done better.

Dartford: Ibrahim, Gardiner, Onyemah, Vint, McNaughton, Wynter, Hayes (Dembele 81mins), E Bradbrook, Pugh, Cogan (Harris 51mins), Simmons. Subs not used: Francis, Noble, Sykes.

St Albans: Welch, Green (Chappell 46mins), Bender, Thomas, Locke, Martin, Udoji, Corcoran, Thalassitis (Gibson 65mins), MacDonald, Bangura (Theophanous 28mins). Subs not used: Kyriacou, Oshodi.

Attendance: 931.