Adam Birchall scored the only goal of the game to hand Dartford victory on the opening day of Skrill Premier season.

The on-loan Gilingham man was excellent on his second Darts debut and it was his fine solo effort, late in the first half, which sunk Alfreton at Princes Park.

Alfreton provided the home crowd with some nervy moments in the second half but Dartford were good value for their slender win.

Dartford manager Tony Burman handed starts to seven of his summer signings. Mat Mitchel-King, who only penned a deal at Princes Park on Thursday, partnered Kenny Clark in central defence with Tyrone Sterling out injured. In turn, Alfreton named six debutants in their starting line-up.

Goalmouth action was at a premium in the first half. Alfreton looked to hit Dartford on the counter-attack but more often than not, they were caught offside.

Lee Noble wriggled free down the Darts left and delivered an inviting cross, but Jason Prior headed it over the crossbar.

Elliot Bradbrook had a shot deflected behind and on-loan Derby goalkeeper Ross Atkins then held a cushioned volley from Noble.

The first moment of real promise from Birchall came when he let the ball run across him and forced a good low save from Atkins.

And the Gills loanee broke the deadlock three minutes before half-time with a piece of individual brilliance. Birchall turned Chris Westwood inside-out on the byline and cut inside before prodding a shot past Atkins at his near post.

Alfreton had the ball in the net moments later but Paul Clayton's effort, a low shot across Alan Julian, was ruled out for offside.

Birchall could have doubled his tally early in the second half. He beat the Reds offside trap and bore down on goal but Atkins dived bravely at his feet to save.

Posing a threat almost every time he got on the ball, Birchall then spun on the edge of the box and forced Atkins into another save.

Elliot Bradbrook picked Birchall out with a glorious crossfield pass and this time he fired a shot across goal which fizzed just past the far post.

Alfreton took more than an hour to register an attempt on goal but then three came along at once. Thomas Shaw sent two efforts narrowly wide and Clayton also saw a shot drop the wrong side of the post.

Jason Prior should really have made it 2-0 at the other end when Birchall burst down the right and picked him out inside the six-yard box, but he turned the ball wide.

The visitors continued to press and Joshua Law flashed a shot across the face of goal.

Max Cornhill almost opened his Dartford account with a goal when he ran onto substitute Danny Harris' cutback, but Atkins saved again.

Birchall almost rounded off a terrific individual display with a second goal late on. Ryan Hayes teed him up but Alfreton got bodies in the way to block the striker's goalbound strike.

On Tuesday, the Darts travel to Aldershot Town.

Dartford: Julian; Burns, Clark, Mitchel-King, Fry (Rogers 51mins); Hayes (Woodyard 90mins), Cornhill, Bradbrook, Noble; Prior (Harris 75mins), Birchall. Subs not used: Collier, Wellham.

Alfreton: Atkins; Wood, Westwood, Fenton, Franklin; Meadows (Wishart 73mins), Shaw (Ramsey-Dickson 82mins), McGrath, Bradley, Law; Clayton. Subs not used: Wylde, Kempson, Taylor.

Attendance: 1,202.