Ryan Hayes has spoken of his delight at scoring against Ebbsfleet for the first time in his Dartford career.

The winger silenced three-quarters of Stonebridge Road when he hit the back of the net in the derby on Easter Monday.

Hayes said: "That’s my first goal against them. I was saying to the boys before the game that I’d love to score in a derby.

"To get an important goal, I was over the moon. As soon as I scored, I just wanted to celebrate. I was buzzing.

"I didn’t get much space in the first half. As soon as I took a touch, Joe Howe was always on me.

"But in the second half, it opened up a bit and Tom Bradbrook found me with a good ball.

"I had to hit it early because a couple of defenders were coming across. I thought I’d have a go at the near post and when it came back out, I just had to smash it towards goal."

Dartford manager Tony Burman missed the game, which finished 1-1, because he was in Darent Valley Hospital for tests.

Hayes said: "We didn’t know before the game. Everyone got a text at 1.30pm from him saying 'good luck' and 'do your best' so we just thought he was ill in bed.

"We didn’t know the actual circumstances.

"After the game we came in and straight away Skip and Mose said he was in hospital. It wasn’t the best news but hopefully that would have lifted him a bit, getting a draw there."

Hayes is confident Dartford can qualify for the play-offs.

He said: "That’s got to be the aim. We’ve got some big games left and it’s all to play for."