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Dartford boss Steve King says it’s all about results as the National League South promotion race hots up.
The Darts made it five wins in a row with a 2-0 success over Bath at Princes Park on Saturday.
In testing conditions, it wasn’t the prettiest display by Dartford but King didn’t care - as long as they picked up the three points.
Responding to suggestions from the home fanbase that Dartford played too many long balls, King retorted: “We had to try and get out, and the outlets were closed off.
“Short ball, long ball, right ball, little ball, it doesn’t matter - we won 2-0.
“I don’t care how we play, as long as we keep winning and that’s five in a row in the league.
“I said in the dressing room afterwards that I wasn’t too happy with the second half because we sat in and allowed them to play, but we thoroughly deserved to win the game.”
The wind and rain made it difficult for both sides, and saw King praise keeper Dan Wilks for a near-faultless display.
One nervy moment aside when he opted against kicking long, Wilks continued his impressive form of late on his way to another clean sheet.
“You don’t appreciate the wind sitting in the stands, but one corner flag was going one way, the other corner flag was going another way,” noted the Darts boss.
“Dan Wilks did brilliantly again in those conditions, one clearance apart, when he should have put the ball out of the ground.
“I think he has grown in his role, he has got better and better. He has been outstanding recently, he goes unnoticed but his handling has been impeccable, every shot that’s come at him has stuck.”
While Bath enjoyed more possession in the second half, King felt Dartford were always in control.
The Dartford boss also revealed that Marcus Dinanga and Kory Roberts were left out of the starting line-up after being delayed en route from Birmingham.
“We were comfortable in the fact that we had the better chances in the game and should have wrapped it up a bit earlier,” explained King.
“Marcus Dinanga came on and could have had a hat-trick – hitting the bar and then the chance when he should have chipped the keeper.
“He only didn’t start because he got caught in traffic on the motorway coming down, we’ve assessed that and sorted that going forward. It’s not their (Dinanga and Kory Roberts) fault, anything can happen but we’re doing something about that now.
“Bath played some good football between the lines and their movement was good which is coached by Jerry Gill, who I know really well. I just didn’t think they had a killer (touch) and with two or three of our chances we should have been out of sight.
“When Danny Leonard came on, that run he did to win the penalty was excellent, he went past so many players. In the second half we dropped off too deep and all the sections dropped, we allowed them to play and became a counter attacking team which was a bit disappointing. Normally we are a front foot team.”
