Bullish Dartford manager Ady Pennock thinks they need to win all of their final four matches to avoid National League South relegation this season.

The Darts returned to the drop zone after a 2-0 Easter Monday home loss to fellow relegation-threatened team Eastbourne Borough made it back-to-back defeats.

They went down 4-1 at second-placed Chelmsford last Friday, despite midfielder Brandon Barzey’s second-half strike.

Dartford are still winless since Pennock took charge in early March but must turn it around quickly, starting at second-bottom Havant & Waterlooville this Saturday, if they are going to have any chance of survival.

“Honestly, we have to win them all,” he said.

“We have to start that on Saturday because we want to stay in the league.

“Results were a little bit kind to us again on Monday - but we cannot keep relying on other results. We have got to get those three points sooner rather than later.”

Double injury blow for the Darts

There was another four-figure crowd at Princes Park as they took on Eastbourne, despite Dartford’s miserable form.

“The fans have been amazing,” noted Pennock. “They have been incredible.

“They didn’t stop cheering us on. They knew that we had a go in the second half. I’m just so disappointed that we couldn’t get the three points that they deserve.

“They fully deserved three points on Monday and they fully deserve us staying in the league. Let’s do it for them.”

The Darts have picked up three points from their past 10 games since they last won under caretaker boss Tony Burman, 2-1 at basement boys Dover in February.

Pennock said: “You get into the habit of losing games.

“That’s the problem you get and we’re in the habit of losing games. We have been in that habit virtually all season - not just in the seven games I have been involved in.

“It’s a habit we have to get out of - otherwise we’re relegated.

“I still think there’s a lot of football to be played. Football can change so quickly.

“If you get a couple of wins, that changes everything but we’ve got to do it sooner rather than later.”

Pennock cannot fault the work-rate of the players ahead of some much-needed time on the training ground.

“I have had no training with them because we have been playing,” he explained.

“But I’ve got to say that the boys haven’t given up. It’s not for a lack of effort.

“Maybe, there’s a lack of quality in certain parts of the pitch but they still give it a good go.”

Pennock felt the club were already in trouble long before he came in.

He said: “It comes down to recruitment. Recruitment is the biggest thing.

“If you don’t get your recruitment right at the start of the year, it’s difficult.

“But I don’t really want to go too deep into that because that was then, this is now. I knew what I was coming into.

“I inherited what I inherited so I’ve just got to get on with it, like I am. I’m fighting tooth and nail with every single kick and header that we have.

“It’s a case of us digging in because we have got to get those results.”

When asked where this challenge ranked in his career, the 53-year-old added: “This was always going to be the biggest.

“I knew, before I came in, what the situation was. The chairman (Steve Irving) and directors were all very honest with me. They said it was going to be a tough challenge.

“It is a very tough challenge - but I knew what I was coming into. I’m not surprised.”

Havant won 2-1 at Aveley on Monday to move within four points of Dartford.

“It doesn’t matter who we play - Real Madrid, Barcelona or Havant & Waterlooville - we
have got to win games,” said Pennock.

“They’re full-time, we’re part-time. But I’m not here to make excuses.”

That trip is followed by a home game against promotion-chasing Worthing on Tuesday.

“Worthing are going for promotion and they’re in the play-offs,” added Pennock.

“There’s no free hits in football.”