Dartford manager Ady Pennock was delighted after their gameplan came to fruition on Saturday.

Goals in either half from Olly Box and George Whitefield ensured the Darts won 2-0 at home to fifth-placed Lewes.

It’s now five league games without defeat for the Darts, who forced mistakes high up the pitch from a Lewes side keen to play out from the back.

“Under the circumstances of the conditions, and with our gameplan it worked well,” said Pennock. “We scored at the right time and Jacob Marsden made a great save when it was 1-0.

“We worked on it on Tuesday and Thursday in training. We didn’t have a game last Saturday so Les Cleevely, our goalkeeping coach, went and saw them.

“We knew they played from the back and we had a gameplan. We had to press together, it wasn’t just one or two that go because they’ll just pass around you as they are a good footballing side.

“We pressed together as a team and when we didn’t press, we just sat back.

“They’re very brave on the ball but we knew if we pressed together as a team then we could nick the ball.”

Dartford also mastered the testing conditions on a day of swirling wind and rain at Princes Park.

Pennock was particularly thankful to the home supporters who braved the conditions.

“It was a clean sheet and to win at home in front of our fans in awful conditions, I’m very pleased,” added the Darts boss.

“It was a swirling wind so to get a clean sheet in these conditions against a good side is very pleasing.

“We knew it was going to be a hard game. We did a lot of work in training. The effort we put in was fantastic and we deserved it. I’m very proud of the boys.

“To have over 800 people here in poor conditions was fantastic.

“It shows what hard work, grit and determination can do on a tough day.”

Dartford are just four points outside the play-off places with just over a third of the season completed.

They visit Chichester on Tuesday night and make the trip to Hastings on Saturday.

Read more: Dartford 2-0 Lewes match report

“We have to be realistic on and off the pitch. Things change as they go on. It’s a lovely football club with lovely people and I just want to do the best I can.

“Of course, we’ve played games where we’ve not been good enough but we’re in a good place. Rome wasn’t built in a day and we’re doing it slowly but surely.

“We’re on a nice little run and we’ve just got to keep going. We’re going in the right direction but there’s still a lot of work to do.”