Harvey Bradbury saw red as Dartford lost a fiery encounter with Chelmsford on Tuesday night.

There was an edge throughout the contest with clearly no love lost between the two sides.

Chelmsford had come from behind to lead by the time Darts were reduced to 10 men.

Luke Jenkins went down off the ball on the edge of the penalty area but it then took around three minutes until referee Nick Dunn - presumably on the advice of his assistants, neither of whom flagged at the time - showed a red card.

Whether it was the reaction of the players, or even Jenkins himself who had to be restrained by both physio and the Chelmsford goalkeeper - it was enough for the officials to finally intervene. One spectator also ran onto the pitch, presumably in an attempt to confront Bradbury.

Dartford captain Luke Coulson and Chelmsford’s Henry Ochieng were both booked and play didn’t restart for six minutes.

It was an unsavoury incident that overshadowed what had been a decent battle between two sides trying to advance their claims for a play-off berth.

The Darts named the same side that started against Weston-super-Mare last midweek while Chelmsford made five changes having drawn at 10-man Tonbridge on Saturday.

Unlike seven days earlier, it was a fast start made by the hosts - no doubt a fact pointed out by manager Alan Dowson prior to kick-off.

Indeed, it was his opposite number who could be heard above all others during the opening stages - Chelmsford boss Robbie Simpson frustrated by his goalkeeper’s reluctance, in particular, to play the ball out from the back instead of going long.

Any watching managers who have fallen foul of the apparent clampdown on foul language coming from the technical area may have been left wondering why nothing was done during a colourful opening 15 minutes.

Chelmsford created their best chance of the first half on 12 minutes. Zech Obiero’s cross was cut out but fell perfectly for Heny Ochieng, whose shot beat keeper Mitchell Beeney but was cleared off the line by the ever-alert Max Statham.

Darts responded with a good chance of their own. Chelmsford skipper Cameron James was caught napping on the ball by Tyrell Miller-Rodney who led a two-on-one break but his pass to Lewis Manor wasn’t great and the striker dragged his first-time shot wide from the edge of the penalty area.

Dartford went ahead midway through the half when Coulson’s free-kick was met at the near post by a stooping Max Statham, whose header squirmed past keeper Josh Oluwayemi at the near post.

There was nearly a spectacular second when Harvey Bradbury headed on for Paul Rooney, whose touch and volley in one movement forced Oluwayemi into action.

It was nearly a perfect half for Dartford. But their hard work was undone on the stroke of half-time. A neat Chelmsford move saw Obiero cut inside and fire towards goal. Joash Nembhard handled his goalbound shot - but was stood just ahead of keeper Beeney. That was clearly in referee Dunn’s thinking when he produced a yellow card, with the visitors feeling it should have been red.

Samir Carruthers stepped up against his former club, his right-foot spot-kick somehow squirmed under the body of Beeney was the keeper correctly dived to his left.

Darts were then indebted to Beeney for a fine save in first-half stoppages as he was out smartly to deny Charlie Ruff.

Beeney was called into action again within two minutes of the second half. Freddie Hockey’s run easily beat the offside trap but instead of squaring to give a team-mate a tap-in, he shot at goal and was denied by a fine Beeney save.

Then Beeney raced out to tackle Hockey who had timed his run perfectly from inside his own half as Dartford’s defence was all at sea.

The game was far too open, even though Bradbury had a good attempt at the other end, and it was no surprise when Chelmsford went ahead on 55 minutes. An overload on the right saw Obiero cross into the box, and when Hockey’s effort was blocked the ball fell for Ruff to convert.

Dartford immediately made a double change but within seconds those plans were thrown out as Bradbury’s clash with Jenkins saw the hosts reduced to 10 men.

The game never really caught light again thereafter. Rooney - who had to drop into defence after injury forced Nembhard to also be replaced - saw his header saved but Darts lacked a physical presence in attack.

That said, they were nearly back on level terms with 10 minutes left but Chelmsford keeper Oluwayemi produced one of the saves of the season to somehow turn away Statham’s header from a Brandon Barzey cross.

Darts boss Dowson was left bemused with eight minutes left when the referee showed him a yellow card.

Oluwayemi nearly blotted his good work when he failed to punch clear a free-kick on the edge of his area, the ball falling to Barzey who volleyed wide of the target.

And there was more drama into stoppage time when Moussa Diarra’s header from a Coulson free-kick hit the crossbar.

Amazingly only eight minutes of time was indicated despite all that had followed before – which added up to seven yellows and a red card - but the 10 men were unable to find an equaliser.

Dartford: Beeney, Statham, Nembhard (Woods 63mins), Diarra, Altintop, Miller-Rodney (Barzey 56mins), Rooney, Wynter, Coulson, Manor (Allen 56mins), Bradbury. Subs not used: Boulton, Wray.

Chelmsford: Olywayemi, James, Carruthers, Barbrook, Jenkins, Francis, Ruff (Wordsworth 80mins), Hockey (Coker 74mins), Castiglione, Obiero (Alfa 82mins), Ochieng. Subs not used: Jones, Barnum-Bobb.

Referee: Nick Dunn.

Attendance: 917.