Ryan Hayes set up two goals and scored another as Dartford swept Chippenham aside on Saturday.

The club's longest-serving player was at his very best at Princes Park, showing all the quality that has made him such a favourite with supporters over more than a decade.

Hayes' efforts helped lift the free-scoring Darts to third in National League South.

Dartford's team bore one change from the 4-0 win at Whitehawk on Tuesday. Danny Harris, who felt his hamstring in that game, dropped to the bench with Keaton Wood handed a start at right-back.

Alex Brown saw an early shot deflect behind after Chippenham failed to clear Richard Sho-Silva's long throw from the right.

It should have been 1-0 moments later when the hosts lost possession cheaply. Ryan Hayes played in Lyle Della-Verde but he failed to connect properly in front of goal and the ball skewed wide.

At the other end, Deren Ibrahim flapped at a cross and the ball dropped at Scott Twine's feet but he clearly wasn't expecting it and the chance went begging.

Hayes looked sharp on the flank and his first dangerous cross from the right was only just scrambled behind. Tom Bonner, forward for a set-piece, then lifted the ball into Pavey's path but his left-footed volley was straight at Jared Thompson in the Chippenham goal.

However, Princes Park was quiet and the visitors were threatening sporadically, Ibrahim having to dive low to his left to keep out a long-range effort.

But with 26 minutes on the clock, Dartford took the lead. Lee Noble drilled a pass out to Hayes and his pinpoint cross to the far post was headed expertly back across Thompson by Pavey.

Darts almost doubled their lead on the counter-attack, breaking out from a Chippenham corner and only thwarted at the last minute when Della-Verde looked to play the ball across goal.

Elliot Bradbrook needed treatment after being caught late in midfield but Dartford's captain was able to resume after a couple of minutes.

Chippenham had a good spell just before half-time and Ibrahim had to save from Dean Evans.

The heavens opened during the interval and play became scrappy for a while although Dartford should have doubled their lead just before the hour. Hayes strolled past Chippenham captain Greg Tindle and set up Bradbrook but the visitors somehow got bodies in the way.

The home side switched from 4-5-1 to 4-4-2 when Andy Pugh came on for Della-Verde and Tony Burman's men began to get their foot on the ball and push Chippenham back.

Pugh got clear down the right and centred for Pavey but his strike partner delayed and when he did get his shot away, Pavey failed to hit the target.

But it was 2-0 in the 68th minute. Left-back Nuno Felix failed to cut out a crossfield pass, Hayes anticipated the mistake and was on the move into the box as soon as the ball reached him. Hayes picked out Pugh, sliding in at the back post, and he made no mistake from close-range.

Hayes was finding so much space and from his next cross, Pavey tried a spectacular overhead kick. He missed the ball and landed flat on his back but the fact he even attempted something so audacious hinted at the confidence within.

It was fitting that Hayes got on the scoresheet 14 minutes from time, sweeping a low shot into the corner after terrific work down the left by substitute Tom Murphy and an unselfish pass by Pugh.

The home fans gave Hayes a well-deserved ovation when he was taken off nine minutes from time and Dartford could still have added to their tally in a one-sided finale.

Brown's long shot brought an excellent save from Thompson and centre-half Bonner almost rounded things off with a cheeky back-flick.

Dartford: Ibrahim, Wood, Sho-Silva, Bonner, Onyemah, Hayes (Cue 81mins), Brown, Noble, Bradbrook, Della-Verde (Pugh 59mins), Pavey (Murphy 74mins). Subs not used: Vint, Harris.

Chippenham: Thompson, Felix (Beeden 74mins), Jones, Tindle, Ferguson, Smith (Bowman 65mins), Pratt, Guthrie, Evans (Donnelly 66mins), Horgan, Twine. Subs not used: Morgan-Williams, Matthews.

Attendance: 954.