National League South leaders Dartford were left stunned by Hemel Hempstead on Saturday.

Looking to increase their lead at the top with second-placed Havant’s game postponed, the Darts were lacklustre throughout against a well-drilled Hemel side under the management of former Welling boss Bradley Quinton.

It was all a far cry from Dartford’s last home game which saw the thrash neighbours Ebbsfleet on New Year’s Day as Hemel won at Princes Park for the first time.

Not surprisingly, Dartford were unchanged from the team that won at Cheshunt last weekend.

A scrappy opening 25 minutes saw hardly a chance of note created with both teams struggling in the strong wind which was in Dartford’s favour in the first half.

When Hemel did try to play out from the back it got them in trouble three Darts players surrounded Kyle O’Connor-Akayi but Alex Wall fired over when the ball was given up cheaply.

Hemel’s Josh Castiglione was booked on 26 minutes after being caught on the edge of his box by Samir Carruthers, who was then tripped. Carruthers took the resulting free-kick but it was a comfortable save on his return to Princes Park for Hemel keeper Craig King.

The visitors threatened when Castiglione got to the byline and crossed for Kaylen Hinds, but his shot was saved low down by keeper Dan Wilks.

Luke Coulson then nipped in ahead of King at the other end but he ran out of space to turn the ball into a vacant net.

Hemel went ahead on 33 minutes, Joshua Williams’ cross was flicked on and centre-back Jack Westbrook headed in beyond Wilks.

The lead lasted just four minutes. A precise free-kick by Coulson saw King caught out and Connor Essam was able to nod home at the far post from an acute angle.

Wall saw his shot deflected behind for a corner with Hemel appealing for a push in the box from the big striker who didn’t have it all his own way in a battle against ex-Dart Josh Hill.

Tom Bonner’s header was pushed away by King before Hemel took the lead in the second minute of stoppage time. A free-kick was only half-cleared but what followed was almost unthinkable as centre-back O’Connor-Ajayi flicked the ball up and volleyed beyond Wilks from 25 yards for a goal-of-the-season contender.

Darts never got the ball to Malachi Napa in the first half but he had more involvement in the first minutes of the second half, an early shot lacking power to test King.

But one far-post Essam header apart, the Darts were not creating anything and they made a double change midway through the second half, opting to go 4-4-2.

Bonner was then booked after clashing with Hinds, who escaped a second yellow card, with strike partner Hughes going into the book instead for the melee that followed.

Coulson thought he’d equalised on 75 minutes as he made space in the box and shot towards the top corner but Roberts did well to divert it behind for a corner.

Darts introduced Pierre Fonkeu with 10 minutes left, both sides adding to their yellow card collection as the home side never really got a head of steam.

Hemel, to their credit, had an excellent work ethic – underlined by their third goal with three minutes left. They did well to stop Dartford clearing their lines and the ball was worked to substitute Jeremie Mukendi and his low shot was deflected beyond Wilks.

Dartford: Wilks, Wynter (Murtagh 66mins), Campbell, Carruthers, Essam, Bonner, Coulson, Wall (Fonkeu 81mins), Statham, Smith (Sheringham 66mins), Napa. Subs not used: Wray, Whitefield.

Hemel: King, Eleftheriou, Williams, Poku, Westbrook, O’Connor-Ajayi (Roberts 48mins), Hill, Young (Iandolo 56mins), Hughes, Castiglione (Mukendi 77mins(, Hinds. Subs not used: Lewis, Holness.

Referee: Oliver Mackey.

Attendance: 1,273.