Two goals in four second-half minutes helped condemn Dartford to defeat in National League South on Saturday.

The 3-0 loss to St Albans leaves the Darts in the bottom seven of the division rather than the top seven, and they head into a festive double-header with neighbours Welling on the back of a run of one win in six games.

Dartford made two changes from the side heavily beaten at Tonbridge seven days earlier with Archie Woods and Luke Allen replaced by the returning Luke Coulson and Tyrell Miller-Rodney.

The visitors were quick out of the blocks, George Hoddle bending his left-foot shot just wide on three minutes and then Mitchwell Weiss forcing keeper Ryan Sandford into action from long range.

Dartford responded as Coulson’s 20-yard near-post effort was saved before Max Statham set up Richard Chin, who advanced into the penalty area before being denied by keeper Josh McNamara.

St Albans had two ambitious penalty claims rejected midway through the half as Hoddle went down theatrically under George Alexander’s challenge and then Weiss tangled with Sam Oduadu.

Referee Abigail Byrne was a refreshing change from most officials this season, looking in complete control of the game throughout.

She reached for a yellow card just past the half-hour when Ryan Blackman fouled Coulson as he broke over halfway.

Dartford went close 10 minutes before the interval, Hoddle having to clear Moussa Diarra’s header off the line from a Tyrell Miller-Rodney cross.

Coulson then did well down the left and crossed for Alexander but he scuffed his shot and Statham was unable to get a clear sight on goal from the rebound.

The teams went in goalless at the break as Shaun Jeffers had a low drive blocked in a crowded penalty area and Ben Smith sent the loose ball over the bar from 20 yards.

Dartford enjoyed arguably their best passage of play at the start of the second half.

An Alexander cross was met by Chin’s diving header but, being at least 12 yards from goal, keeper McNamara was able to make a comfortable save.

Harvey Bradbury’s long-range shot was deflected inches wide of the upright and then Diarra volleyed over on the stretch from a Coulson corner.

St Albans came through that period with their clean sheet still intact and in a game that flowed one way and then the other, albeit at a moderate pace at times in windy conditions, it was the visitors who then enjoyed a series of good openings.

Dom Hutchinson’s shot was brilliantly saved by the legs of Sandford, who then denied the same player at his near-post.

But St Albans found the breakthrough with 20 minutes left when Jeffers lobbed Sandford, the lead doubled in a flash as Michael Clark arrived four minutes later to head home a left-wing corner from close range.

Substitute Paul Rooney headed inches wide from a Coulson free-kick in the last minute, summing up the home side’s fortunes in front of goal at the moment.

And to add insult to injury, St Albans substitute Harun Hamid’s right-foot finish from the edge of the area arrowed into the top corner in the first minute of stoppages for a third St Albans crowd.

No wonder boos greeted the full-time whistle from those Dartford fans that remained behind the goal.

Dartford: Sandford, Statham, Diarra, Nembhard, Oduadu, Chin (Allen 80mins), Miller-Rodney, Wynter (Rooney 80mins), Coulson, Alexander, Bradbury (Wall 80mins). Subs not used: Manor, Box.

St Albans: McNamara, Brown, Smith, Clark, Blackman, Rasulo (Gauthier 76mins), Jeffers (Akanbi 81mins), Weiss (Hamid 85mins), Partington, Hutchinson, Hoddle. Subs not used: Morrall, Fage.

Referee: Abigail Byrne.

Attendance: 907.