Captain Josh Hill scored the goal of his career for Dartford on Saturday as they kept their unbeaten run going.

It’s now 15 Isthmian Premier games without defeat for the Darts who are up to third place, being pushed all the way before scoring twice in stoppage time.

Whitehawk were nearly in on goal after 12 minutes when the hosts coughed up possession cheaply. Michael Olarewaju had no choice but to bring down Harry Bridie and pick up an obvious yellow card.

Olarewaju nearly gifted Whitehawk the opener after 19 minutes when he got his feet in a tangle after collecting keeper Jacob Marsden’s throw. Emanuel Mensah raced clear on goal but his right-foot shot clipped the top of the bar and went over.

Already on a yellow card, Whitehawk’s tactic seemed to get a second yellow for Olarewaju rather than try to score a goal. Bridie’s theatrics saw skipper Andrew Briggs and Robert O’Toole both race in to persuade referee Fabio Roque to produce a second yellow card. But the official showed he wasn’t going to be bullied into decisions and rightly got on with the game.

Dartford went ahead on 23 minutes when Sam Odaudu’s left-wing cross was pushed out by keeper James Batt and then cleared from the penalty area. The loose ball fell invitingly for Hill who produced an incredible first-time right-foot shot that thundered into the net.

The hosts got into decent positions, Olly Box twice failing to deliver when well placed and midfielder Louis Dunne’s shot was deflected wide for a corner.

Keeper Batt had already been beaten by one wonder strike and he ensured it wasn’t going to be done twice. Four minutes before half-time the impressive Callum Jones let fly from the edge of the penalty area, Batt producing an excellent one-handed save to turn the ball away for a corner.

Darts boss Ady Pennock withdrew Olarewaju at the break and within 40 seconds his replacement had set up a second goal for the hosts. Sam Okoye did well to get to the byline and his pullback found Jones, who beat keeper Batt with the help of a deflection.

The game seemed to be done and dusted as the Darts were in complete control but Whitehawk substitute Joshua Nathandra turned the ball in just two minutes after coming on after the hosts failed to clear when keeper Jacob Marsden made the initial save.

It set up a nervy final 17 minutes at Princes Park although had Jones connected with a through ball the Darts would have restored their two-goal lead almost immediately.

Marsden had to tip over an Oscar Borg corner before Darts threatened at the other end, substitute Eddie Dsane forcing another fine save from Batt before a last-ditch challenge denied Jones a clear run on goal.

Dsane saw his late shot blocked in the six-yard box before Dartford were awarded a penalty in the fourth minute of stoppage time when substitute Samir Carruthers was tripped in the box. Carruthers stepped up to convert the spot-kick himself.

There was still time for an individual piece of magic from Dsane, who ran forward and worked his way across the penalty area before finding the bottom corner in the seventh minute of stoppages.

Dartford: Marsden, Whitefield, Hill, Williams, Olarewaju (Okoye 46mins), Dunne (Carruthers 69mins), Pinder (Christian-Law 80mins), Bullas, Box (Dsane 69mins), Jones. Sub not used: Ofori-Acheampong.

Whitehawk: Batt, Wright, Garnett (Kayani 58mins), Seager, Borg, Mensah (Lambert 85mins), Briggs, O’Toole, Robinson (Nathndra 71mins), Jennings, Bridie. Subs not used: Walker, Bennett.

Referee: Fabio Roque.

Attendance: 879.