A first-half horror show sent Dartford crashing out of the FA Cup at the home of Skrill Premier rivals Salisbury on Saturday.

Some wretched defending from the visitors, and clinical finishing from City, left Tony Burman's side 3-0 down at the break.

Darts did score twice in a low-key second half, either side of a fourth Whites goal, but Salisbury were unquestionably the better side and deservedly booked their place in Sunday's second round draw.

Once again, injuries and unavailability meant that Dartford's team effectively picked itself.

The main news was that captain Elliot Bradbrook, who cracked two ribs against Ebbsfleet in the last round, wasn't fit enough for selection.

With on-loan strikers Matt Godden and Adam Birchall again ineligible, Lee Noble and Danny Harris came into the Darts starting line-up.

Burman did spring something of a surprise with his formation. Ryan Hayes lined up as the central striker, with Harris and Nathan Collier starting either side of him in a 4-3-3 shape.

But although that helped the visitors start on the front foot, they fell behind to the first notable attack on 12 minutes.

Chris McPhee laid a pass into the feet of Daniel Fitchett and he smashed the ball past Alan Julian from 12 yards out. Mat Mitchel-King and Matt Fry got in each other's way trying to intercept the assist. It was soft defending to say the least.

At the other end, Fry's deep cross was drilled back into the six-yard box by Collier and Max Cornhill stabbed an effort wide.

But the visitors fell further behind just moments later. Fry found himself under a left-wing Elliott Frear cross and he was guilty of a terrible attempted headed clearance which floated straight back into the danger zone. Ben Wright gleefully buried the ball to make it 2-0.

Salisbury looked like scoring every time they stormed forward.

They could easily have been awarded a penalty when Alex Woodyard handled a cross from the right, but referee Simon Bennett said no.

And the one-way traffic continued when McPhee teased in an excellent cross which Fitchett headed wide of the near post.

There were occasional moments of encouragement for the travelling Darts supporters.

Hayes twisted away from two defenders in a crowded City box and got a shot away which flashed just over.

But the home side were superior in most departments. Frear covered 70 yards on one surging run down the left flank; the England C man typifying Salisbury's energy and confidence.

And there was even more misery for the north Kent side before the interval. Fitchett's low cross from the right fizzed through the six-yard box and Frear expertly dispatched the ball from a narrow angle as Julian desperately tried to scramble across his goal.

Play continued at a slower tempo after the restart, with the home side totally in control and the Darts knowing the game was up.

Fitchett fired a shot straight at Julian, before Clovis Kamdjo stretched to make a crucial intervention at the other end when Hayes curled a cross towards the far post.

Dartford felt they should have had a penalty when Lee Noble's free-kick appeared to strike an arm, but their appeals fell on deaf ears.

A glimmer of light appeared at the end of what was a very long tunnel when Dartford pulled a goal back on 67 minutes. Hayes' cross from the right was only half-cleared and skipper Lee Burns planted a fine half-volley into the far corner.

That only seemed to wake up the home side, though, and McPhee stung Julian's palms with a powerful drive from the edge of the box.

And the Whites restored their three-goal advantage, 14 minutes from time.

Frear's in-swinging free-kick was met by Fitchett, whose glancing header had just enough power on it to creep into the net.

A shot from substitute Ricky Wellard was then spilt by Julian, who had to recover quickly to deny Wright a tap-in.

Julian beat out a thunderous effort from Wellard before Cornhill converted a Hayes cross in the final minute of stoppage-time to reduce the arrears.

Salisbury: Puddy, Clarke (MacDonald 64mins), Wilson, McPhee, Lewis (Thomson 79mins), Frear, Kamdjo, Sinclair, Wright, Dutton, Fitchett (Wellard 80mins). Subs not used: Hart, White, Feeney, Bittner.

Dartford: Julian, Burns, Clark, Mitchel-King, Fry, Hayes, Cornhill, Woodyard, Noble (Sterling 68mins), Collier (Ibemere 61mins), Harris (Prior 61mins). Subs not used: Hill, Forecast, Dembele, Eisa.

Attendance: 1,229.