Boss Ady Pennock felt Dartford’s match-winning penalty at Hendon on Saturday evened the scores between the sides this season.

Isthmian Premier leaders Darts’ superb unbeaten league run extended to 21 matches as substitute Samir Carruthers scored a penalty to win a topsy-turvy match 3-2 against the relegation-threatened team.

Hendon were unhappy with referee Mario Stetakovic’s decision to award the away team a spot-kick for handball.

But Pennock said the call helped make amends for the controversial dismissal of teenage midfielder Jeremiah Pinder from a goalless draw at Princes Park in mid-October - a decision which got overturned on appeal.

“Anybody can beat anybody on their day in our league,” said the 53-year-old.

“I don’t think we were on it as much as we have been recently in the first half but you have to give them credit. They were not very happy with the penalty we got, but I think we deserved that.

“Jez got sent off at our place against them - that got overturned - so I just thought it evened itself up.”

For playmaker Carruthers, 31, it was his first appearance since January 25.

Pennock said: “He did very well. He has a calm head on his shoulders.

“I brought Samir on five minutes into the second half and he really changed the game. He put the ball into areas where we could cause them problems.

“When the penalty did come, really, there was no doubt he would score.

“The way we reacted from being 1-0 down to go 2-1 up was good and, even then, going to 2-2, we could have dropped our heads again.

“But we’re not like that. It’s been a real squad effort.

“If you look at who starts and who comes off the bench, everyone just does really well from game-to-game.”

Carruthers struck after midfielder Denzelle Olopade and Leyton Orient loanee Hayden Bullas - netting his first club goal - had turned the game around in the early stages after the break.

“I thought they were good in the first half, you have got to give them credit,” Pennock said. “They came out of the blocks really well.

“Going in 1-0 down at half-time, we had to change a few things and say a few things.

“It was a much better second half. They’re fighting for their lives so we knew it wasn’t going to be easy.

“It’s a hard place to go, Hendon, with their astro, so it was another really valuable three points.”

Pennock continues to remain level-headed despite Dartford’s superb form.

“We just keep our feet on the floor,” he said. “We’re not shouting from the rooftops because we know what football is like. It can change at any time.

“But equally, it doesn’t happen like this all the time in football. When we lose a game - and that could be on Saturday - we just have to get back on the horse and look forward to the next game.

“The big thing is the players work so hard for each other. At half-time, they knew they hadn’t been on it, but the changing room is so strong now.

"You can play badly as a team but, if the changing room is strong, you can still win.

“This is one of the best that I’ve been involved in.”

Darts are, though, still yet to pull clear in a hotly-contested title race and lead Billericay by one point.

Pennock said: “We’re just worrying about ourselves, but you do look at ‘How did so and so get on?’. But we have still got 11 games left to play this season.

“Horsham or Billericay or whoever, they’re very good sides. But Hendon were very good on Saturday, as well.

“I’m sure that other teams will look at us and say ‘Blimey, they won again! How did they do that?’.

“We’ll just do what we have been doing and, hopefully, we can put good performances in, get results and see where it takes us.”

Next up for the Darts is a trip to Cheshunt on Saturday, having edged to a 2-1 win against the Ambers at Princes Park in early November.

“They gave us a good game at our place,” said Pennock.

“We know what to expect and they will know what to expect from us.

"It should be a cracking game.”