Three goals in 14 minutes sent Dartford crashing to a potentially damaging defeat at Woking on Tuesday night.

Tony Burman's side caved in after the hour-mark at Kingfield and results elsewhere meant they dropped into the Skrill Premier relegation zone.

Meanwhile, victory for Woking dragged them to within a point of their rivals from north Kent.

As expected, on-loan strikers Adam Birchall and Matt Godden came back into the Darts team, having been ineligible for the FA Cup tie at Salisbury on Saturday.

Danny Harris and Nathan Collier dropped to the bench to accomodate them, with Burman reverting to his regular 4-4-2 formation after trying a 4-3-3 at Salisbury.

Play switched from end to end in the opening stages and the Darts won a free-kick in an advantageous position when Godden was scythed down on the edge of the box. Birchall and Ryan Hayes attempted to execute a training ground routine but their communication was non-existent and the ball dribbled feebly behind for a goal kick.

Jack Marriott, making his Woking debut after joining on loan from Ipswich Town, was bristling with energy. He embarked on a driving run straight at the heart of the Dartford defence and drilled a left-footed shot just past the post with goalkeeper Alan Julian beaten.

A teasing cross from Kevin Betsy was then nodded down and wide by Luton loanee Scott Rendell.

When a Lee Noble corner from the left ran free in the box, Dartford looked to be in business. But no-one in a sky blue shirt could register a decent effort on goal and the home side cleared the danger after a scramble.

Josh Payne tried his luck from the edge of the box but his shot didn't trouble Julian.

The lively Marriott was on his toes again when Rendell flicked on a high ball. Marriott got the wrong side of Mat Mitchel-King and cracked an instinctive shot towards goal, where it rippled the side netting.

Birchall had been quiet for most of the first half but he almost opened the scoring five minutes before the break. Picking up the ball in space near the corner of the penalty area, the Gillingham man decided to go for goal and the ball whistled narrowly past the angle of post and bar.

Burman put his hands to his head, knowing how close that was.

At the other end, one effort from Betsy was blocked and when the ball bounced out to Rendell, his powerful follow-up thundered into the chest of Kenny Clark, who was knocked over by the force of the shot.

Woking left-winger Charles Banya switched to the right-hand side at the start of the second period and it almost looked like an inspired switch when he crunched a shot just over.

A cute flick from Birchall sent Alex Woodyard racing towards the penalty area, but his left-footed effort lacked direction and sailed over.

At the other end, Marriott's pace caried him beyond Mitchel-King and only a magnificent sliding tackle by Clark got his fellow centre-half out of trouble.

Woking continued to press. Josh Payne cracked a fine effort against the post and Rendell tapped the rebound in, but he was offside.

Mitchel-King blocked a Rendell cross-shot but the Cards pressure finally told on 63 minutes when Payne's cross from the right was turned in, on the stretch, by Marriott.

Dartford tried to respond and a deep Hayes cross picked out Godden, whose drilled centre was put behind by Jack Parkinson. Noble whipped in the corner and Clark had a free header, but he couldn't hit the target.

Marriott was denied a second goal by a brilliant Julian save, but the Darts keeper was picking the ball out of his net moments later.

This time Marriott was the provider, crossing low for Rendell to slide in at the back post to make it 2-0.

Dartford were on the ropes and then came the knockout blow. Payne fizzed in a free-kick from wide on the left and the faintest of touches by defender Joe McNerney took the ball beyond Julian into the far corner.

Banya dragged a shot wide in the closing stages but Woking were home and dry, in contrast to the dejected Darts.

Woking: Beasant, Newton, Nutter, McNerney, Parkinson (Cestor 82mins), Ricketts, Payne, Betsy, Banya (Goddard 90mins), Rendell, Marriott (Sole 88mins). Subs not used: Howe, Williams.

Dartford: Julian; Burns, Clark, Mitchel-King, Fry; Hayes (Sterling 81mins), Cornhill, Woodyard (Harris 73mins), Noble; Birchall, Godden (Prior 81mins). Subs not used: Collier, Forecast.

Attendance: 1,157 (88 away)