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Dartford boss Alan Dowson not bothered about how the wins come as long as they keep coming as they target a seventh straight National League South victory at St Albans City

Alan Dowson isn’t too bothered how Dartford win, just as long as the victories keep on coming.

The Darts are on a six-match winning streak in National League South, their longest in four-and-a-half-years, having beaten Tonbridge 2-0 on Saturday.

Dartford manager Alan Dowson. Picture: Keith Gillard
Dartford manager Alan Dowson. Picture: Keith Gillard

It may not necessarily have been the greatest of spectacles for the neutral at Princes Park, but Dartford’s manager isn’t worried about that - as long as they keep collecting points.

He said: “We have had to work hard, that’s for certain. You are not going to get great games in National League South.

“You’ll get one or two a season but it isn’t going to be like that. The bottom line is winning matches. If you win them ugly - or win them in a bit of style - that doesn’t really matter.

“We are winning games so I’m pleased for everybody at the football club.”

Top scorer Samir Carruthers’ first-half goal direct from a corner put Dartford in front before substitute Pierre Fonkeu’s strike made sure, despite Tonbridge missing a late penalty.

The result leaves Dowson’s men third, albeit having played two games more than both sides above them. It was a sixth goal of the season for ex-Aston Villa midfielder Carruthers.

Dowson said: “He’s flying. It’s a good job at the start of the season that I didn’t give him a goal-scoring bonus. That’s saved us a few quid, that’s for certain!

“Carruthers has done very well. He’s given us another dimension to our game.”

Dartford will look to make it seven league wins on the spin this Saturday at St Albans.

“I watched them last Tuesday night [as they beat Concord 1-0]. They have just beaten Welling 3-0 so they’re another team not to be dismissed, like all teams in this league,” Dowson said of their weekend opponents, who are just outside the play-off places.

Dartford's Alex Wall netted the only goal on Tuesday as they beat Tooting & Mitcham in the London Senior Cup. Picture: Keith Gillard
Dartford's Alex Wall netted the only goal on Tuesday as they beat Tooting & Mitcham in the London Senior Cup. Picture: Keith Gillard

“We have just got to keep working hard and doing the best we possibly can.”

The Darts are still some way off replicating their winning streak at the end of the 2017/18 campaign, though. They won nine successive clashes, only to narrowly miss out on the title to Havant before they lost to Braintree in their play-off semi-final 1-0.

There’s back-to-back away trips for them, with a visit to Slough on Tuesday.

But Dowson said: “We have been all right as an away team this season.

“Our form probably has been better away than it has been at home so we will be looking forward to it.”

Darts Academy skipper George Whitefield also recently penned first-team forms with the club.

“He’s a lovely young kid,” Dowson said.

“He’s not someone we’ll necessarily use immediately [in league matches] but, in the future, certainly, we’ll look to get him involved.”

Dartford will now play Braintree on Saturday, November 5. They were meant to face Oxford City on that day but, due to their participation in the First Round of the FA Cup, a new date for that fixture will be arranged in due course.

Winger Luke Coulson made his return from injury on Tuesday night as Dartford beat Tooting & Mitcham 1-0 in the London Senior Cup.

Alex Wall scored the only goal at Princes Park while Whitefield started the match. They will play either The Met Police or Hilltop FC in Round Two.

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