Andy Pugh earned Dartford a hard-fought point against Aldershot Town at Princes Park on Saturday.
Aldershot took the lead after 24 minutes through Josh Scott, but the hosts battled back in the second half and Pugh tapped home in the 67th minute to secure Dartford’s seventh draw of the season.
Darts manager Tony Burman was without the injured Tom Bradbrook, while new signing Andre McCollin made his debut for Aldershot in the Conference clash.
Dartford, who had won just two of their last 10 fixtures, almost opened the scoring when Ryan Hayes’ free-kick was met by Ross McAuley, but the defender’s header flew over the bar.
The Shots made the breakthrough midway through the first half.
Brett Williams carried the ball into the box and found Scott, who deftly placed his shot past Jason Brown.
The visitors were close to doubling their lead shortly before half-time when Williams brought down a long ball superbly and forced a good save from Brown.
Moments later, the 33-year-old keeper was required again, this time at full stretch to turn Kieron Forbes’ curling effort wide.
Brown made another vital stop early in the second half, tipping over Williams’ shot to deny the striker his eighth goal of the season.
Momentum began to shift after Burman replaced Max Cornhill and Luke Daley with Peter Sweeney and Lee Noble.
Darts started to threaten offensively and Town’s keeper Phil Smith was finally put to work as Pugh headed goalwards from an inviting cross by Hayes.
The equaliser came soon after.
Harry Crawford manoeuvred space on the left and fired in a delivery which Pugh netted from for his second goal of the campaign.
Neither manager was content with a point, though, and the last 10 minutes saw both teams waste great opportunities to take all three points.
Williams failed to capitalise on a defensive blunder with an erratic shot, while the home side broke away in stoppage time but Hayes lashed his strike wide of the target.
Aldershot nearly snatched a winner in the dying seconds when Williams was played through on goal, but Brown rounded off a fantastic performance with another fine save.
Despite picking up a point, Dartford drop down into the relegation zone.
Tony Burman’s focus now turns to next week’s FA Cup fixture against Burgess Hill Town.
Dartford: Brown, Bender, McAuley, Bradbrook, Cornhill (Sweeney 56), Hayes, Daley (Noble 56), Pugh (Harris 76), Mitchel-King, Collier, Crawford. Subs not used: Ibrahim, Adams. Attendance: 1,310.
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