Dartford 0 v 0 AFC Wimbledon

FA Trophy 3rd Round Qualifying

DARTS boss Tony Burman described this FA Trophy clash as his team's own cup final and it certainly had the passion of a winner takes all clash.

However there was no separating the sides although by now, following last night's replay, St Albans City know if they are visiting AFC Wimbledon or Dartford in the next round.

But on Saturday it could have been very different as Dartford went within an inch of victory.

Had Eddie McClements' last-minute toe-poke squeezed through the legs of Dons keeper Andy Little rather than get trapped beneath him, it would have been completely deserved.

Burman said: "Eddie hit it reasonably well and it was one of those where it either goes in or not.

"In this case it ended up going straight at the keeper and got stuck under his legs. It is one of those things.

"For a 0-0 it was a good game and I think overall we possibly had the better chances but unfortunately we never put the ball into the net."

The match was delayed by 10 minutes as Dartford's largest crowd this season queued to get in and they had a treat.

On the pitch Ian Pulman replaced the unwell Jimmy Carter and the diminutive striker, along with teammate Steve Hafner, initially struggled against the Dons tall centrebacks.

Super-quick winger Dave Martin soon had the measure of full back Wes Daly but it was Dons' Richard Butler who had the first shot in anger.

He got away from Tommy Osbourne and as he bore down on Kevin Hudson in the Darts goal the big keeper forced the striker wide and Richard Avery was able to clear the angled shot off the line.

Little was called into action on 19 minutes when he comfortably dealt with Pulman's scuffed shot and then Dons' Michael Harvey headed straight into Hudson's hands.

Darts best chance of the half came on 25 minutes when, from a Ryan Briggs free kick which was headed back across goal by Avery, Pulman clipped the ball past the keeper but just over the crossbar.

Moments later Butler and then Dwayne Plummer almost gave the visitors the advantage but their shots were blocked by a resolute home defence.

Hudson was alert to save from Plummer and Anthony Howard headed over the bar from the resulting corner.

As the half ended Dartford went close but Little cut out Martin's cross before Pulman could get his head on it.

The second half was little different as Don's Barry Moore fired a free kick narrowly wide and Hafner headed Osbourne's cross into Little's hands.

Wimbledon's Harvey almost broke the deadlock with an over-head kick which was well-saved by Hudson.

As the visitors stuttered to the finish line Hafner dispossessed Daly but his shot was blocked before Burman went for broke, replacing Pulman with the talented Ryan Hayes.

Hayes' first contribution was to shoot straight into Little's arms but his introduction and direct style was causing Wimbledon more problems.

He won the first in a series of corners which saw Anthony Henry volley wide.

From another corner the ball reached Henry on the far side and the centreback launched a delicious cross back into the area.

Avery nodded the ball down to the in rushing McClements but the striker's toe-poke was not to be and cheers were caught in the throat.

Dartford: Hudson, 7; Carter, 6; Osbourne, 6; Henry, 7; Avery, 7; Spriggs, 6 (Hayes, 75); Briggs, 6 (Potter, 90); Pulman, 6; Hafner, 6; McClements, 6; Martin, 7.

Subs not used: Maguire; Elmes; Craig.

Att: 1,082.