Dartford ended their first season in Blue Square Premier with the disappointment of defeat after falling to a late Wes York goal at Princes Park.

In what has been a fantastic season for the part-time champions, Dartford finished a highly respectable eighth in the league.

Going into this game, both sides had nothing to play for with Dartford unable to reach the play offs and Nuneaton already safe from the threat of the drop and this showed in the first half where Ryan Hayes turn and shot from distance being the only shot on target, with cars in the car park being more in threat than either goal, with both Jon Wallis and Adam Green clearing the ground.

The second half saw both teams spring into life, with both of Nuneaton’s front two, Lewis Moult and Andy Brown going close without troubling Somogyi in the Dartford goal.

Dartford also went close after good work from Hayes and Bradbrook down the right hand side led to Bradbrook squaring for Sheringham to tap in from six yards out, before a miraculous block from the Nuneaton right back Phillips.

After a flurry of substitutions for both sides, it was Nuneaton who would strike the killer blow.

Connor Dance won the ball off of Hayes just inside his own half before feeding Jon Adams in the centre circle, he burst forward before unleashing the perfectly weighted ball inside the left back for Wes York to bend home past Somogyi to his right.

Dartford had one chance to salvage a point from the game, but Sheringham was again denied by a brilliant save from the goalkeeper from his header from the edge of the area.

The game petered out to finish in defeat for the Darts with manager Tony Burman saying after the game, “ It was one game too far for the team.”

After the game, right back Lee Burns was awarded a triple scoop in the Player of the year awards, with fans who had stayed behind singing “ There’s only one greedy so and so” or words to that effect.

Players then finished with a lap of honour after a great season. The Darts will be back next year.

Dartford: Somogyi, Green, Champion, Bonner, Hayes (Evans72), Wallis (Rogers 54), Bradbrook, Harris (Collier 64), Arber, Burns, Sheringham.

Subs not used: Wells, Rose.

Nuneaton: Burge, Phillips, Cowan, Dean (Gordon 88), York, Brown, Adams, Armson, Fordsick, O’Halloran (Dance 71), Moult (Walker 85)

Subs not used: Cartwright, Sleath.

Goal: York (81).

Booked: Dean (83).

Referee: Mr Amey

Attendance 1844