Play-off time returns for Dartford when they entertain St Albans City in a Vanarama National League South eliminator on Sunday, kicking off at 12:30pm.

Having finished the regular campaign as runners-up, the Darts started the post season with a bye while St. Albans heaped misery on Chelmsford City in Essex when former Claret Shaun Jeffers scored the only goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

It will be the second meeting between Dartford and the Saints at Princes Park in fifteen days. In the first match, the hosts edged the encounter with a two-one win. Samir Carruthers put them ahead in the third minute after receiving a through ball from Richard Chin and they held the lead until eighteen minutes remained.

Jeffers had just been introduced off the St Albans substitutes’ bench when he met Chay Cooper’s cross on the full and fired home. However, it took the Darts just five minutes to regain their lead with two of their own replacements involved.

Although goalkeeper Dylan Berry saved Luke Coulson’s free kick, Pierre Fonkeu was first to the rebound and he tucked it away.

That gave Dartford four points out of six over the two league games after a one all draw at Clarence Park earlier in the season when Jack Smith scored for the Darts and Jeffers equalised for the Saints.

Alan Dowson, the Darts manager, will be looking for his team to continue their excellent home form where they won sixteen and drew two of the twenty three games at Princes Park.

However, away from home, St Albans had a better record than at home and won twelve, drew four and lost seven.

Whoever wins will then have to await the outcome of the Oxford City v Worthing game, which kicks off later in the afternoon, to see who they will play in the promotion decider.

Picture supplied by Ed Miller.