After a keenly contested drawn local derby between Welling United and Dartford, Darts’ manager Alan Dowson shared his thoughts.

“I thought that they were the better side first half but in the second half we did well but gave some horrendous possession away that led to their goal.” he said.

“Defensively, we’re not playing very well at the minute but attacking wise, I thought that from the (first) equaliser we were going to win the game but then we somehow gave away the worst goal ever again so whether it’s a point gained or two lost, it’s a hard one.”

Dowson continued: “I think they’ve got a decent side to be honest, a decent manager, and I’m quite pleased with a point, I suppose, but a point gained, I don’t know. We should be looking to win these games to be honest, but we haven’t and fair play to them.”

“If we can tighten up defensively then we’ll be alright but if we don’t we’ll be in trouble.”

Asked how the defending can be improved, Dowson said “By working on it. We’ve got some good defenders who are making a lot of mistakes at the moment but (we can make it right) by working on the training ground.”

Having gained one point in the last nine, Dowson believes that the league title is probably beyond them.

“I think that we’ve overachieved a little but we’ve put ourselves to be in the play-offs. They (Ebbsfleet United) can go and sign whoever they want but we can’t. They go out and get Billy Clifford and stuff like that but we cannot, but we’ll fight and we’ll have a go.”

Expectations always increase when a team has a good run, but Dowson remained grounded even after their festive season double over Ebbsfleet.

He said: “Anybody at the start of the season might have said if we finish in the top ten or certainly in the play-offs, that’s not bad for coming in late and starting the season afresh. I’m not daft. You take emotion out of it and you look at where we are.

“Are we in the top ten budgets? I doubt it to be honest so to be where we are, I think the lads have done pretty well. I love the game and I like the club as well so I’m dying to do well.”

Picture supplied by Dave Budden.