Bullish Dartford manager Ady Pennock says they need to win all of their final four matches to avoid National League South relegation this season, starting at Havant & Waterlooville

Bullish Dartford manager Ady Pennock thinks they need to win all of their final four matches to avoid National League South relegation this season.

The Darts returned to the drop zone after a 2-0 Easter Monday home loss to fellow relegation-threatened team Eastbourne Borough made it back-to-back defeats.

They went down 4-1 at second-placed Chelmsford last Friday, despite midfielder Brandon Barzey’s second-half strike.

Dartford are still winless since Pennock took charge in early March but must turn it around quickly, starting at second-bottom Havant this Saturday, if they are going to have any chance of survival.

“Honestly, we have to win them all,” he said.

“We have to start that on Saturday because we want to stay in the league.

“Results were a little bit kind to us again on Monday - but we cannot keep relying on other results. We have got to get those three points sooner rather than later.”

Double injury blow for the Darts

There was another four-figure crowd at Princes Park as they took on Eastbourne, despite Dartford’s miserable form.

“The fans have been amazing,” noted Pennock. “They have been incredible.

“They didn’t stop cheering us on. They knew that we had a go in the second half. I’m just so disappointed that we couldn’t get the three points that they deserve.

“They fully deserved three points on Monday and they fully deserve us staying in the
league. Let’s do it for them.”

The Darts have collected three points from their past 10 games since they last won under caretaker boss Tony Burman, 2-1 at basement boys Dover in February.

Pennock said: “You get into the habit of losing games.

“That’s the problem you get and we’re in the habit of losing games. We have been in that habit virtually all season - not just