Dartford manager Ady Pennock says it’ll be business as usual when predecessor Alan Dowson returns to the club with Hemel Hempstead this weekend

Dartford must treat Alan Dowson’s return to Princes Park as just another game.

That’s the view of his successor, Ady Pennock, as Darts prepare to host Hemel Hempstead on Saturday.

Dowson was sacked in January with the club 16th in National League South, 10 points clear of the relegation zone, having finished runners-up in his first season in charge.

They’ve since dropped into the bottom four with caretaker boss Tony Burman unable to turn their form around and Pennock losing his first three games.

Dowson was named Hemel manager until the end of the season a fortnight ago, offering his services for free, and makes a swift return to his old club this weekend.

It adds a bit of spice to what’s already an important game but the hosts can’t afford to get caught up in that.

Asked about Dowson’s return, Pennock said: “It’s nothing to do with me, it’s nothing to do with anything here. It’s a game of football and it’s all about the three points.

“We’ve got to respect what anyone’s done here.

“There’s no point pointing fingers because it’s all about now, not then and what’s just gone.

“We have to focus on us, not on other things that are going on. We’re worried about Dartford Football Club. We’re not worried about anything else.”

Pennock is a couple of weeks into the job, his first back in English football since returning from a five-year stint in Brunei with DPMM, where he won the Singapore Premier League.

The game hasn’t changed that much, while Pennock is working hard to make further additions to the squad.

He’s already signed defender Ronny Nelson on loan from Colchester and striker Jordan Greenidge from Tonbridge.

“I think people were worried about the contacts I’ve got,” said Pennock. “My God, I’ve got contacts coming out my