Dartford manager Alan Dowson counting on key players to supercharge their National League South campaign

Dartford manager Alan Dowson conceded his team need to turn up the heat if they are to achieve the aim of reaching the play-offs.

The Darts have won just four of their first 12 games in National League South after losing a topsy-turvy affair 4-3 at Hampton last weekend.

There’s plenty of time for Dartford to turn their fortunes around and they’ll hope to get back to winning ways at home to Havant on Saturday before making the trip to Eastbourne on Tuesday.

Dowson’s men will be boosted by the likes of Paul Rooney, Max Statham, Tommy Block, Alex Wall and Luke Allen all edging closer to full fitness.

“We’ve got to pick up points,” stated the Darts boss. “That’s what these Saturday-Tuesday games are there for.

“It’s been very disappointing on the injury front, whether that’s my fault or their fault. Let’s crack on, I’m not daft and I know we need to pick up points.

“Everyone has to start coming up to the plate now. Rooney hasn’t done much for us this year, Blocky hasn’t, Max Statham is the same, Alex Wall and Luke Allen, too.

“There’s five or six players that need to step up and we’ll be much stronger when they do but they haven’t been able to yet through injuries or whatever.

“I think they’ve been unlucky but it’s got to come back to me. I thought they’d play 30 or 40 games for us this season so I totally accept the blame for this one because I signed them.

“I hope there’s light at the end of the tunnel now, I’d get rid of them if I couldn’t see it. I thought last week would be the one when everyone’s back but it got worse.

“We’ve just got to get on with it, you get these spells in the game where you feel you’ve been unlucky but what you do is you work as hard as you can.

“If we can get them performing then we haven’t got a