Dartford player-manager Ben Greenhalgh explains why their excellent start to the season can actually count against them when it comes to recruitment

Ben Greenhalgh feels Dartford’s strong form this season has arguably made it harder to sign players.

Darts have lost their last two games, suffering 2-1 defeats by Tadley Calleva in the FA Cup and Ramsgate in the league.

But they’d won the previous seven in all competitions and sit third in the Isthmian Premier before hosting Wingate & Finchley this Saturday (3pm).

Player-boss Greenhalgh has been in the market for a new defender, with captain Ben Swift and vice-skipper Joe Tennent out injured, and he finally landed Vladimir Paternoster on a dual-registration from Braintree on Tuesday.

He was hoping to get a forward over the line but that’s also come with its challenges as targets consider whether they will even get in the team.

Greenhalgh, who hopes to have Swift and Tennent back before Christmas, said: “Having spoken to a lot of players, in reality, in terms of finding a centre-back at this stage, it’s very difficult.

“The majority will already have played in the FA Cup and the FA Trophy, so we couldn’t get anyone in for last Saturday anyway.

“There aren’t many positives to going out of the FA Cup but it now means we’re not disrupting our league fixtures, which, again, if you’re bringing someone in for a month and they can’t play because they’re cup-tied, it’s not the most attractive thing.

“I also think there’s an element of some people looking at it, seeing the results we’ve had and all the clean sheets, and thinking, hang on a minute, how am I getting in the team?

“We’ve been talking to a couple of forwards and it’s the same thing, when they see we’re winning and scoring so many goals, people question whether they’re going to be in the team.

“But we want to strengthen our squad and try and keep ourselves towards the