Sutton United 0 Dartford 1
18:35, 14 April 2012
Dartford's hopes of landing the Blue Square Bet South title were ended on Saturday, but they recorded a 1-0 win at Sutton United to secure second place.
Table-toppers Woking took an unassailable lead at the top with a 1-0 win at relegation-threatened Maidenhead, but Tony Burman's side secured a semi-final clash with whichever team finishes fifth in the play-offs and potential home advantage in a final with victory in Surrey.
Luke Wilkinson had a good early chance to open the scoring for the visitors when he was found unmarked at the back post from a Lee Noble free-kick but his poor shot was easily saved by Sutton keeper Kevin Scriven.
Louis Wells kept the deadlock intact at the other end with saves from Craig Dundas and former Gills man Stefan Payne, but Noble blazed over at the other end after jinking through the defence.
After a first-half of few chances it took a further 13 minutes for the visitors to open the scoring on the break, after Ryan Hayes cleared a corner from his own area to Elliot Bradbrook and the Darts skipper found James Rogers who advanced before slotting through for Tony Garrod to expertly fire past Scriven.
Jacob Erskine saw a shot saved by Scriven soon after following another Rogers through-ball but the hosts were presented with the chance to level from the penalty spot on 73 minutes following a handball from Tom Bonner, only for Harry Beautyman to send an ugly shot well wide of Wells' goal.
Chelmsford could have all-but sealed fifth place on Saturday but allowed a 2-0 lead against Salisbury slip to a 3-2 defeat in the final five minutes, with Dover and Basingstoke now hot on the Essex side's heels.