There was late drama at Princes Park on Saturday when Dartford had a huge penalty shout waved away in stoppage-time.

Lincoln were leading the Skrill Premier clash 2-1 and seconds remained when Adam Birchall's shot was clearly blocked by the arm of an Imps player.

The Gillingham loanee immediately appealed to referee Lee Swabey and he was joined by his team-mates, the Dartford bench and most of the 1,306 supporters inside the ground.

Incredibly, though, the official waved away their claims and robbed the Darts of the chance to snatch a dramatic point. Instead, the north Kent club were left to contemplate a second home defeat in the space of a week.

Manager Tony Burman had made just one change to the Dartford side which started the 2-0 win at Tamworth on Bank Holiday Monday. Centre-back Mat Mitchel-King missed out through injury, so Tyrone Sterling dropped back into defence and James Rogers was drafted into midfield.

Lincoln went on the offensive straight away. Danny Rowe hit a swerving shot from 25 yards and Darts keeper Alan Julian did well to dive and keep it out.

At the other end, Elliot Bradbrook and Alex Woodyard both thrashed wild efforts over the crossbar. Danny Harris' radar was more accurate, the striker spinning on the edge of the box and forcing a good low save from Paul Farman in the Lincoln goal.

But the visitors took the lead on 20 minutes. Julian made an excellent save to push Luke Foster's effort onto the post but Ben Tomlinson was perfectly positioned to tuck home the rebound.

It was another close-range effort which doubled Lincoln's lead just after the half-hour. Rowe swung in a corner from the left and Andrew Boyce, at the second attempt, poked the ball beyond Julian.

Lee Noble swung over a dangerous free-kick for Dartford as half-time approached and Sterling rose well to meet it, but his header flashed well wide.

Burman introduced Ryan Hayes from the bench not long after the interval and Dartford did enjoy a spell of pressure, during which Harris had a low drive saved by Farman at the base of the near post.

And they pulled a goal back on 59 minutes. It was Hayes who provided the assist, his right-footed cross powered into the net by the head of Bradbrook at the far post.

Hayes went within inches of scoring himself moments later. His whipped free-kick from the right flashed through a crowded six-yard box and bounced behind without getting a touch.

The chances kept coming and the Imps should have gone further in front when sloppy play by Sterling and Matt Fry in the corner allowed substitute Jake Sheridan to waltz into the box. His cutback found Mo Fofana, who dragged the ball wastefully wide from 12 yards.

Home fans were given a scare when Julian dropped a high, hanging free-kick from Tom Miller, but the goalkeeper's blushes were spared when Lee Burns cleared the loose ball.

Julian decided not to come for the next cross and Tomlinson was afforded the luxury of a free header, but he planted it well over.

Jason Prior was added to the Dartford attack as the home side went in search of a late equaliser. They came within inches of one when a Hayes corner fell at the feet of substitute Max Cornhill, who saw his sweetly-struck effort come back off the far post.

The home side kept knocking on the door and everyone expected Swabey to point to the spot when Birchall's last-gasp effort was handled, but the decision went Lincoln's way.

Dartford visit local rivals Welling United in the Kent Senior Cup on Tuesday (7.45pm) before resuming their Skrill Premier campaign at Chester on Saturday (3pm).

Dartford: Julian; Burns, Clark, Sterling, Fry; Noble (Cornhill 72mins), Woodyard (Prior 78mins), Bradbrook, Rogers (Hayes 52mins); Harris, Birchall. Subs not used: Collier, Wellham.

Lincoln: Farman, Miller, Boyce, Brown, Newton, Foster, Nolan, Fairhurst (Sheridan 64mins), Fofana, Rowe, Tomlinson. Subs not used: Yussuf, Gray, Dixon, Preece.

Attendance: 1,306.