Dartford manager Alan Dowson is refusing to look at the league table.

The Darts sit five points clear in National League South, a position they maintained after a 3-1 win at Cheshunt last weekend.

But Dowson’s only focus is on this Saturday’s home match with Hemel Hempstead.

“I haven’t even looked at the league table,” claimed Dowson. “I know we’re ahead of Ebbsfleet and I know we’re ahead of Havant by a couple of points but I haven’t even bothered to look at it.

“At the minute I’ve got to win football games so what’s the point of looking at league tables and working out if you win all these games then you win the league, it’s a load of cobblers - you’ve got to win as many as you can and that’s all I’m concentrating on.

“You may think I’m talking crap but I’m not. I didn’t buy a paper on Sunday, I haven’t looked at the website to see the league table. I’ve looked at every table bar ours because what’s the point in doing it?

“I haven’t got any points tally in mind, I just want to win against Hemel on Saturday and that’s it. It’s a massive game for us.

“We don’t talk about championships or points. The changing room is very strong, they all get on and are together. It’s mainly down to the players where we are, we guide them but they do things for you.

“We’ll give them information and see how Hemel want to play, but it’s down to the lads. We didn’t talk about Ebbsfleet or Cheshunt, we just gave instructions and battled hard. Our philosophy is work hard to win the ball, and work hard to keep it.”

Dowson is hoping his relaxed approach will rub off on his players and allow them to play without added pressure.

In fact, the Dartford boss wants them to relish being top of the table.

“I’ve said to the players if you feel any pressure then give it to me because I couldn’t give a monkey’s,” explained Dowson. “I’ve always been like that.

“If you’re going to play a game of football and you want to be a player - where else would you want to be? If someone said, where do you want to be in the table? Top. Where do I want to be first game of the season? Top. Where do I want to be last game of the season? Top. You’re playing where you want to be.”

It’s shaping up to be a three-way fight for the title between Dartford, second-placed Havant and Ebbsfleet in third. Six points separate the sides at the moment, although the chasers both have games in hand on Dowson’s men.

Given the relative budgets and depth in their squads, Dowson insisted that Dartford are the outside bet in a three-horse race.

“We’re massive underdogs between the three of us,” he said.

“We can’t compete with the top four or five clubs budget-wise, people might make a big statement in March or the next couple of weeks with players but we can’t do that - we know that.

“Look at our team on Saturday, I had two Academy lads and no goalkeeper on the bench as we’ve got a few injuries. We are where we are but we’ll just kick on as underdogs. There’s not many teams in the top five, or even top 10, that would have that.”

Dartford, who hope to have Luke Allen back from injury this weekend, entertain a Hemel side now under the management of former Braintree boss Brad Quinton.

“They won last week,” warned Dowson. “Bradley is an experienced manager at this level and he’s had a promotion out of this league. He beat me in the play-off final when I was at Hampton so I know all about him.

“He’ll have a competitive side and he might make one or two adjustments before the weekend, but we won’t.”

Defender Sam Odaudu could return as early as next week after positive news from his knee scan.

Dartford’s Kent Senior Cup tie at Ebbsfleet on Tuesday night was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. The Darts will field a mainly fringe side in the London Senior Cup at home to Met Police this Tuesday.