Dartford tasted defeat for the first time in National League South under new boss Alan Dowson.

Visitors Havant produced a typically robust display to leave with all three points in National League South at Princes Park on Tuesday night.

Dartford, who named an unchanged team from the weekend win over Cheshunt, were on the backfoot early on as Havant started brightly.

The visitors put their attacks all down the left wing and it was the source of an early breakthrough when Jason Prior converted a deep cross at the far post as early as the eighth minute.

It needed a vital block by Tom Bonner on 15 minutes to prevent Havant doubling their lead, the Darts skipper throwing himself in the way of a goalbound Prior shot after a clever short corner.

Dartford were not at the races in the first 20 minutes but nearly levelled with what would have been one of the best goals scored at Princes Park. Havant keeper Ross Worner rushed out of his area but could only clear to Samir Carruthers who took an excellent first touch in the centre circle before sending a right-foot shot inches wide of an open goal.

Carruthers and Luke Coulson were slowly becoming more influential for Dartford, although the industry of Luke Allen unsettled the Havant side as much as anyone.

The hosts levelled on 27 minutes. Havant cleared Coulson’s initial corner but when Carruthers sent the loose ball back out to the former Bromley and Ebbsfleet midfielder, his right-foot cross was headed in by Davide Rodari for his first Dartford goal.

Carruthers’ right-foot shot was blocked behind for a corner and Dartford were somehow denied a second goal five minutes before the break. Four-goal Pierre Fonkeu met Carruthers’ corner at the near post but Worner made a fine save. The loose ball fell to Connor Essam, but he was twice denied on the line by a defender.

Havant’s Billy Clifford was booked 10 minutes into the second half for a late challenge on Coulson, it led to all outfield players coming together but referee Kirsty Dowle, who was keen to let the game flow in the first half, took no further action.

In a reverse of the first half, Dartford enjoyed the better of the early stages after the break, albeit without fashioning a clear-cut chance in front of goal.

Havant’s Jake McCarthy turned in the box but his low shot was saved by keeper Dan Wilks, only for the visitors to take the lead straight after a prolonged double change.

It took over a minute for Oscar Gobern and Danny Wright to be introduced into the fray with the board not working, and maybe Darts were caught napping when a deep cross from the left was headed back by Joash Nembhard where Gobern scored from close range with his first touch.

Dartford lost their way after the goal, and Havant nearly added a third when substitute Danny Wright headed just wide from an excellent Clifford cross.

The hosts piled on the pressure at the death and thought they had levelled the scores with two minutes left but the offside flag was up well before the time the ball was in the net.

Then, in the 90th minute, Allen had a chance to level it up but blazed his left-foot shot horribly wide of the upright.

Dartford: Wilks, Wynter, Essam, Bonner, Odaudu, Murtagh (Roberts 80mins), Carruthers, Allen, Coulson, Rodari (Wall 73mins), Fonkeu. Subs not used: Campbell, Statham, Wray.

Havant: Worner, Newton, Oastler, Nembhard, McCarthy, Rooney, Prior, Clifford, Crichlow (Wright 64mins), Read (Gobern 64mins), Roberts (Faal 78mins). Subs not used: Baker-Neto, Andrews.

Referee: Kirsty Dowle.

Attendance: 979.