Dartford’s hopes of avoiding relegation from the Vanarama Conference may hang largely on Saturday’s huge game at home to Alfreton.

Darts are eight points from safety with 11 games left and Alfreton are the side they will probably need to catch to have any chance of beating the drop.

It’s the first of two meetings between the teams in as many weeks but Darts boss Tony Burman has played down the suggestion it’s a must-win game for his side.

He said: "It’s Alfreton at home and it’s three points. The last five have all been ‘must-win games’ but Saturday comes and we have to try to win the game.

"They’re coming down on the back of two victories so their confidence is high.

"When we were supposed to play them at their place, they were on the back of two defeats, so that’s the situation and the way things have gone."

Dartford haven’t won a league game at Princes Park for more than four months but they’ve only lost one of their last five Conference fixtures.

Beaten 3-1 at home by Woking last Tuesday, they bounced back with a hard-fought 0-0 draw at FC Halifax on Saturday.

Burman said: "It could end up being a massive point. We’re not getting involved in what other teams have done because it can all change again on Saturday.

"If we pick up three points and the teams around us don’t, we’re back to square one."

Read the full story in the Dartford Messenger.