Two goals in two minutes at the start of the second half clinched Dartford’s place in Monday’s FA Cup First Round draw with a 3-0 win over Tonbridge at Longmead.
Alex Brown put them ahead 10 minutes before the interval, before Andy Pugh and skipper Elliot Bradbrook struck quickly to settle this Fourth Qualifying Round tie.
Tonbridge paid the price for not taking their chances after bossing the first 20 minutes of the game – as Brown fired Darts in front after 35 minutes.
Brown broke the deadlock with almost their first real attack of the game. Ryan Hayes played in Danny Harris who cut in from the right, his low shot was blocked by Tony Di Ber nardo and fell to Brown who rifled home.
Pugh gave Darts the perfect start to the second half, knocking the ball in from around six yards, making the most of a defensive mix-up, and Bradbrook added the third soon afterwards, another close-range finish after Hayes’ corner had been knocked down at the far post.
Tonbridge had appeals for a penalty turned down when Jack Parter’s shot hit a Darts player in the box, but Dartford kept pressing themselves, with Duane Ofori-Acheampong going close, following good build-up by Bradbrook and Pugh.
Tonbridge were quickly out of the blocks – Sonny Miles headed against a post, while Dartford goalkeeper Deren Ibrahim was forced to push a Tom Parkinson header over the bar.
Damien Scannell was the main outlet in a string of Tonbridge attacks – shooting over the bar from another Wheeler corner – and then cut inside only to shoot straight at Ibrahim.
Tonbridge were forced into an early change when Tom Parkinson limped off with a knock and replaced by Tom Phipps.
Bradbrook then shot wide following Dartford’s first corner, before Brown gave Darts an advantage they were never to relinquish.
Miles picked up the game’s only yellow card – bringing down Luke Wanadio on the edge of the box.
Tonbridge: Di Bernardo, Folkes, Parter, Parkinson (Phipps 24mins), Sobers, Miles, Scannell (Blewden 60mins), Allen, Elder, Dundas (Whitnell 60mins), Wheeler. Subs not used: Udogi, Lawlor, Fortnam-Tomlinson, Mileham
Dartford: Ibrahim, Harris, Wood, Bonner, Gardiner, A Brown, Hayes (Noble 70mins), Bradbrook, Ofori-Acheampong, Pugh (E Brown 77mins), Wanadio (Wynter 85 mins)
Subs not used: Vint, Wynter, Coxall, Brinkley, Fisher.
Attendance: 1,391.