Dartford joint boss Adam Flanagan had spoken to KSN this week after the Darts 3-2 midweek win over Oxford City – the side who sent the Kent side tumbling out of the FA Cup.

Flanagan told us, “They knocked us out of the FA Cup – a game that I couldn’t attend – so it was nice for the boys to win Tuesday night after losing 4-1 at their place.

“We made a fast start as they’ve done a lot of travelling recently, not only to Tranmere in the Cup and in their last League games and it meant that our game plan was to compete at a very high tempo and capitalise on any possible travel fatigue and it worked very well.”

“If we want to be at the top end of the table at the end of the season, we need to keep building momentum as we have done of late, which against a good Oxford City side is very pleasing, but we know that we’ve got to keep it going.”

The return to Princes Park of Charlie Sheringham couldn’t have come a better time.

“Charlie came along at a good time for us,” Flanagan admitted, and went on, “he was someone we’d earmarked in the summer, but in truth couldn’t afford. He’s a follower of the Club from the last time he was here and when things didn’t happen at Hemel, he wanted to leave for a fresh challenge and all players at times come to the point where money isn’t top of the wish lists and all you hope for is to be happy playing football, and I think that’s part of the reason why Charlie wanted to come back and he’s done well for us and long may it continue!”

“Of course, we’d like to be doing a little bit better, but I think when you remember our blip after three games when we didn’t get a point in the next three, to show the progress that we’ve made in the last six or seven games has been pleasing really. And when you look at the teams in and around us, we’re not a million miles away – yes, I know that we could drop just as quickly with a poor run.”

“It’s a very competitive League this year – teams have improved even beyond last year when it was tough enough!  Considering we haven’t played that great, I guess our position some would say is better than it might have been!”

This weekend, Flanagan and Jamie Coyle take their charges this weekend round the M25 to face Hampton and Richmond Borough.

“We saw Hampton on TV on Monday night in the Cup against Oldham and I thought they gave a really good account of themselves. Gary (McCann) is a manager who I like and always seem to get the best out of his teams and of course we know him very well.”

“But we need to keep our run of form going and, on the day, if we can apply ourselves the way we have been, we’ll hopefully get the result that we’ll hopefully deserve.”

“The Beveree Stadium is always a tough place to go, but whether they’ll be licking their woulds after Oldham’s late winner on Monday, I really don’t know – they might be down as they’ve gone out of the FA Cup like that, but you could also argue the case that they’ll look to bounce back against us.”

“Gary I’m sure will instill into the players the pride of what they did and encourage them to kick on.”

The League table has the Darts in seventh and although Hampton are only six points behind, ten places separate the two sides, a point that wasn’t lost on the Darts joint coach.

“We know that we’ll have to be at our best to get something out of the game,” Flanagan admitted.