The Skrill Premier

Salisbury 1

Dartford 0

A CLEVER strike from Jamie White ensured Salisbury City prevailed in the wet conditions over ten-man Dartford to claim their first victory of the year.

City are now two points off the play-off zone, with a hatful of games in hand, due to White touching home Elliott Frear’s corner inside 14 minutes.

Lacklustre Dartford vastly improved on their 4-2 thumping two months ago in the FA Cup, but losing Danny Harris to a second yellow card 16 minutes from time dented their chances from earning a point.

Now, the Darts remain seven points from safety, firmly wedged in a relegation dogfight.

As the rain battered the Ray Mac, both sides found it tricky to test out Will Puddy and Alan Julian in the opposing goalmouths.

But when Salisbury got their glowing opportunity, in the slow-paced affair, they grabbed it. A quick-fire corner left the visitors daydreaming and no one reacted to thwart White from slotting into the bottom corner for his fourth goal of the season.

Burman’s team showed no mercy though and, despite not firing at Puddy, Dave Martin’s teasing crosses kept the keeper alert.

Clovis Kamdjo and Theo Lewis had chances to double their cushion late on, between Harris’s sending off, but it was substitute Ishmail Kamar who cooked up a game-changing opportunity deep into stoppage time.

He met a tremendous cross from the left but his soaring header narrowly missed Puddy’s far corner, leaving his team to soak up a 19th defeat in Skrill Premier.

Whereas, City remain challenging at the top half of the table, sitting in ninth position. Manager Mikey Harris said: “It wasn’t our greatest performance.”

“It was a battle and we came out on top. A little bit of quality from Frear and White means we win the game 1-0,” he said.

“Listen, it’s a results’ business. I’m not going to say we’ve played fluent, passing and attacking football. The conditions didn’t allow us to do that but I’ll take a clean sheet and three points all day long.”

Salisbury City: (4-4-2): Puddy, Clarke, Dutton, Wilson (c), Hart, S.Sinclair (McPhee, 32), Kamdjo, Lewis, Frear, Feeney (R.Sinclair, 79), White (Fitchett, 65) Subs not used: Bittner, Brett.

Scorer: White (14).

Att: 850.

Referee: Brett Huxtable (Torrington).

Star man: Warren Feeney.

MATCH FACTS:

Shots on: 3/0 Shots off: 3/3 Corners: 5/3 Offsides: 1/4 Fouls: 7/7 Yellow cards: Hart (34), Dutton: Harris (two yellow cards) Sent off: Harris (74).