Dartford 1-1 Dover Athletic

Prolific striker Cass was on hand to score his 19^th goal of the season 128 seconds into the 240 seconds of injury time played.

The goal sparked wild scenes of celebration on and off the pitch, substitute Ryan Hayes became the seventh player of the game to be booked, for his reaction in front of the 230 segregated travelling Dover fans.

Cass rose to challenge Dover goalkeeper Darren Smith from a free-kick from Hayes, Jay May hooked the ball over his shoulder on the edge of the six-yard box and Cass was on hand to strike a half volley past Smith from six-yards right in front of the broken hearted Dover fans.

“Yes, it was a little bit late,” Darts boss Burman admitted to www.kentishfootball.co.uk after the match. “I think it was just into injury time, we’ve got a goal back and taken a point.

“That’s happened this year where we’ve conceded late goals and these things come around again for you and your luck was in today.”

With his side trailing to Craig Wilkins’ fifteenth minute opener, Burman thought his side - and Cass - had squandered their best chance of the second half with time running out.

Cass latched onto May’s defence splitting pass, and Smith raced off his line, to block the shot and Darts had to settle for a corner.

Dover had deservedly taken the lead after 15 minutes when Wilkins rose to glance Jon Wallis’ free-kick past a diving Kevin Hudson and into the far corner.

They should have opened the scoring after just 45 seconds but James Dryden fired past the post after Tommy Tyne’s hooked cross.

Dartford winger Dave Martin, a Crystal Palace target, saw his left-footed free-kick from 28-yards arrow just over the top of the near post.

Dartford went close after eleven minutes when right-back Brad Potter played the ball upfield, the ball was knocked down by Cass, and Dartford born midfielder Nick Barnes unleashed a right-footed drive from 25-yards, which flashed past the post.

Dartford almost drew level within a minute of the opening goal when Steve Hafner blazed high over the bar.

Smith spilt Barnes’ right-footed 35-yard free-kick but Orpington referee Mr John Rowbury, who was being filmed by a television crew, awarded a free-kick as he was fouled in the goalmouth scramble that followed.

Wallis, on loan from Hereford United, went close for Dover when his 30-yard effort curled just past the right upright.

Tempers flared in the 37^th minute when Hafner flattened James Rogers right in front of the away dug-out, to earn a booking.

The Darts midfielder was on the receiving end of a retaliation attack from Dover midfielder Lee Spiller just three minutes later, which got the Dover skipper in the referee's notepad.

Smith was alert when he palmed Martin’s left-footed free-kick over his crossbar as the winger whipped in a delivery from the right.

The second half did not live up to the first period and miss-firing Dover striker Dryden, who was kept quiet throughout, saw his left-footed shot from 20-yards sail over.

Hafner’s floated cross just past the hour mark evaded Cass’ head as the ball flashed past the far post.

Wallis, however, was desperately unlucky when his 35-yard drive flew just over Hudson’s crossbar with a long-range drive.

Hudson gifted Dover a chance with 21 minutes left on the clock when he dropped Tyne’s cross, the ball bounced off the immaculate Princes Park turf but Spiller blazed high over the gaping goal.

Tyne, who cut in from the left, unleashed a long range effort, which flashed past the near post.

Dover squandered an excellent chance to wrap up the victory in the 76^th minute but Matt Bourne’s shot, in a crowded penalty area, bounced off the crossbar.

Not wanting to hand their Kentish rivals any bragging rights, the Darts went for the equaliser in the final ten minutes.

May cut in from the left and his right-footed drive from 25-yards flashed past the foot of the near post.

Martin’s angled shot from the left hand side of the penalty area was pushed around his near post by a diving Smith.

But you cannot give a quality striker like Cass any chances and Dover had to settle for a point.

“With goalscorers they sometimes look like they’re not doing too much on the pitch and things like that,” said Burman.

“He had a chance just before he scored and he hit the goalkeeper and we thought that was our chance but goalscorers are there and if a chance falls to them in the box they take that.

“Cass has been inside the eighteen yard box, Cass this year has been excellent.”

Steve Norman, signed from Folkestone Invicta, made his Darts debut after coming on as a 38^th minute substitute for skipper Tommy Osborne, who picked up a hip injury.

A total of 7,875 fans (an average of 1,968) have watched the Darts since their homecoming on 11^th November against Horsham YMCA (4,097).

The Dartford public have also come out in force against Boreham Wood (1,079), Sittingbourne (1,047) and today’s game against Dover attracted a crowd of 1,652.