Ten-man Stones fought valiantly and almost pulled off a memorable victory against table-topping Dartford but just fell short in the final 10 minutes as they suffered a 2-1 defeat.

The home side had been a man down since the 42nd minute when loanee winger Iffy Allen was controversially dismissed with a straight red card. Despite that setback, they were to take the lead in the 67th minute through Dan Fitchett, only for their opponents to turn the game around in the final 10 minutes.

An even first half saw both sides have half chances to break the deadlock, but the strong-running David Pratt for the home side and Dartford’s Danny Mills couldn’t convert.

The visitors’ stand-in keeper Berti Schotteri, a surprise inclusion, looked a little shaky early on and fumbled a strike from Pratt for a corner.

Stones new on- loan signing from Accrington Stanley, Reagan Ogle, was assured at the back and mopped up Darts attacks down the right flank. In fact, Stones defence was to look solid and composed for most of the contest.

But the game turned completely a few minutes before half-time when Allen was adjudged to have used a two-footed challenge whilst prone on the ground, and, with the Dartford players’ arms raised and protesting as though their lives depended on it, he was shown a straight red.

To Wealdstone’s credit in the second half and roared on by the majority of the 1,002 crowd, they rallied superbly and took the game to their lofty opponents.

Dartford made changes, losing Duane Ofori-Acheampong to injury, and their opponents took advantage and increasingly pushed up.

That pressure was to finally tell after 67 minutes when a fine cross on the right from the ever-willing Pratt was met perfectly by Fitchett and the ball flew into the top corner for the lead.

Stones looked to be more than capable of holding out for the win but Darts plugged away and eventually grabbed the equaliser with 10 minutes remaining as they finally made the extra man tell; Mills rising highest at the far post to net.

Stones were heart broken only two minutes later when from another set piece, substitiute Alfie Pavey snatched what had seemed an unlikely winner.

The hosts tried hard to get back on terms in the remaining few minutes, but they ran out of time and were left to reflect on a battling performance but no points.

Wealdstone: North, Ogle, Okimo, Gayle, Oshodi, Johnson-Schuster (Whichelow 86), Fitchett, Cox (Tiryaki 83), Pratt, Green, Allen. Subs not used: Goodger, Bonfield, Wilson.