12thapr04

Monday 12th April 2004

Young players will learn, says Dartford boss Sampson

Tommy Sampson, manager of Dr Martens League Eastern Division side Dartford, was once again forced to field a team of youngsters in their 3-0 defeat at local rivals Chatham Town on Easter Monday, writes Stephen McCartney.

Going to Chatham with a team of youngsters was always going to be difficult, and Sampson lost experienced player Paul Sykes to a knee injury which forced the former Margate striker off at half time. Sykes, who played in defence, started the game with a mild groin injury and was a big loss to the inexperienced side.

Sixteen-year-old Chatham striker Frannie Collin opened the scoring after 21 minutes when he smashed a shot into the top left hand corner from 22 yards after Dartford half cleared Kevin Spriggs free kick on the edge of the penalty area on the left hand side.

Chatham doubled their lead two minutes later when Collin raced down the right hand side, delivered a pin-point cross for an unmarked Danny Kedwell, and the former Lordswood and Maidstone United midfielder's looping header dropped into the far corner beating sixteen-year old goalkeeper James Tedder who was rooted to the spot.

Collin wrapped up the comfortable victory from the penalty spot with thirteen minutes remaining after former Tonbridge Angels' defender Danny Tingley was harshly penalised for handball on the edge of the penalty area.

Sampson admitted: "We've come here with a very young squad today. Frannie Collin has crashed one in and then my goalkeeper James Tedder should have dealt with a cross but no-one is going to criticise him as he is only sixteen-years-old and has got to learn."

Although the damage had already been done with Chatham netting after 21 and 23 minutes, the second half of this derby wasn't as lively as the first.

Sampson added: "I thought the second half was a really shabby game of football. We had a couple of good chances and I thought we could have scored. To be fair they got a penalty that was a bit harsh and after that the game just petered out."

After Saturday's fantastic 1-0 home win over King's Lynn at Stonebridge Road, playing on Easter Monday probably came a day too early for his side, even some of the players who faced Chatham played in a Kent Youth League game on Sunday morning.

Sampson said: "We've had a great weekend. The King's Lynn game was fantastic but we could have done without today's game in hindsight because I had too many people suffering from playing on Saturday and Sunday."

The Kent based manager, added: "Some of my players were in the youth team on Sunday morning, so today was one of those days we could have done without.

"We were so short of players, and having got injuries from Saturday, 2 or 3 players who played today played 90 minutes for the youth team on Sunday, which has never happened at Dartford before. I have to use the people available, and to be fair the young lads volunteered. They are not bad players, but asking them to play two games in two days is a bit too much." expressed the manager.

However, the local derby between Chatham Town and Dartford failed to live up to the Darts 1-0 home win over King's Lynn.

"Sampson added: "Saturday was a fantastic game of football with both sides at it, but today was a case of 22 players and maybe the substitutes who were embarrest by the ball. I don't think there was a player out there who could control himself or the ball."

Dartford face a tough encounter at home to Histon next Saturday, and Sampson knows how tough it will be for his young guns at Stonebridge Road.

Sampson said: "They are a tough, strong side, and they will be coming to us trying to win the league. I am not sure how many people we will have back fit, so even if we have everyone it will be really tough. It's going to be a big mountain to climb.

"However, the young lads will learn and that's half the battle.

"We've got our status, we've got three games left but this is the biggest one. The other two games are winnable but the Histon game is going to be hard." admitted Sampson.