15thaug04

Kids must learn quick, says Dartford boss Sampson

DESPITE going down 3-0 at Boreham Wood on the opening day of the Southern League Division One East season, Tommy Sampson was pleased with his team's performance, but insisted his young players must learn - and quickly, writes Stephen McCartney.

Although the score-line suggests Dartford didn't enjoy their time at Meadow Park, Sampson, a former Boreham Wood manager, albeit for a very short time, said: "Overall in the 90 minutes, the better side lost."

The Dartford boss revealed: "We made and missed seven clear cut chances.  

"However, we played very well, knocked the ball about well, looked fit and sharp and a little bit of naivety was our undoing."

The only thing Jimmy Simpson, the Dartford goalkeeper, had to do during the whole game, was to pick the ball out of the net three times, as clinical Boreham Wood took their chances and Dartford didn't!

Sammy Winston scored twice and was off the mark in the 20th minute after experienced striker Robbie Reinelt was hauled down inside the penalty area by visiting defender, eighteen-year-old Luke Cuthbert.

Winston rifled in the resulting penalty kick to give Ian Allinson's side the perfect start to the season, and things went better for them when Samuel slid the ball home from six yards on 37 minutes.

However, with 12 minutes remaining, Winston wrapped up the victory, firmly heading past Simpson.

Sampson added: "I am not saying we dominated the game from start to finish - we didn't - but we were every bit as good as our opposition but really failed miserably in front of goal.

"We looked very good in midfield and Paul Sykes and Tostao Kwashi caused them all sorts of problems up front, but when it came to the crunch, we could not find a finish."

Dartford return to Stonebridge Road, for their first home league game, when Great Wakering Rovers visit on Tuesday evening, and Sampson is adamant his side can bounce back and put some points on the board.

Sampson said: "We've had them watched on Saturday, but if we play well as we did at Boreham Wood on Saturday, all we've got to do is take 30% of the chances and I will be more than happy with that."

Sampson, however, will be forced to play youngsters for the next two years as finances dictate what sort of players he can sign for the club.

Until they return back home to their own stadium in Dartford, scheduled in two years time,  the manager is forced to throw youngsters in at the deep end.

The manager added: "Ever since I've been at Dartford, we've always had probably a third of the side inexperienced due to the finances - and you could see that on Saturday.

"A little bit of naivety just went against us - this is a hard game - and you have to lean and learn quick!

"We will play a lot worse this season, and win!"

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