28thdec04

Dartford look forward to pivotal year

TOMMY SAMPSON believes 2005 will be a pivotal year for Southern League Division One East club Dartford, writes Stephen McCartney.

There was a time, not so long ago when clubs met their local rivals around the Christmas period.  Not any more, it seems in the Southern League as Wingate & Finchley made the trip down to Stonebridge Road on Bank Holiday Monday.

However, the 329 fans that turned up witnessed an entertaining 2-2 draw on a perfect playing surface and it was also the highest crowd in the entire division this season.

Just imagine how many fans the Darts will attract when they finally return home back to their roots and this is what Sampson cannot wait to happen.

If they can still attract crowds of over 300 on a regular basis in Northfleet, surely they will attract double when they play in front of their own people?

Sampson said: "I think 2005 will be pivotal in Dartford's history.

"We are hoping some time during 2005 we will start building our new ground, maybe in June.

"My job is - and has always been - to keep the club in the division, solvent, produce young players and do the best we can.

"When we get back to Dartford then you'll see a different type of thinking at the club.

"The thinking will be will be to produce a team that can sustain 7-800 supporters and that will be my job in 2006 but 2005 is going to be a pivotal year in Dartford's history."

Monday's draw, however, was their 8th in 22 league games, but Sampson was pleased with the point.

"For one it was played in front of a super sized crowd, very atmospheric and it was another very good game of football," he said.

"We can't win a game at the moment, we've drawn three games this month.  I think that's eight this season but it was a great game of football.

"To be fair I wasn't unhappy with the point because I had two or three players under the weather playing football for me.

"2-2 was probably a fair result."

Dartford, however, have two difficult fixtures coming up in the space of three days.  A trip to Maldon Town on Saturday is followed by a home game against promotion chasing Uxbridge at Stonebridge Road on Bank Holiday Monday (3pm).

"Two difficult games," Sampson added.

"Maldon are very well financed and have under achieved this year and Uxbridge drew Fisher over the weekend.  We lost 5-0 to them and they are a very good side."

But Sampson admits his side are turning the corner after an injury crisis saw his side plummet into the bottom three.

"We've come through an injury crisis, which we had in November," Sampson said.

"In November we got a battering, no question about that.

"We lost 3-0 to Sittingbourne, 5-0 to Uxbridge and lost 5-2 at Wingate & Finchley, after extra time in the League Cup.

"We've got people fit now and the last four performances have been outstanding, been really good.

"Not been enough points gathered but that's what we've got to do.

"A draw or a win here and there.

"We've been unbeaten through December, we've missed a few chances, but defensively we've been a bit more solid especially with Kevin Hudson (goalkeeper) playing and that's how we've got to approach the rest of the season - picking up points."

Sampson was boosted by the news that Danny Heale is staying at the club after declining a move to Saturday's opponents Maldon Town just before Christmas.

"He has agreed to stay," announced Sampson.

"He needs to work on his fitness but that's something we find hard to do this time of year, not a lot of training but lots of games.

"My best 12 isn't bad, it's just you need them all the time.

"Two games in three days over the weekend will be ever so hard.

"My bench has always seen three youth team players on it and I can see one or two of them playing a big part this weekend."