Burman puts Dover showdown to the back of his mind

DARTFORD boss Tony Burman is fully focused for their Ryman Premier League opener at Hendon on Saturday, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Darts travel to Claremont Road to play a Hendon side that were the surprise package last term, before falling away at the death.

But deep down, everyone is looking forward to next Tuesday’s mouth-watering Kent showdown against Dover Athletic at Princes Park.

Before the two Kent giants lock horns inside a passion filled Princes Park, Burman wants to get their campaign off to a winning start in north London.

“You do pre-season and you get pre-season games in but there’s nothing like competitive football and getting the season underway and that’s what we do on Saturday and we’re now ready to start things proper,” Burman told www.kentishfootball.co.uk tonight.

With big-spenders Chelmsford City and AFC Wimbledon now out of the division, this gives everyone a chance to stake their own claims for the title.

“With Chelmsford and Wimbledon going out of the division I think everyone’s thinking they’ve all got a good chance and all on an even level,” said Burman.

“That’s why it will be a difficult league this year. Hendon will have a good enough chance as anyone else but we have to concentrate on what we need to do.”

Burman, who has an eighteen-man squad, revealed tonight they everyone is fit and raring to go.

“It’s a tough game for us, all the games this year are going to be tough,” he warned.

“There’s some good football clubs in there with good quality players in those teams and we take every game as it comes but we know it’s going to be difficult whoever our opponents are going to be.”

All the pre-match hype over the visit of Dover Athletic will have to wait until Sunday at the very earliest.

But Burman said: “It’s the first of many Kent derbies, which is good and Dover are like ourselves, they won the Ryman South and we won the Ryman North.

“It’s going to be a tough game and I hope it’s going to be a tough game for our opponents.

“We’re not phased by anything but if we work hard we’ll get something out of the game.

“We’ve got a job to try and do at Hendon first of all and we’ll think about the Dover game after Hendon.

Burman, meanwhile, is looking forward to what will be a very exciting Ryman Premier League campaign.

He said: “It’s a long season and you go through good and poor spells and through those poor spells you hope to pick up points.

“We’ll be delighted if we’re at the right end of the table. It’s like every other manager at the start of the season, we all think we’ve got a good chance off winning the league but it’s a long season.

“We’re not experienced in this league but we’ll learn fast - it may work for you or against you.”

www.kentishfootball.co.uk will be covering Dartford’s first home game - against Dover Athletic - next Tuesday.

Visit Dartford’s websites: www.dartfordfc.co.uk & www.dartfordfootballclub.co.uk

Hendon v Dartford
Ryman Premier League
Saturday 16^th August 2008
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Claremont Road, Brent Cross, London NW2 1AE