Burman wants to upset play-off chasing teams

DARTFORD boss Tony Burman is relishing his side’s next two games - against two sides that are vying to clinch promotion with Dover Athletic via the play-off’s, writes Stephen McCartney.

As Dover Athletic stretched their lead at the top of the Ryman Premier League table to sixteen points, following their 3-0 midweek win over Tooting & Mitcham United, numerous clubs are battling it out for those four remaining play-off places.

The Darts travel to Carshalton Athletic tomorrow before making the trip to Essex to lock horns with Canvey Island seven days later.

Carshalton Athletic, who escaped relegation on the final day of last season with a victory over Tonbridge Angels, are second in the table, sixteen points behind Andy Hessenthaler’s men, and Canvey Island are three points behind the Robins in fifth spot.

Burman, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk following his side’s 4-2 defeat at champions-elect Dover Athletic last weekend, would prefer to be fighting it out at the right end of the table.

The Princes Park outfit are currently in 15^th place and are only five points above the drop zone.

“I think a lot of people have said to me we want to stay in this league, that’s fine, we do want to do that,” said Burman.

“You say about underachieving, you have to say that at the end of the season.

“As far as I know things change every Saturday in this league. I think we were only, something like, eight points with a game in hand off the fifth place, but you’ve got to win your games.

“We’ve got a difficult spell coming up and it’s going to be a difficult time for us, but we’ll get through it.

“We’ll have a go and we’ll endeavour to do our best to get more points on the table.”

Burman, who revealed today that central defender Adam Flanagan is doubtful for the trip to Colston Avenue tomorrow, although fellow defender John Guest and midfielders Jamie Day and Lee Noble all have a good chance to play, knows his side have a big say at the top end of the table.

He said: “You want to be involved in games like we’ve played (at Dover Athletic) and we want to have a say on what goes on at the top and we’ll endeavour to get our points in the net three weeks if we can.”

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

Carshalton Athletic v Dartford
Ryman Premier League
Saturday 20^th December 2008
Kick Off 3:00pm
At War Memorial Sports Ground, Colston Avenue, Carshalton, Surrey SM5 2PN