Dartford 0-0 Edgware Town - We didn't do ourselves justice, admits Burman

DARTFORD 0-0 EDGWARE TOWN
Ryman League Division One North
Tuesday 6^th November 2007
Stephen McCartney reports from Princes Park

Edgware Town leapfrogged over AFC Sudbury to head the Ryman League Division One North table, after playing out a stalemate at Princes Park tonight

The Middlesex side have conceded only four goals from their opening 12 league games, and prevented Dartford from going top.

The Darts went into this game having won their previous six league fixtures, but had to settle for a point in a disappointing clash to remain in third place.

Dartford were without defenders John Guest (illness) and Richard Avery (ribs), but Tommy Osborne slotted back into his normal right-back position and put in a man-of-the-match display, as both defences came out on top.

But it was the visitors’ that impressed and made all the running during the first half, with right-sided wing-back, Densil Davidson using his electrifying pace to catch the eye.

Edgware Town proved exactly why they’re the early pacesetters, with a solid back-line, well marshalled by former Gillingham and Dover Athletic man, Junior Lewis.

And goalkeepers Darren Bonfield and Rob Blackburne were both presented with the Golden Gloves’ awards from Ryman League officials before the match.

Darts goalkeeper Tony Kessell was also presented with a bottle of champagne by his club, prior to keeping his eleventh clean sheet of the season.

But the former Folkestone Invicta goalkeeper had Junior Kadi to thank for his goal-line clearance to prevent Ben Cain from scoring with a right-footed volley, following Fabio Valenti’s second corner of the game.

Kessell made a comfortable save after eight minutes to thwart Johnny Moore scoring with a right-footed volley from the edge of the penalty box.

Osborne’s clearance from inside the six-yard box averted the danger following a drilled effort across the face of goal from Greg Ngoyi.

Another chance from Edgware, however, arrived after 22 minutes when Davidson’s low cross was drilled just past the foot of the near post by Valenti, under pressure from Dartford midfielder, Alex O’Brien.

Gavin Hart whipped in a 38^th minute cross from the left, which was headed clear by O’Brien, only as far as Moore, whose right-footed volley from thirty-yards screamed agonisingly past the foot of the right-post.

Despite Dartford’s attack-minded players, they were unable to create one single goalscoring opportunity during a one-sided first half, against a classy Edgware side.

That chance, however, arrived inside the opening nine minutes of the second half - but that came off the head of Lewis.

Dartford midfielder Kadi delivered a free-kick into the penalty area from midfield and Lewis was relieved to see his header sail past the right-post.

The rest of the second half, however, was very boring for the fans that were expectant of another Dartford win, to celebrate their first year at Princes Park topping the table.

The next chance arrived halfway into the second half, Valenti cracking a right-footed volley just over Kessell’s crossbar from thirty-yards.

Another Kadi free-kick presented a chance for striker Jay May, but he couldn’t add to his eight goals so far this season, as his looping header from eight-yards dropped just over the crossbar.

That was it for excitement value for the Darts, and Edgware tried to seal victory, but substitute Richard Morton twice couldn’t find the net, as in truth, both goalkeeper’s weren’t really tested and left everyone disappointed.

“Yes, very much so, and I can understand why,” said darts boss Tony Burman, when speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“I thought it was, if I’m perfectly honest, I didn’t think it was a very good game at all.

“I don’t think we played well. I think Edgware come at us little bit in the first half and tried to get beyond our midfield but didn’t really give us too many problems.

“Our defence stayed solid, which is good, their defence stayed solid, but the actual quality of the game, I have to say, I think, was poor.

“We are just disappointed with our performance. Whether it was a game too many, I don’t really know, but the quality out on the pitch going forward was non-existent.

“I can understand people being disappointed. I thought the atmosphere around the pitch, even before we started, wasn’t brilliant, but having said that, I’m not going to blame anyone that’s come here and watched the game.

“They want to be entertained and I don’t really think they were entertained today.”

Taking the positives out of the game, Burman said: “The positives out of it is we’ve got a point and we didn’t lose. We didn’t concede a goal and we’re still up with the two teams above us.

“It’s November, it’s not April and we move on and we have to put a much, much better performance in on Saturday and carry things on.”

Burman explained why he withdrew playmaking midfielder Eddie McClements at the interval.

He said: “His calf has played up and he thought he was allright before the game and at half-time it wasn’t.  So he had to come off, it was a decision that was forced on us.”

Burman knew his side failed to live up to expectations, adding: “Although it wasn’t a good performance tonight, (we’re) disappointed that we haven’t gone top, but it’s not the end of the world.”

And speaking about Edgware, Burman added: “I wouldn’t say they’re the best side but they’re not up there for no reason.

“But I don’t think we, in my opinion, done this league any justice tonight!”

Dartford: Tony Kessell, Jamie Coyle, Steve Norman, Adam Flanagan, Tommy Osborne, Alex O’Brien, Ryan Hayes (Dave Moore 79), Junior Kadi, Brendon Cass, Jay May (Tom Bradbrook 73), Eddie McClements (Brad Potter 45)
Subs: Yohance Lewis.

Booked: Alex O’Brien 77

Edgware Town: Darren Bonfield, Densil Davidson (Richard Morton 68), Gavin Hart, Rory Smith, Junior Lewis, Jason Fernee, Fabio Valenti, Johnny Moore, Greg Ngoyi (Stuart Blackburne 73), Ben Cain, Denis Maharjan (Paul Marks 68).
Subs: Chris Ingham, Rob Blackburne.

Booked: Johnny Moore 53

Attendance: 779
Referee: Mr Phil Knight (Canterbury)
Assistants: Mr Graeme Ions (Maidstone) & Mr Rob Baker (Maidstone)