Kentish Football 
Dartford 0-1 Hampton & Richmond Borough - We lacked the cutting edge, admits mugged Burman
Saturday 27th September 2008
DARTFORD 0-1 HAMPTON & RICHMOND BOROUGH
FA Cup (Sponsored by E.ON) Second Qualifying Round
Saturday 27th September 2008
Stephen McCartney reports from Princes Park Stadium
DARTFORD boss Tony Burman is trying to come to terms with the smash-and-grab raid by ten Hampton & Richmond Borough players that ended his FA Cup campaign.
Burman was left scratching his head after a game that his side dominated throughout, created and squandered numerous chances against a side that were happy to sit back and defend.
“We had a lot of possession, that’s for sure,” admitted Burman, when speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.
“I’m disappointed to come in 1-0 down in the first half (after) they’ve been reduced to ten-men halfway through the first half.
“They’ve got a goal, gone in at half-time 1-0 up and made it very, very difficult for us (and) we couldn’t break them down.
“I think it would be fair to say we probably played in their half, but we didn’t have the cutting edge to get a goal.”
Burman kept faith with the same starting eleven that stretched their unbeaten run to four games, following their midweek 2-1 win over Maidstone United at Bourne Park. That meant midfielder Jamie Day had to settle for a place on the bench, having completed his three-match ban.
The Ryman Premier League underdogs had the first chance after 182 seconds – the sign of things to come.
Tommy Osborne’s ball forward from the half-way line was knocked down by big target man Rob Haworth inside the box for his strike partner Brendon Cass to blaze over with his right-foot from 25-yards.
A quick break from the Darts, involving Cass and Ryan Hayes, sent Noble away and his early ball across the front of the penalty area found Haworth in space. The former Margate man was denied by visiting goalkeeper Matt Lovett, who then smothered the striker’s follow up at the near post.
Hampton & Richmond Borough’s first of very few attempts on goal arrived after 12 minutes when Ben Wright’s right-footed drive was comfortably saved by Andrew Young, low down at the foot of his near post.
However, twenty seconds later the impressive Darts went close when Noble was released down the left and Steve Butterworth’s right-footed drive from 25-yards whistled just past the foot of the near post.
Dartford, playing well, almost punished a mistake from Lovett, when he fumbled Hayes’ in-swinging corner at the far post. The ball dropped to Jamie Coyle and his right-footed volley was bundled off the line by former South African under 23 international, Marcello Fernandes.
However, the turning point in the game came on 29 minutes when Wells was red-carded after Berkshire referee Mr Michael Rowley had consulted one of his assistants.
The central defender was punished when he brought down Noble when he talented 20-year-old was clean through on goal down the left-hand side.
In what was a pulsating first half, celebrations were dampened just two minutes later when Haworth met Hayes’ precise cross was a thumping header that gave Lovett no chance but the offside flag had been raised.
Good work from Haworth down the right-hand side set up another chance for the Kent side. This time, however, Butterworth’s deflected shot sailed agonisingly wide.
And at the other end, Wright’s 30-yard free-kick was comfortably saved by Young, playing his third game following his move from Blue Square South side Thurrock.
However, Princes Park was stunned to silence as Hampton & Richmond Borough delivered the killer knockout punch.
Instead of thumping the ball forward from the corner flag, Hayes was robbed by perpetrator of the robbery, Wright.
His 43rd minute cross was parried by Young and in the ensuing melee Matthews dived in to head home from close range and was booked for his exuberant celebrations with the small travelling contingent. Well, you would do if you got away with daylight robbery!
Shell-shocked Dartford, to their credit, continued with their slick passing game to try to claim back what they richly deserved.
But Hampton & Richmond Borough, somehow seventh in the Blue Square South table, were more than happy to soak up the pressure.
Noble called Lovett into action after 51 minutes with a right-footed drive from thirty-yards, which was turned around the near post by the diving goalkeeper.
But the Beavers almost rubbed more salt into the Darts wounds ten minutes later.
A ball over the top of Osborne and Ray Powell from Fernandes was latched onto by Wright and with only Young to beat, the goalkeeper saved with his legs. Powell was able to get back to clear the danger from inside his penalty area.
The visitors withstood wave-after-wave of Dartford attacks and Osborne released Butterworth down the left-hand side and his right-footed drive from just outside the penalty area flew agonisingly just over the crossbar – Dartford’s best chance of the second half.
Later, Cass exchanged passes with Noble, but his stabbed shot was saved by the advancing Lovett, at the second attempt.
This was a game that the Kent side deserved to win and Burman couldn’t believe his side had been dumped out of the FA Cup in such a manner.
“It’s a difficult game to play against a team in a higher league then you and they’re doing very, very well Hampton,” said Burman.
“Don’t get me wrong, we played ok. We played alright today, but it just hasn’t come off for us.
“We’ve had a goal that’s given offside in the first half, which the linesman’s put it up and we have to accept those things.
“But we probably played better when they had eleven men on the field. It was a really good game at that stage.
“They took the lead and that gave them the lifeline really and that’s what we didn’t want to happen.
“They’ve scored a goal out of nothing, but that’s the difference in quality when you play against teams in a higher division.
“They’ve got that knack of doing those sort of things because of the lack of concentration by our own players and that’s what it was, but we’ve done well but we haven’t managed to break them down.
“We tried second half, believe you me, but it wasn’t to be. They’ve played very deep and got people behind the ball, but you’ve got to try and break these players down and it wasn’t to be today.”
Burman was disapointed that winger Hayes was mugged by the corner flag, which proved costly in the end.
He said: “It’s disappointing when everyone’s facing the stand basically and the ball should go out. He’s right by the corner flag on the line and their fella’s done well to get it off Ryan. He’s taken a chance to try and see it out and the fella’s got in and nicked it off him.
“That’s what they do. That’s what they’re good at. They’re in for the second ball; and they’ve got the ball over the line, which we didn’t do.”
Whoever plays the Beavers next in the FA Cup, or indeed the Blue Square South, can expect very workmanlike opposition.
And Burman agreed, saying: “They play in a little bit of a direct manner, but they know what they’re doing. They’re intelligent players and they played well defensively today. They were organised and we couldn’t break them down.”
But Dartford should have beaten a side that played with ten-men for just over an hour.
Burman said: “The players are disappointed because when you’re playing against ten-men everyone thinks you’re going on and win the game, which we could have done.
“I felt we did get the ball wide but the crosses wasn’t cutting as they should have been. The quality of the crossing in the second half wasn’t as good as I’d expect it to be.”
Burman heaped plenty of praise on Noble, who has impressed since his summer move from Ryman League Division One North side Brentwood Town.
The boss believes Noble’s arrival at Princes Park has been the “find” of the season as far as he’s concerned.
“He’s been excellent. He’s definitely a find for us,” said Burman. “I’m now glad we went to watch him quite a few times last year.”
Dartford: Andrew Young, Jamie Coyle, Tommy Osborne (James White 85), Ray Powell, John Guest, Danny Dafter (Jamie Day 60), Steve Butterworth, Ryan Hayes (Adam Flanagan 90), Brendon Cass, Rob Haworth, Lee Noble.
Subs: Nick Barnes, Steve Norman, Tony Kessell.
Hampton & Richmond Borough: Matt Lovett, Marcello Fernandes, Craig Tanner, Orlando Jeffrey, John Scarborough, Dean Wells, Robbie Kember (Stuart Lake 35), Francis Quarm, Ian Hodges, Ben Wright (Lawrence Yaku 65, Elliot Brathwaite 90), Barrie Matthews.
Sub: Shaun McAuley
Booked: Barrie Matthews 43, Ben Wright 59
Sent off: Dean Wells 29
Attendance: 1,057
Referee: Mr Michael Rowley (Woodley, Reading, Berkshire)
Assistants: Mr Michael Taylor (Alton, Hampshire) & Mr Richard Hailstone (Ash, Hampshire)
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