Dartford 0-3 Southend United - Playing against the pro sides is hard work, admits Tony Burman

DARTFORD  0-3  SOUTHEND UNITED
Pre-Season Friendly
Monday 11^th July 2011
Stephen McCartney reports from Princes Park Stadium

DARTFORD boss Tony Burman says tonight’s opening pre-season friendly against League Two Southend United has “served its purpose”.

Burman gave twenty players their first run-outs of the new season, with two defenders, debutant Adam Green and Tom Bonner each getting through 90 minutes for the Kent Senior Cup holders.

Southend gave a trial to contracted Welling United skipper, Jack Parkinson, 21, who slotted in the middle of the park for the opening 45 minutes, before Paul Sturrock fielded a much stronger side after the break and their fitness told in the end as the Essex side scored three second half goals through Bilel Moshni, Neil Harris and Ryan Leonard.

Burman, who was without skipper, Elliot Bradbrook and Paul Goodacre, who return from holiday before Friday’s home friendly against Andy Hessenthaler’s Gillingham, and Danny Harris wasn’t risked after returning from his break, felt his Blue Square Bet South part-timers got what they wanted out of the exercise.

“I’m pleased it’s served its purpose,” said Burman.  “We’ve had three training sessions and when you play against the pro sides, 45-60 minutes is hard work!  The lads have worked hard in that time and that’s what it’s about so I’m pleased.”

The Darts boss was pleased with the contribution from summer signing, Jon Wallis, 25, who he signed from bitter rivals Dover Athletic.

“Jon’s a good player, we know that,” said Burman.  “We’ve signed some good players this year and I haven’t actually stopped yet.  If someone else comes along and he’s right for us then we’ll get him.

“We’ve made some good additions but we’ve taken our time over those additions and hopefully they’ll be good for us.”

Burman started with number one keeper, Andrew Young, 31, in goal for the first half and he kept a clean sheet, but despite conceding  three goals in the final half-hour, Deren Ibrahim, 20, pulled off some fine saves as Southend stepped up a gear.

Burman said: “Del’s challenging for the number one spot, it’s as simple as that!  Youngy knows that.

“I’ve got no problem in putting Del in and playing him.  He’s gone past that stage now, in my opinion.  He’s now got to try and get that 10-11 games under his belt on the trot but having said that Youngy has been good for us and he’s got a battle on his hands, but as I say, Del’s pulled off some good saves, even though he’s let three goals go past him.”

With Tottenham Hotspur’s Welsh wing wizard, Gareth Bale in the crowd, Southend called Young into early action as Darren Currie drilled a tricky low free-kick towards goal from the left hand side, but the Dartford keeper blocked with his legs.

Dartford’s first chance arrived in the seventeenth minute when Green (who likes to get forward from his left-back position), played the ball through to striker Charlie Sheringham, who laid the ball back to Lee Noble, who found right-winger Ryan Hayes and the club’s longest serving player cut inside and curled a left-footed shot past the far post.

Dartford right-back, Matt Jones, then cut inside the Southend left-back Luke Prosser, but his low left-footed drive brought a comfortable save from visiting goalkeeper Glen Morris beside his left-hand post.

Young made a comfortable save to his left to prevent Southend striker Harry Crawford from scoring with an ambitious right-footed drive after he cut in from the right, before Southend squandered an excellent chance on the stroke of half-time.

Jake Thompson and Crawford combined down the right and right-back Sean Clohessy had time and space to whip in a perfect cross towards the far post but Carlos Thomas’s downward header missed the target from only two yards out.

Southend’s big-guns came on after the interval, and as expected, scored the goals.

Burman said: “The thing was second half, they brought on eleven new players.  We’ve wanted to give our players at least 45-60 minutes and we’ve done that and I’m pleased with what’s happened in that time.

“But they’ve changed with some real, real, good players and some good pro’s so it’s nice that they did that.  They’ve shown us the respect.”

Former Millwall striker Harris dinked the ball through and Ibrahim made a smart near post block to thwart Johnson.

But former Bromley player, Ryan Hall, played his part in two of Southend’s goals – the first arriving on the hour-mark.

Hall swung in a corner from the right and big central defender Moshni ghosted in at the far post and walloped a volley inside the near post from only two-yards out from a tight angle.

Southend’s substitute goalkeeper, Daniel Bentley, comfortably picked up an ambitious long-range effort from Dartford substitute Lee Burns.

But Dartford’s best chance to claw themselves back into the game came within a minute of Southend’s second.

Substitute Ryan Marriott did well to cut inside Southend right-back Leonard and he found Green making a run though on goal, but 27-year-old Green, a summer arrival from Blue Square Bet Premier side Hayes & Yeading, struck a rising drive, which was plucked out of the air by Bentley.

Harris opened his account for the new season as he scored Southend’s second in the 81^st minute.

Peter Gilbert whipped in a cross from the left and Harris glanced a header across Ibrahim to find the far corner.

Ibrahim pulled off his best save of the night when he dived full-length to his right to prevent Moshni breaking the back of the net with another rasping volley.

Ibrahim stood no chance as Leonard wrapped up the victory in the final four minutes.

Hall’s drive was blocked by a Dartford leg and the ball rolled to Leonard, who smashed a right-footed screamer past the diving keeper into the top far corner from fully 35-yards.

Burman added: “The third one’s a shot from 35-yards, he’s hit it, he couldn’t have hit it any better!  It was a great strike!  The other goals were from set-pieces.  The big guy (Moshni) they’ve got at the back and he’s caused us problems but having said that they’re there to sort us out.

“Again, it gives us an opportunity to get our things sorted out - as it goes on we’ll get better.”

Dartford: Andrew Young (Deren Ibrahim 46), Matt Jones (Ryan Cooper 71), Adam Green, Tom Champion (Billy Eves 82), Tom Bonner, James Rogers (Josh West 82), Ryan Hayes (Ryan Marriott 65), Jon Wallis (Seun Eferakerho 65), Charlie Sheringham (Jack Pallen 46), Lee Noble (Lee Burns 46), Richard Graham (George Munger 82).
Sub: Danny Harris

Southend United: Glenn Morris (Daniel Bentley 46), Sean Clohessy (Ryan Leonard 46), Luke Prosser (Peter Gilbert 46), Jack Parkinson (Ryan Hall 46), Chris Barker (Graham Coughlan 46), Mark Phillips (Bilel Moshni 46), Jake Thompson (Anthony Grant 46), Lee Sawyer (Jemal Johnson 46), Harry Crawford (Neil Harris 46), Carlos Thomas (Cyle Asante 46), Darren Currie (Alassane N’Diaye 46).
Sub: Alex Woodyard

Goals:  Bilel Moshni 60, Neil Harris 81, Ryan Leonard 86

Attendance: 778
Referee: Mr Gavin Ward (Oxted, Surrey)
Assistants: Mr Darren Blunden (Dartford) & Mr Andy Mead (Orpington)
Fourth Official: Mr Chris Myatt (Dartford)