Dartford 1-4 Chelmsford City - Holloway save was the best I've seen - Burman

Saturday 10th October 2009

DARTFORD 1-4 CHELMSFORD CITY
FA Cup (Sponsored by E.ON) Third Qualifying Round
Saturday 10th October 2009
Stephen McCartney reports from Princes Park Stadium

DARTFORD boss Tony Burman felt his side lacked “intelligence” as they swallowed the bitter pill of defeat for the first time this season - as higher-league Chelmsford City knocked his side out of the FA Cup in the penultimate qualifying round with some clinical finishing to end their 12 match unbeaten run.

The 4-1 defeat may sound that the table topping, runaway Ryman Premier League leaders had been outclassed by Blue Square South side Chelmsford - but that was far from the case. The Essex visitors simply took their chances and Dartford didn’t!

Dartford may have gone into this game nine points clear at the top of the Ryman Premier League table after 10 games, but Burman, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk during a six-and-a-half minute three-man press conference afterwards, admitted that his side must improve if they are to play the likes of Chelmsford City in Blue Square South next season.

“I think we’ve fallen below that (standard), we’ve learnt lessons today,” said the suited-and-booted Darts boss.

“I think Chelmsford were a good side and very experienced with good players and things just didn’t go quite right.

“We played into their hands a bit, we didn’t play balls into good areas, we put the ball straight down the middle sometimes, instead of into better areas.

“From our pointy of view they were two awful goals to give away. I think the scoreline wasn’t that scoreline in my opinion and it could’ve been 5-3. They deserved the win on the day.”

The disappointed Burman added, “We could be a little more intelligent. We’ve played against some experienced players, who have been in the League for quite a while. I just felt we could’ve been a little more intelligent, probably a little more sharper, which that will happen. We’ve got some younger players out there, it’s done them a lot of good today.”

Burman made one shock omission from his side as right-winger Ryan Hayes sat on the bench for the first 53 minutes before being unleashed to attack former Welling United left-back Michael Haswell.

When asked why he dropped Hayes, who came off the bench to inspire the Darts, Burman replied, “Just nothing really! It’s just a team decision. We felt that was what we wanted to do and we felt the way that we lined up was the right way to line up today, that’s what we did.”

That decision, however, appeared to back-fire on the Darts boss, as Chelmsford scored two of their three attempts on target during a first half of clinical finishing.

Dartford defender Jamie Coyle slid in superbly to thwart the impressive Ricky Holmes from pulling the trigger after the left-winger cut inside.

But Chelmsford broke the deadlock from the resulting corner as the Essex giants took the lead after 18 minutes, in front of two clubs that received excellent passionate support in the crowd of 1,830.

Haswell swung in a corner from the right and striker Antonio Murray reacted the quickest at the near post and at the second attempt stabbed the ball into the bottom corner from close in.

Much-travelled striker Danny Hockton was forced off through injury early on and his replacement was lanky striker Robert Edmans.

And Edmans could have doubled Chelmsford’s lead in the 22nd minute when he was released down the inside left channel but he was denied by the advancing Dartford keeper Andrew Young, who blocked the shot with his left arm.

The turning point of this game came in the 36th minute when Chelmsford keeper Craig Holloway made a world-class save.

Elliot Bradbrook floated in a telling free-kick from the right and this was met by Lee Noble’s glancing header, which looked destined to sail into the top far corner, but the former Gravesend & Northfleet keeper dived full length to his right to turn the ball away.

But Chelmsford went up the other end and doubled their lead just two minutes later.

Dartford right-back, Billy Burgess, who was verbally abused by travelling supporters due to playing for Essex side Braintree Town last season, was at fault as his poor headed clearance went straight to Holmes, whose low drive beat Young’s despairing dive from 25-yards.

Dartford’s best openings towards the end of the first half came from set-pieces.

Jamie Day swung in a corner from the left and this was met by Adam Flanagan’s header, which dropped onto the roof of the net and after Coyle floated in a free-kick, leading goalscorer Lee Burns was desperately unlucky not to score his fourteenth goal of the season, when he kicked the ball over his shoulder only to see the ball sail agonisingly wide of the far post.

A looping header from Rob Haworth (who was later forced off with a painful rib injury) sailed across the face of the goal and dropped agonisingly the wrong side of the goal-line and at the other end Edmans headed the ball straight into Young’s grateful arms from inside the six-yard box after Coyle headed a cross up instead of away at the near post.

Dartford tasted that sinking feeling when Chelmsford scored their third in the 63rd minute.

Flanagan was one of six Dartford players to be booked by card-happy Chipstead based referee Mr Nigel Lugg as his last-ditch tackle sent Holmes crashing to the floor.

Up-stepped skipper Dave Rainsdord and the Chelmsford central midfielder left Young rooted to the spot as he caressed an excellent right-footed free-kick into the top near corner from twenty-yards.

To Dartford’s credit, they rallied and had substitutes Allan Tait and Jay May not waste gilt-edged chances in and around the six-yard box, then by the time Flanagan headed home his second goal of the season with seven minutes remaining, we may have been able to be in a position to go through the tunnel for Monday night’s replay.

Hayes whipped in a trademark free-kick from the right hand side and skipper Flanagan sent a towering powerful header over Holloway and the ball crashed into the roof of the net.

However, the Dartford faithful were laughing hysterically as they witnessed the miss-of-the-season when Edmans wanted the immaculate playing surface to swallow him up.

Gifted the ball by Dartford left-back Adam Gross and with keeper Young out of sight, the lanky striker was destined to score a fourth goal as all he had to do was slot the ball into an empty net.

However, he took too many touches and rolled the ball inches past the foot of the left-hand post.

To his credit, however, he put that horrendous blunder to the back off his mind, as he played a part in Chelmsford’s flattering fourth goal in the third minute of time added on.

His mazy run took him to the left by-line and his cut back was swept home by Murray, who found the bottom far corner from six-yards out.

Burman admitted that Holloway’s amazing save from Noble was to prove the turning point of this third qualifying round clash and that his side are a long way off to be competing in the Blue Square South where sides are workmanlike at the back and clinical up top.

“To be fair to them they were the better side today,” admitted Burman. “We proved there’s a little way for us to go. They were a little bit sharper than us to the ball and they were good on the break to be fair.

“But having said that,” added Burman, “I think first half, if the chance from Lee Noble, if his header goes in - I think the keeper’s pulled off probably one of the best saves I think I’ve seen.

“If that goes in, it makes it slightly different. Today the chances came at the right time but we didn’t put them away.

“If anything, that’s what, not disappointing, but it may have changed the game.”

But Burman’s side are romping away with the Ryman Premier League so far this season - but creating good chances against higher league opponents pleased him.

Attention now turns to the league when Tonbridge Angels - who were also knocked out of the FA Cup today - visit Princes Park on Tuesday night.

Burman, who doesn’t want to be suffering a FA Cup hangover, praised the passion that came from inside Princes Park today.

He said: I’ll be honest with you, I feel that’s the best the crowd has been all season at home games and I thought they were absolutely fantastic.”

Dartford: Andrew Young, Billy Burgess, Adam Gross, Adam Flanagan, Jamie Coyle, James White, Lee Noble (Ryan Hayes 55), Jamie Day, Rob Haworth (Jay May 73), Lee Burns (Allan Tait 73), Elliot Bradbrook.
Subs: John Beales, Danny Dafter, Danny Crouch, Tony Kessell.

Goal: Adam Flanagan 83

Booked: Lee Noble 24, Billy Burgess 35, Adam Flanagan 62, Elliot Bradbrook 72, Andrew Young 90, Adam Gross 90

Chelmsford City: Craig Holloway, Steven Clark, Michael Haswell, Mark Haines, Steve Ward, Dave Rainford, John Martin, Anthony Cook (Ricky Modeste 77), Antonio Murray, Danny Hockton (Robert Edmans 20), Ricky Holmes.
Subs: Ryan Batchford, Simon Glover, Matthew Lock, Tyrone Scarlett, Ashley Harrison.

Goals: Antonio Murray 18, 90, Ricky Holmes 38, Dave Rainford 63

Attendance: 1,830
Referee: Mr Nigel Lugg (Chipstead, Surrey)
Assistants: Mr Ian Kitchen (Woking, Surrey) & Mr Dave Jones (Addlestone, Surrey)