Dartford 1-4 Millwall - We were chasing shadows, admits upbeat Burman

Tuesday 28th July 2009

DARTFORD 1-4 MILLWALL
Pre-Season Friendly
Tuesday 28th July 2009
Stephen McCartney reports from Princes Park Stadium

DARTFORD boss Tony Burman admitted his side were totally outclassed by a full-strength Millwall at a packed Princes Park tonight.

Burman watched his side lose 4-1 against their Coca-Cola League One opponents and said that Kenny Jackett’s side were the best team that have faced his side this pre-season.

The Darts had already lost to Norwich City (2-7) and Gillingham (2-4), but Burman, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards, was impressed with the Lions.

“The best side that I’ve seen, without a doubt,” he said. “The first half they were fantastic, their movement and the way they passed the ball, that’s why these games are good for us, because we’re chasing around.

“But they were excellent Millwall and just delighted that they’ve come here and brought all their first team squad and it’s given us a good test for our players to get our fitness levels up.”

With all tickets sold for this pre-season friendly by lunchtime today, a crowd of 4,022 meant that kick-off was delayed for fifteen minutes to ensure all fans all could cram into Princes Park.

A delighted co-chairman Dave Skinner said before the game, “Very surprised, considering we’ve probably sold 2,000 tickets in the last four days.”

He added: “We were expecting between 2,000-2,500 with the way the ticket sales had been going, but it’s been absolutely manic in the last four days, over the weekend and yesterday.”

The Darts were without summer signing Alan Tait again, although the former Eastbourne Borough striker returns from his holiday on Friday and he is expected to get his first run out in Dartford colours at Cambridge City on Saturday.

Dartford were also without midfielder Lee Noble (toe) and striker Jay May (groin) against the Lions, who fielded nine first team stars during the first half.

And the Lions opened the scoring after nine minutes, a slick passing move which resulted in fans’ favourite Neil Harris beating Andrew Young with a fine, low, first time finish.

Impressive right winger Grabban Lewis exchanged a one-two with Jason Price and his fine low cross from the right was swept past Young to find the bottom left-hand corner by Harris, a former Cambridge City player.

Millwall went close again a couple more times before Young was called into action following Millwall’s first corner of the game.

Marc Laird’s flag-kick was whipped in from the right and central defender Chris Hegerty came up from his defensive duties to glance his header into Young’s grateful arms.

Dartford took 29 minutes to register their first chance of the game.

Jamie Coyle played the ball up field, which was flicked on by big target man Rob Haworth. The ball dropped to Ryan Hayes, who was crowded out by three players on the edge of the box.

However, the ball was stabbed back to supporting midfielder James White, who cracked a left-footed drive from 25-yards, which flashed agonisingly past the right post with goalkeeper John Sullivan rooted to the spot.

But two goals in the space of just 61 seconds ensured the impressive Lions went in at the break three goals to the good.

Ashley Grimes’ low centre from the right was touched on by Harris, whose first time touch took the ball past Young and the ball bounced off the foot of the post and Jason Price scored the first of his two close-range goals.

Millwall immediately added a third, after 35 minutes, and Danny Senda almost broke the back of the net with a thunderous strike which crashed into the roof of the net, after Grimes’ slick pass.

Dartford goalkeeper Young prevented the Lions running riot, when he prevented Price from scoring after he burst through the home side’s defence.

The Darts’ second chance arrived later in the half when White’s floated cross was met by Lee Burns’ glancing header, which dropped agonisingly past the foot of the far post.

Millwall added their fourth and final goal inside the opening five minutes of the second half.

Dartford defender Adam Flanagan gave the ball away and Harris spread the ball to Grimes who was lurking inside the penalty area and his driven shot bounced off the near post and Price was on hand to steer the ball past Young from close in.

Former Dartford winger, Dave Martin, came off the bench and made an immediate impact as Millwall went close again after 56 minutes.

The 24-year-old turned right-back Billy Burgess inside out and delivered a peach of a cross for Harris, although the striker’s glanced his header just past the near post.

The brave part-timers huffed and puffed against a quality side, and their efforts were rewarded when Ryan Hayes pulled a goal back from the penalty spot with eighteen minutes left.

Coyle’s long ball out of defence released substitute striker Adam Burchell, who was then bundled to the ground by Hegerty.

After Rochester referee Ian Cooper spoke to the offender at length, Hayes stepped up and sent Sullivan the wrong way from the spot, slotting his left-footed penalty to the goalkeeper’s left and into the net.

Price called Young into action, with the goalkeeper diving to his right to pluck the ball out of the air.

But the Darts almost scored a second with 12 minutes remaining when Jamie Day’s flick played in Burchell, but the aggressive young striker was denied by the goalkeeper’s legs.

Grimes was thwarted by a fine, flying save from substitute goalkeeper Deren Ibrahim late on, but despite a heavy defeat, Burman admitted this was a good game for his side.

“It was nice to get a goal, playing against a pro club,” highlighted an upbeat Burman afterwards.

“We’ve scored against all the pro clubs we’ve played against, which we’ve said is a plus for us.

“But second half we’ve come off 4-1, and that’s not such a bad thing against an excellent side.

“We’ve managed to get a lot of players their first 90 minutes tonight and as I say the ones that have come off feel like they’ve played 90 minutes because of the running that they had to do.

“Overall, absolutely delighted with the progress.”

Burman hopes Millwall supporters will return to Princes Park, not only to watch their reserve side this season, but the Darts too.

“I didn’t realise there were that many Millwall fans around the Dartford area,” he said. “But fair play to them, they’ve come along, with the Dartford supporters, and I hope they’ve enjoyed the game.

“It’s given Millwall, and their manager Kenny Jackett, a chance to come and see the ground.”

Burman explained his decision to hand right-back Billy Burgess the captain’s armband.

“He was captain tonight because he’s an ardent Millwall support and he’s got a couple of tattoos on his body,” he revealed.

“I thought it’ll be nice for him to be captain. He filled up a little bit because he had a few photos (taken of him) but it was a little bit of a giggle, but having said that, he has the potential of the captaincy. I haven’t made my mind up on that.”

Millwall winger Martin, meanwhile, was pleased with the reception that he got from the Princes Park faithful.

“It’s good to come back here,” he told www.kentishfootball.co.uk after his team-mates convincing display. “Especially when the crowds are going to be like that every time!

“I had some good times here with the lads. Dartford’s a great club to play for. I think you can see that with the facilities, the fans and that and it’s always good to come back here and play.”
With the Darts tipped by bookmakers to be favourites to clinch the Ryman Premier League title next April, Martin replied, “I followed them last year and they came close, finished just below the play-off’s.

“Obviously that was their first year in the division and they came strong. I think next year they’ve got a good chance. They look like they’re building a good team now.

“Tony Burman’s got a few good players down here so hopefully they’ve got a good chance of doing it this year.”

Martin was quick to praise the Dartford boss for giving him the chance to fulfil his lifelong dream of becoming a professional footballer.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Martin. “You set out to do it all your life to become a professional footballer as a youngster. To accomplish it is one of the best things that you can do.

“Tony can definitely see a player’s potential and he’s got me, Cody’s (McDonald) gone to Norwich, he can definitely spot a youngster coming through and hopefully he can get a couple more down here in the next few years and build up Dartford a bit more.”

Dartford: Andrew Young (Deren Ibrahim 79), Billy Burgess, Adam Gross, Adam Flanagan (John Beales 52), Jamie Coyle, James White (Adam Burchell 60), Ryan Hayes (Seun Eferakorho 82), Jamie Day, Rob Haworth (Huseyin Isa 86), Lee Burns, Elliot Bradbrook.
Subs: Danny Dafter, John Guest.

Goal: Ryan Hayes 72 (pen)

Millwall: John Sullivan, Danny Senda, Chris Hegarty, Jack Smith, Scott Barron (Dave Martin 54), Lewis Grabban (Chris Hackett 81), Marc Laird (Adam Bolder 81), Ali Fuseini (Madjim Abdou 81), Ashley Grimes, Jason Price (Steve Morrison 81), Neil Harris (Gary Alexender 81).
Subs: David Forde, Alan Dunne, Tony Craig, Andrew Frampton, Jordan Anderson.

Goals: Neil Harris 9, Jason Price 34, 50, Danny Senda 35

Attendance: 4,022
Referee: Mr Ian Cooper (Rochester)
Assistants: Mr Stuart Butler (Maidstone) & Mr Andy Mead (Orpington)
Fourth Official: Mr Craig Wood (Gravesend)