Dartford 2-0 Tonbridge Angels - I am focused to bring promotion to Dartford - Burman

Tuesday 13th October 2009

DARTFORD 2-0 TONBRIDGE ANGELS
Ryman Premier League
Tuesday 13th October 2009
Stephen McCartney reports from Princes Park Stadium

DARTFORD stormed ELEVEN points clear at the top of the Ryman Premier League table with a routine 2-0 win over their Kent rivals Tonbridge Angels tonight.

The Darts found visiting goalkeeper Lee Worgan in fine form during the first half but resistance was broken when Allan Tait slammed home a 57th minute opener, before the home side’s tenth league win was wrapped up late on through debutant, substitute Danny Harris.

The striker joined up with the Darts last night, having signed from Blue Square South side Bishop’s Stortford, whilst Tonbridge Angels handed much-travelled central defender Marc Cumberbatch his debut, having signed him from Hendon.

Both sides went into this game smarting from FA Cup defeats at the weekend, having lost to Chelmsford City and Bromley respectively and were eager to bounce back by claiming Kentish bragging rights.

And officials of Sutton United (who are segregating their FA Trophy tie against Tonbridge Angels on Saturday) should take note that the Angels fans in the crowd of 1,228 were well behaved.

Both managers made changes for this game as Dartford brought in John Beales, Ryan Hayes and Allan Tait for Jamie Coyle, Lee Noble and Rob Haworth (ribs) respectively.

Tonbridge Angels, meanwhile, made two changes with Cumberbatch and Paul Booth relegating Tom Bryant and Jamie Cade to the bench.

Dartford striker Tait, who has had an injury troubled start to his Dartford career, having signed from Blue Square Premier side Eastbourne Borough during the summer, should have broken the deadlock inside the opening two minutes but he was denied by Worgan’s legs after he got the better of defender Gavyn Dayes inside the Tonbridge penalty area.

Worgan made his second save of the night after 16 minutes when the diving keeper beat out Jamie Day’s 22-yard left-footed looping effort, after Hayes crossed from the right flank.

Dartford keeper Andrew Young, who went on to keep his eighth clean sheet of the season, made a comfortable save in the 20th minute, preventing Lee Minshull from scoring with a back-header at the near post following Steve Ferguson’s throw in from the left.

There were shades of Diego Maradona as the Dartford faithful felt their side had taken the lead within two minutes.

Defender-turned-prolific striker, Lee Burns jumped up with Worgan as the ball was played into the Tonbridge penalty area and the ball bounced into the net but an eagle-eyed assistant had noticed that Burns had illegally used his hand to score and was therefore booked by Essex based referee Mr Wade Norcott.

Tonbridge’s best chance, however, arrived just after the half-hour mark when Anthony Storey’s corner from the left was met by a powerful Dayes header, which was superbly beaten out by the diving Dartford keeper.

The Darts came within inches to breaking the deadlock inside first half stoppage time when Tonbridge striker Carl Rook lost possession around the Dartford penalty area and Day released Hayes with an excellent through ball.

Hayes cut inside left-back Jon Heath and arrowed into the box but unfortunately for the former Slade Green winger his left-footed stroked shot curled agonisingly past the far post with Worgan well beaten.

Dartford broke Tonbridge Angels’ hearts by taking a 57th minute lead when Tait slammed the ball into the bottom left-hand corner after a good swift move involving Day and Elliot Bradbrook.

With frustration creeping into Tonbridge’s assistant manager Cliff Cant - kicking a drinks bottle down the touchline much to the displeasure of Dartford supporters in the stand - Dartford found Worgan in top form on the hour mark when he tipped over Hayes’ left-footed free-kick from 25-yards.

But Tonbridge squandered a couple of excellent headed chances to get back into the game as we entered the final twenty minutes.

Winger Kirk Watts whipped in a pin-point corner from the right and this was met by a towering header from full-back Jon Heath, which cleared the crossbar.

And substitute Bryant ghosted in at the far post to met Anthony Storey’s header, but his powerful header cleared the crossbar.

At the other end, another excellent Hayes cross was met by a downward header from Burns, but this bounced wide of the near post.

Had Tonbridge skipper Storey done better than stroke a weak left-footed 25-yard drive into Young’s grateful arms in the 76th minute, then maybe his side might have got something more out of the game.

Dartford had the luxury of being able to swap strikers Burns and Tait for Harris and Jay May and the two substitutes combined to seal the win with six minutes left.

Defender Adam Flanagan, whose fifth booking tonight means he will serve a one-match ban, slid the ball forward and May cut the ball back to Harris some 30-yards from goal down the left-hand side.

Harris looked up and cracked a right-footed drive, which curled high over Worgan’s left shoulder and found the back of the net via the far post to the delight of the Dartford faithful in what was an excellent crowd for a midweek game.

And tonight’s win was an excellent way of bouncing back following Chelmsford City’s clinical
4-1 win here in the FA Cup at the weekend.

And Dartford boss Tony Burman, who was speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk during the press conference afterwards agreed, “A few people are probably thinking we’ll see what they’re like now (after losing our first game of the season). We’ve proved a little point tonight and gained three points.”

Burman was pleased that his side are now eleven points clear after eleven league games and look set to replicate Dover Athletic’s achievement last term by walking away with the title.

“They were a very important three points for us tonight and obviously puts us, I think 16 points clear of Tonbridge and they’ll be there, they’ll be there or there abouts, there’s no sort of denying that.

“There’s a long way to go, we have to say that and if we can get as many points as we can by Christmas it’s just better for us.

“I think the players thoroughly deserve it as they’ve worked really, really hard and we’ve got a good bunch here at the moment and I’ll try my best to keep them all happy but we’ll see how things go.”

When asked the question “title winners”, Burman replied, “We want promotion and we will do our best to get as many points on the board as we can.

“I’m going to stay focused on doing that and them speaking about doing it before Christmas, I can’t have (that talk!).”

Burman praised Harris for his late cameo role that ended in the 21-year-old former Cray Wanderers and East Thurrock 21-year-old attacker getting on the scoresheet.

“I spoke to him in the summer up here and he was with Bishop’s Stortford,” explained Burman.

“I near enough done the deal with them, I spoke to him and he was a loyal to Stortford, which is nice, I like that in a player.

“He decided to stay with them but he was one of our targets in the summer and dare I say he’s been in the side all season.

“There’s been a couple of things quite not right at Stortford as far as I’ve heard. I phoned their manager up and I asked if I could speak to Danny yesterday afternoon and last night he signed for us.

“So with Rob (Haworth) out and Kess (goalkeeper Tony Kessell) unavailable tonight there was an opportunity for him to go on the bench so we put him on it.

“He’s not met any of the players until he walked into the changing room and I don’t know if he knew Jay’s name but he’s the little bit of pace that we’re probably missing and it’s the last piece of the jigsaw.”

For Tonbridge Angels boss Tommy Warrilow he has once again rued opportunities as his side slipped down to eleventh place in the table - albeit just five points adrift of the play-off’s.

“I thought we were the better team tonight,” Warrilow told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“First half we got at them. When we were in the area we’ve had a couple of chances where we’ve got to be more clinical.

“I’ve been saying if week in week out we’ve had a lot of free headers, we’ve had a couple of big decisions that haven’t gone our way as well but overall I thought we were the better side tonight and that was very encouraging for me.”

Warrilow felt luck had deserted his side in key moments inside both boxes.

He said: “Dartford have put their chances away. The first goal sort of summed it all up. There was a ricochet, it fell to them, it came back, we don’t get that (luck!)

“But we had enough chances in the second half as well with some good deliveries. First half we had some great deliveries from free-kicks that we never capitalised on and Dartford have and second one they’ve hit us on the break a little bit.”

The former Horsham assistant added, “If I came here and played poorly and lost I’d be disappointed but I’ve come in and the lads played really well, knocked it about well, they’ve given me 150% and like I say the better side lost tonight, that’s my opinion anyway.”

Warrilow, meanwhile, was pleased with Cumberbatch’s contribution during his debut at the heart of defence alongside Dayes.

He said: “I though he done very well, he’s met the boys for the first time here tonight. I’ve been speaking to a few centre halves to try and get them in there with Scott (Gooding) and Gavin (Dayes) struggling.

“It’s a lot to ask the young lads, Tom Bryant to go in there and I don’t want to keep putting Lee Minshull back there as he’s a big loss when he comes out of the midfield.”

Dartford: Andrew Young, Billy Burgess, Adam Gross, Adam Flanagan, John Beales, James White, Ryan Hayes, Jamie Day, Allan Tait (Jay May 77), Lee Burns (Danny Harris 77), Elliot Brad brook (Lee Noble 90).
Subs: Jamie Coyle, Danny Dafter.

Goals: Allan Tait 57, Danny Harris 84

Booked: Lee Burns 22, Adam Flanagan 73

Tonbridge Angels: Lee Worgan, Lewis Hamilton (Tom Bryant 71), Jon Heath, Lee Minshull, Gavyn Dayes (Jamie Cade 81), Marc Cumberbatch, Steve Ferguson, Anthony Storey, Paul Booth, Carl Rook, Kirk Watts.
Subs: Jean-Michal Sigere, Paul Butler, Ebenezer Masade.

Booked: Jon Heath 90

Attendance: 1,228
Referee: Mr Wade Norcott (Harlow, Essex)
Assistants: Mr Steve Connor (Great Notley, Essex) & Mr Michael Jarvis (Braintree, Essex)