Dartford 2-1 Basingstoke Town - We want to take this club as high as we can go, says Tony Burman

DARTFORD 2-1 BASINGSTOKE TOWN
(Dartford win 3-1 on aggregate)
Blue Square Bet South Play-Off Semi-Final Second Leg
Sunday 6^th May 2012
Paul Parkinson reports from Princes Park Stadium

DARTFORD’S 3-1 aggregate win over Basingstoke Town has set up the game the Blue Square Bet (Conference) South Play-offs were made for and the game that Kent football has prayed for all season – second versus third – Dartford against Welling United in seven days’ time.

Goals from skipper Elliot Bradbrook, and a second eventually awarded to Danny Harris, making them Dartford’s joint leading goal scorers this season helped the Darts past a physical Basingstoke Town, in a match that became more bad-tempered and controversial as the second half progressed.

But not even an equaliser on the day from Basingstoke Town midfielder Shaun McAuley, an unwelcome interruption from an over-zealous visiting supporter or a red card for the otherwise outstanding Delano Sam-Yorke could detract from a professional Dartford performance that sets up the biggest Kent Derby for many years.

An ecstatic Dartford manager, Tony Burman, summed up the day, saying, “I  think we’ve stayed focused on what we needed to do. I can’t give the players enough credit for what they’ve done.  It has been a very good season, and I think over the two games, we’ve probably deserved to go through.”

“We came into training yesterday morning and spoke to the players about what we thought Basingstoke’s weaknesses were, and felt that we couldn’t play football all the time. It’s not always going to be pretty in play-off games, it’s more about heart and passion.

“I’m really pleased with the players. Their attitude at the moment is spot-on. We’ve got their focus on certain things and we want them to be more intelligent with the way they are trying to use the ball. I think they’ve got a killer instinct right now.””

Defending the one goal lead earned by Lee Noble’s strike in the first leg, Dartford came out of the blocks quickly and had an appeal for a penalty waved away when Harris was grappled to the ground by Jay Gasson, then Bradbrook exchanged passes with Harris on the edge of the box, but could only slice his effort wide of the Basingstoke goal.

Immediately, the visitors showed that the game would not be all one-way as Sam-Yorke capitalised on Tom Bonner’s misplaced header to get into the Dartford box, but Louis Wells was quickly off his line to push the ball away before Sam-Yorke could level the tie.

Sam-Yorke had a header comfortably saved by Wells before the Dartford stopper produced one of his finest saves of the season to deny Tim Sills.

Matthew Warner’s left wing cross found Sills unmarked, and the former Torquay striker’s header was arrowing towards the bottom right corner before Wells managed to palm the ball away with a full-length, one-handed save.

The visitors ended the first half in the ascendance as Wells was forced to save twice from Sills headers, but Sam-Yorke should have levelled matters having outmuscled Bonner, rounded Wells, but could only steer his effort into the side netting.

Early in the second half, Basingstoke keeper Ashley Bayes was forced into a block to deny James Rogers on his 50th appearance for the Darts, but the pressure was starting to tell and the hosts found the net in the 56th minute.

Adam Green’s driven free-kick from the right wing found Bradbrook climbing high above the Basingstoke defence to power home his 19th goal of a stellar season.

Burman praised his skipper stating, “Elliot’s been excellent this season. He’s matured as a player and as a leader, and got a hell of a lot of goals from midfield. That’s why I think he’s one of, if not the best midfield player in this league this season.””

Almost immediately, Bradbrook could have doubled the lead on the day with an identical move to his goal, but this time his header drifted past the right post.

Sills and Luke Wilkinson also saw headers fly over the respective goals as the match moved from end to end, but Basingstoke found an equaliser in the 67th minute as Shaun McAuley was left free in the box to pick up Sam-Yorke’s pull back and fire beyond Wells.

Within four minutes though, Dartford had extended the aggregate to 3-1 with an almighty scramble in the visitors’ box, from which it appeared that both Harris and Wilkinson had put the ball in the net before wheeling away in celebration, but with bodies littering the goal-line, confusion reigned supreme.

Eventually Mr Swabey awarded the goal to Harris for his 19th of the season, but this incensed the Basingstoke players, who angrily surrounded the official, eventually earning cautions for Bayes and McAuley.

Having spoken to the officials after the game, Burman was able to clarify events, saying, “The referee has said that Danny got the ball across the line before he sat on it, then their fella cleared it. But, the referee had already signalled the goal, then the linesman has seen it, and the referee’s signal looks a bit like that for a free-kick. I think the ball had gone in from Danny’s initial shot, then come out again, but from where we are, we can’t tell whether it is over or not. We have to rely on the officials, and this time it has gone for us.””

Basingstoke thought they had found a way back into the game with 15 minutes left as Gasson hooked a ball back into the box for Sam-Yorke to nod home, only for the assistant’s flag to rule the forward offside, and Sam-Yorke became the fifth Basingstoke player booked for his protest.

This would prove costly, but not as costly as the Basingstoke Town supporter who was escorted from the ground, having come over the advertising hoardings and was within five yards of the referee before players and eventually stewards intervened.

With ten minutes left, Warner’s free-kick found the head of Gasson, whose glancing effort cannoned down off the bar to defensive partner Ross Adams. Adams’ stabbed shot was pounced on by a relieved Wells at the feet of Sills, but the keeper was up quickly to set up another attack by bowling the ball out to Rogers, whose break was crudely stopped by a challenge from Sam-Yorke that earned the Basingstoke forward a second yellow card. On another day, it could have been a straight red.

Lee Noble rounded off a man-of-the-match performance with a 25-yard effort that was parried away by Bayes, but with the final whistle following close behind, it was Dartford’s day.

Both sets of players were loudly greeted by their respective supporters who appreciated their efforts over the season, but it is Dartford who progress to the Play-off Finals, with the lure of Conference Premier football next year.

Standing in their way next Sunday are near neighbours Welling United, who have been on their coat-tails all season, and a third meeting between Tony Burman and his one-time midfield general, Jamie Day.

Burman spoke highly of his next opponents, adding, “Welling have done excellent. We’ve both been up there all the time, and we’ve concentrated on winning each game to try to catch Woking. I’m delighted that we did that as it allowed us to pull away from Welling to a certain extent.”

“But we know it will be a tough game. We had two hard games with Welling over the Christmas period and I’m looking forward to it. We want to take this club as high as we can go. It has been an absolutely fantastic time (over the last 6 years) and I’m delighted I’ve been allowed to be a part of it.

“Whatever happens next week, don’t worry we’ll be up for the game, if it doesn’t happen this year, we’ll be up for another go next year and we’ll build that way.”

Dartford: Louis Wells, Lee Burns, Adam Green, Tom Bonner, Luke Wilkinson, Tom Champion, Lee Noble, James Rogers, Jacob Erskine (Tony Garrod 87), Elliot Bradbrook, Danny Harris.
Subs: Ryan Hayes, Paul Goodacre, Richard Graham, Andrew Young

Goals: Elliot Bradbrook 56, Danny Harris 71

Basingstoke Town:  Ashley Bayes, Nathan Smart (David Pratt 80), Matthew Warner, Ross Adams, Jay Gasson, Stuart Lake (Jide Ogunbote 55), Wes Daly, Shaun McAuley, Tim Sills, Delano Sam-Yorke, Rob Rice.
Subs:  Toby Little, Stephen Old, Chay Morris

Goal: Shaun McAuley 67

Booked:  Stuart Lake 31, Tim Sills 67, Ashley Bayes 71, Shaun McAuley 71, Delano Sam-Yorke 76

Sent off: Delano Sam-Yorke 80

Attendance: 2,210
Referee: Mr Lee Swabey (Plymouth, Devon)
Assistants: Mr Paul Lister (Exeter, Devon) and Mr Steven Rae
Fourth Official: Mr Simon Knapp (Bristol)