Kentish Football 
Dartford 2-5 Gillingham - We gave Gillingham a game, says Dartford boss Tony Burman
Friday 15th July 2011
DARTFORD 2-5 GILLINGHAM
Pre-Season Friendly
Friday 15th July 2011
Stephen McCartney reports from Princes Park Stadium
PLAY-OFF chasing Dartford boss Tony Burman was pleased that his side raced into a two-goal lead against Gillingham but admitted the League Two side’s fitness told in the end as Andy Hessenthaler’s side fought back to claim a 5-2 victory at Princes Park tonight.
The Blue Square Bet South hosts were the better side for the opening half-an-hour and nineteen-year-old striker Jack Pallen grabbed himself to two goals before being withdrawn due to a little hamstring twinge, before Gillingham fought back and went in level at the break as striker Dennis Oli opened his account for the new season and new boy Chris Whelpdale capitalised on a goalkeeping blunder from Andrew Young just four minutes later.
Gillingham made seven changes at the break, compared to Dartford’s one, and they took sixteen second half minutes before breaking Dartford’s resilience as Lewis Montrose latched onto Adam Birchall’s pass to slot home, before youth team graduate, Luke Rooney added two goals as Dartford changed team personnel.
“Again, we got a lot out of it for the first 60 minutes, but where they had the option of bringing on a few players in the second half, they were sharper in closing us down. The tempo of the game is too quick for us at that time,” said Burman afterwards.
“Having said that, I’m well pleased we took a 2-0 lead, coming in at two-all at half-time so I’m well pleased. I hope we gave Gillingham a game as well.”
Gillingham boss Hessenthaler admitted Dartford (the fifth Kent side to face the Gills this summer) were the better side before Oli’s header.
He said: “I think it was always going to be a test because these are a good club and they’re a good team. They’ve got a good manager and good players here so it was a good work out for us.”
“Sometimes you don’t learn too much when you win games too comfortably and you win five or six nil’s and you learn more from what happened in the first half. I’ve got to say for the first 25-30 minutes they were better than us, they had more tempo about their play, desire and we didn’t do the things we should’ve done so we spoke about that at half-time, the last 10-15 minutes (of the first half) we started to get into it.”
Without striker Charlie Sheringham (hamstring), and losing defender Tom Champion (dead leg) later on in the game, Dartford started the game on the front foot and winger Ryan Hayes whipped in a dangerous free-kick with his left foot and central defender Tom Bonner ghosted in to plant his header wide at the far post.
Pallen showed good awareness when he picked the ball up and ran at the Gillingham defence before unleashing a left-footed drive which flashed wide from 30-yards.
Gillingham striker, Danny Kedwell, only had one chance for the 65 minutes that he was on the pitch. Midfielder Charlie Lee shrugged off the attentions of Jon Wallis before sliding a defence splitting pass which Kedwell latched on to but the striker dragged his shot wide of the far post.
Dartford’s part-timers took a 20th minute lead, before stunning their professional opponents by doubling their lead just six minutes later.
Lee Burns ran at the Gillingham defence and played the ball to Hayes on the right and he cut inside left-back Joe Martin and delivered an inch-perfect cross for Pallen to plant a header to Ross Flitney’s left and into the back of the Gillingham net from six-yards out.
Hessenthaler blamed Martin for not listening to instructions, having seen Hayes’ wing wizardry first hand as Dover Athletic boss.
He said: “First goal was a mistake from us defensively because we know the lad Ryan Hayes. I’ve told them I’ve known him for a few years, he’s got a great left foot and Joe Martin was told that and didn’t do what he should’ve done, get him down the right. That’s another lesson to be learnt. We’re telling players or giving players information and they’ve got to listen and take it on board otherwise we’ll get punished, we’ll we got punished.”
Hayes cut in from the right to a more central position and drilled a low swerving left-footed drive from 35-yards, which was comfortably saved by the former Dover Athletic goalkeeper before Dartford doubled their lead thanks to a blunder from Flitney.
Burns should take credit as he chased Martin’s back-pass but a sliding Flitney swept the ball straight to Pallen, who slotted a left-footed shot into an empty net.
Had Pallen netted his hat-trick within two minutes of his second, then Dartford may have gone on and got something from this Kent derby.
Hayes hooked pass released Lee Noble galloping down the right flank and he sent over a high looping cross from the by-line into the six-yard box and Pallen swept a right boot at the ball but Flitney stood tall and blocked with his feet from close range.
Hessenthaler added: “We gave away two sloppy goals. Roscoe (Flitney) made an error but I said to him ‘if you’re going to make errors, I’d rather you make them in pre-season games instead of the real games!’
“Their keeper made a mistake for ours so there’s two mistakes there!”
Gillingham forced Andrew Young into making a comfortable catch as Danny Spiller attempted to chip the keeper, but the loss off Pallen appeared to have a negative effect on Dartford as Gillingham pulled a goal back in the 34th minute through Oli’s header.
Danny Jackman floated in a cross from the left hand side of the Dartford penalty area and the unmarked Oli rose and planted his header across Young and into the left-hand corner.
Young, 31, was at fault as he handed Gillingham a 38th minute equaliser.
Whelpdale played a one-two with Oli and stroked a right-footed shot from the edge of the box, which went through Young’s outstretched fingers and dropped embarrassingly into the net.
Burman said: “If you’re going to make a mistake, get them all out of the way in pre-season. He’s done a lot of fitness training and not a lot of keeper training so he’ll start that again this week. But when you make the mistakes in that pre-season bit, he’s done it so there you go, that happens!”
Gillingham partnered Kedwell and Adam Birchall up front for the first 20 minutes of the second half and Birchall set up Gillingham’s third goal in the 61st minute.
This was the first incident of the second half and the former Dover Athletic striker released fellow substitute Lewis Montrose through on goal and the former Wycombe Wanderers man rode Tom Champion’s sliding tackle before drilling a low right-footed shot past the diving Young’s outstretched right arm to find the bottom far corner.
Montrose got the better of Bonner before slipping fellow substitute Stefan Payne through on goal but the former Sutton United striker was denied by Young’s feet.
A fine solo goal from Rooney gave Gillingham a 4-2 lead in the 74th minute as he picked the ball up in midfield, burst down the flank, cut inside and Young was beaten at his near post by the right-footed drive.
Birchall’s chance to open his account for his new club swiftly arrived after the 26-year-old cut inside, but his left-footed drive flashed wide.
Gillingham wrapped up the victory inside the final three minutes, with a quality Rooney strike.
Jack Payne played the ball up field from defence and Stefan Payne held the ball up for Rooney, who cracked a right-footed screamer into the roof of the net from 25-yards.
Hessenthaler praised Rooney by saying, “He’s capable, he can turn a game. He’s got good quality, he’s got a great strike on him. He makes things happen and he’s just got that bit about him so we’re well pleased for Roo. It was a good work-out for him and he done the other side of the game very well. He got back and tackled and that’s what he has to bring to the table. He was terrific tonight, along with quite a few.”
Burman, meanwhile, admitted playing Football League sides gives his side a good fitness test.
“They drop off because we haven’t done as much fitness training,” he said. “That’s our sixth session in two weeks, although we’re looking at how far we’ve come around the 60th minute mark.
“It’s done us well and I’m really pleased that Andy has brought all of his team here and it gives us a bit of stamina in the bank.
“The first half is pleasing but it’s difficult for the lads who are coming on. All off a sudden they’ve put seven players on who are quick and sharper with the ball but how Gillingham close you down that’s what we’ve got to aim for and it’s something for us to look up to and emulate that sort of play.”
Gillingham continue their pre-season preparations with a trips to Weymouth (Saturday), Welling United (Tuesday) and Tonbridge Angels (Thursday), whilst Dartford welcome Championship club Millwall to Princes Park next Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Ian Gosling made a welcome return to officiating tonight, running the line for the opening 25 minutes before a planned swap with Lee Venamore. The highly-respected Premier League official has missed the last two and a half years through injury and Kent’s match officials appreciate Mr Gosling’s support at their Thursday night training sessions.
Dartford: Andrew Young, Matt Jones (Ryan Cooper 77), Adam Green (Joe Anderson 67), Tom Champion (Tom Fitzerald 84), Tom Bonner, Jon Wallis (Billy Eves 84), Ryan Hayes (Richard Graham 46), Lee Noble (Elliot Bradbrook 67), Jack Pallen (Danny Harris 32), Lee Burns, James Rogers.
Sub: Deren Ibrahim
Goals: Jack Pallen 20, 26
Gillingham: Ross Flitney (Paulo Gazzaniga 69), Matt Fish (Tom Brunt 77), Joe Martin (Callum Davies 78), Charlie Lee (Jack Payne 46), Matthew Lawrence (Garry Richards 46), Simon King (Andy Frampton 46), Chris Whelpdale (Luke Rooney 46), Danny Spiller (Curtis Weston 46), Danny Kedwell (Stefan Payne 65), Danny Jackman (Lewis Montrose 46), Dennis Oli (Adam Birchall 46).
Goals: Dennis Oli 34, Chris Whelpdale 38, Lewis Montrose 61, Luke Rooney 74, 87
Attendance: 1,010
Referee: Mr Andy D’Urso (Billericay, Essex)
Assistants: Mr Lee Venamore (Maidstone) & Mr Paul Kelly (Walderslade)
Fourth Official: Mr Ian Gosling (Sittingbourne)
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