Dartford 3-0 Chipstead - Our main concern was getting through - Burman

Saturday 31st October 2009

DARTFORD 3-0 CHIPSTEAD
FA Carlsberg Trophy Second Qualifying Round
Saturday 31st October 2009
Paul Parkinson reports from Princes Park Stadium

DESPITE a first half performance from both sides more resembling a Halloween Horror, Dartford scored three second half goals to give the scoreline a respectable look and progress into the last qualifying round of the FA Carlsberg Trophy.

In front of the seventh consecutive 4-figure crowd at Princes Park this season, Tony Burman‘s side were frustrated for long periods as the visitors tried to keep 10 men behind the ball. But goals from Jamie Day, man-of-the-match Danny Harris and Ryan Hayes broke Chipstead‘s restistance.

As Burman, talking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk, admitted, “I‘m happy tonight, our main concern was to get through to the next round. It was a difficult game and to be fair Chipstead organised themselves, got behind the ball and done well.

“It was a little frustrating, but they‘ve come and defended well. When we got the first goal, things relaxed.”

“We‘ve talked about it, (playing against) people getting behind the ball and we‘ve got to keep the tempo up and play at our pace.

“We‘ve not played as well as we can, but take nothing away from Chipstead, they‘ve come to keep the score down. The main thing is we‘ve got through to the next round.””

Having scored 4 in each of the last 2 games, Dartford were quick out of the blocks, with Hayes central to most of the good work.

But, it looked as though his creative efforts would go to waste as Danny Harris saw a free header sail over from 10 yards out on 6 minutes.

Next, Lee Noble broke onto a Hayes pass, turned his defender but could only poke a soft shot at Chipstead keeper Dean Rose, before Rose gathered a soft Jamie Day shot from the edge of the area following another Hayes cross.

After a scrappy period, Chipstead forced their first corner on 31 minutes and nearly converted their first chance.

Only a full-length save to his left by Andrew Young denied a Louis Hollingsworth header, but from this, Dartford broke quickly and Hayes saw a glancing header from Harris‘ cross deflected wide.

Jay May had two chances just before half-time; first seeing his shot blocked by Rose‘s knee when through one-on-one, then putting a header over the bar from 6 yards.

The second half started in a similar fashion, with Day releasing Harris, but after Rose‘s hurried clearance, Hayes saw his lob drop into the retreating keeper‘s arms.

Then, Harris will feel he should have done better, shooting weakly at Rose from 10 yards, having been released by a long Adam Flanagan pass.

Dartford finally broke through though on 52 minutes. Flanagan lofted a ball back into the Chipstead area after a corner was cleared. May, challenging with Rose and 2 defenders, looped a header goalward, only for Rose to claw the ball off the line with a desperate dive. The clearance fell to Day on the edge of the area; he dummied past two defenders and unleashed a drive into the bottom left corner for his 3rd goal of the season.

The visitors had the chance to level immediately, as Alan Mathews slipped into the box, but dragged his shot across goal.

As Chipstead threw on more attacking players to get back in the game, Dartford sealed the match with their second goal on 76 minutes.

Jamie Coyle released Burns on the right edge of the area. Burns, Darts‘ leading scorer, who had been pushed forward from his starting position of right-back when May was replaced, squared the ball across the box and Harris slid in to bundle the ball into the net for his second Darts goal.

Harris had the chance to increase the lead on 81 after Rose had parried substitute Danny Crouch‘s initial shot, but saw his attempted tap in blocked by Hollingsworth, before Hayes blazed the clearance over the bar.

But Hayes was not to be denied and on 84, made it 3 goals in his last 3 games and 5 for the season, controlling a Noble lob on his chest and thumping home from just inside the box.

Dartford: Andrew Young, Lee Burns (Connor Heffernan 82), Adam Gross, Adam Flanagan, Jamie Coyle, James White, Ryan Hayes, Jamie Day (Danny Crouch 78), Jay May (John Beales 70), Danny Harris, Lee Noble.
Subs: Karl Dent, Tony Kessell.

Goals: Jamie Day 52, Danny Harris 76, Ryan Hayes 84.

Chipstead: Dean Rose, Nicky White, Chris Head, James Russell, Louis Hollingsworth, Jordan Kiffin, Alan Mathews, Joe Garner (Reggie Savage 72), Gareth Graham (Callum Crawley 63), Scott Simpson, Ray Freeman (Ashley Reid 72).
Subs: Wayne Grizzle, Martin Grant.

Attendance: 1,002
Referee: Mr Gary Evetts (Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire)
Assistants: Mr David Pike (Hitchin, Hertfordshire) and Mr Rob Smith