Dartford 3-1 Tonbridge Angels - This is the level we want to be at, says Alex O'Brien

DARTFORD  3-1  TONBRIDGE ANGELS
Blue Square Bet South
Saturday 24^th September 2011
Paul Parkinson reports from Princes Park Stadium

DARTFORD maintained their 100% home record this season with an ultimately convincing 3-1 win over Tonbridge Angels, but only after a hard-fought Kent Derby at Princes Park.  

The win keeps the Darts in second place, level on points with Woking, in the Blue Square Bet South table, with the goal difference now down to just two, but Tommy Warrilow’s Angels' remain in 15th place, as the teams below them all failed to win.

Charlie Sheringham was central to Dartford’s win, setting up goals for Elliot Bradbrook in the first half, then replacement Danny Harris midway through the second, before grabbing his eleventh of the season to seal the win.  

Despite dominant performances at the back from the two Tom’s, Champion and Bonner, Frannie Collin scored his eleventh of a productive season to give Tonbridge a scant consolation for their efforts.

Speaking after the game, Darts boss Tony Burman : “We’re really pleased with the guys.  Tonbridge are a tough side.  I think we played very well today, we’re more consistent, and think we are maturing as a side.””

He was full of praise for both Harris and Sheringham, adding, “Danny is upset because he’s not starting, but he’s come on and done well.  He’s got to realise that the team is playing well with the shape that we’re playing, but he’s come on when Tonbridge had us under pressure, and switched the pressure back onto them.”

“They (Tonbridge) are the first team that’s played three at the back against us, and with Charlie up front on his own, it was difficult for him.  But he worked his socks off and the goal just summed him up.  It was a great ball from Rogo (James Rogers), but what Charlie has done after that was sheer quality.”

Angels’ assistant manager, Alex O’Brien was more reflective, stating, “The games are rollercoaster rides, sometimes I question the supporters’ health.  We’re either very good, or we give teams sloppy goals, so we have to try to get back from a 2-0 like on Monday, or here today.

“We gave away a goal within 15 minutes, and to come to Dartford who are on a roll, it’s a big ask.  I thought the boys pushed, second half was much better, but we can’t start sloppy, we need to get rid of that out of our game.”

“I remember this time last year speaking to the Dartford boys, and Tony himself, and he said that they would find their feet and things would work out.  Now they are top of the league, it’s a fantastic club, a fantastic arena and setup.  

“We’ve got to concentrate on ourselves, cut out the mistakes, then approach every game giving our best and I’m sure we’ll be OK.””

In a typically scrappy opening to a Kent Derby, Tonbridge had an early chance with Ade Olorunda heading Jake Beecroft’s cross wide, but the hosts took the lead in the 11th minute, as the Angels’ defence was found wanting.  

Sheringham, whose influence would be telling, held the ball up on the edge of the box, and slipped a delicate ball into Bradbrook’s path, with the Darts’ skipper rolling the ball calmly past Lee Worgan.

Andy Young, in the Dartford goal, was called into action making a sharp save with his legs, as Olorunda out-muscled Champion to get his shot away, but Mr Hair pulled the move back for a foul.  

Soon after, Olorunda’s sliced shot fell to Sonny Miles inside the six-yard box, but the Angels’ defender was denied by a brave lunging tackle by Adam Green.

At the other end, Ryan Hayes was a threat, dropping a free kick onto Bonner’s head, but the chance was steered wide, before Hayes hit a curling effort just over the angle of post and bar.

But as the half came to an end, Tonbridge had their best spell of concerted pressure.  Collin saw a shot blocked by Bonner, before setting up Olorunda, whose effort on the turn was well saved by Young.  From the resulting corner, Green again had to smother a Miles shot.

At the next corner, the ball fell to Anthony Storey, whose left foot pile-driver was well turned over by Young, but from the clearance, Dartford broke quickly and forced a corner of their own.  

As Tonbridge organised their defences, a quick corner found Lee Noble on the corner of the area and his curling effort crashed off the top of the bar with Worgan beaten.

Early in the second half, Dartford were forced to withdrawn Matt Jones, and Burman explained, “We had to make a change because Jonesey was feeling unwell before the game, but Jon (Wallis) has filled in there.  They brought on a whippet (Chris Henry) who caused a few problems, but we’ve changed things, and it’s nice to know we can do that.  

“Frannie and Ade are two good players, who put you under pressure, and we thought we’d have to defend well.””

Wallis made an immediate impact, as his cross into the box caused panic and Beecroft’s blind back pass towards Worgan could only find Sheringham in the area.  Although quickly closed down, Sheringham found a ball out to an unmarked Noble, but the winger fired his effort into the side netting as Tonbridge defenders scrambled back onto the line.

Sheringham, often chasing what appeared to be lost causes, suddenly found a ball into the left channel on 64 minutes.  With Ben Judge at his back, the forward somehow hooked the ball inside into the path of Harris who, despite only being on the pitch for four minutes, buried his shot comprehensively past Worgan to double Dartford’s lead.

With 13 minutes left, Dartford sealed the match with their third.  James Rogers’ ball into the area found Sheringham in space, and Darts’ leading scorer waited for Judge to commit himself to an attempted block before coolly curling his shot into the bottom left corner.

From the kick-off, Tonbridge had the ball in the Dartford net, as Walder’s cross was flicked goalwards by Olorunda, but substitute Chris Henry came from an offside position to head past Young and the effort was ruled out.

Tonbridge did get a consolation with five minutes left as Wallis upended the tricky Henry, and Mr Hair pointed to the spot.  

Collin buried his fourth penalty in his 11 goals for the season, sending Young the wrong way.  

In the closing seconds, the Angels had another penalty appeal turned away as, once again, Henry beat Wallis in the box, but this time the referee waved away his claims.

O’Brien admitted: “The level that we’re at, we need to start better.  We’ve been in many games where we’ve taken 15, 20 minutes to get into the game, sometimes a half and that’s not what we’re about.  We’ve told them to go and stamp your foot on the game early doors, and we didn’t do that today.  

“We started OK, but we gave away a silly goal and you can’t do that at this level.  You can’t keep doing that and trying to get something out of the game.  We pushed and worked hard, but again today, sloppy goals have cost us.”

“This level is where we want to be.  We did it the hard way last year, through the playoffs and to play the Dartford’s, Welling’s, Dover’s, the big clubs around us, it’s fantastic.  I know we’ve lost today, but I enjoyed being part of it, testing our wits against the Dartford boys and I can’t wait for next week.  

“But, I want the boys to believe in themselves a bit more, to start better, because this is a very unforgiving league.”

Dartford:  Andrew Young, Matt Jones (Jon Wallis 49), Adam Green, Tom Champion, Tom Bonner, Lee Burns, Ryan Hayes (James Rogers 72), Lee Noble, Charlie Sheringham, Elliot Bradbrook, Richard Graham (Danny Harris 60).
Subs:  Jack Pallen, Deren Ibrahim

Goals: Elliot Bradbrook 11, Danny Harris 64, Charlie Sheringham 77

Booked: Lee Noble 44, Jon Wallis 85

Tonbridge Angels:  Lee Worgan, Jake Beecroft, Jon Heath (Alwayne Jones 86), Scott Kinch, (Chris Henry 68), Ben Judge, Ben Andrews, Sonny Miles, Anthony Storey, Ade Olorunda, Frannie Collin, Robbie Kember (Danny Walder 75).
Subs:  Tim Olorunda, Jon Main

Goal: Frannie Collin 85 (pen)

Attendance: 1385
Referee: Mr Neil Hair (Peterborough, Cambridgeshire)
Assistants: Mr Colin Reeve (Godmanchester, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire) & Mr Nic Evans (Grafham, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire)