Dartford 3-2 FC Halifax Town - There's an easy way and a Dartford way, says proud boss Tony Burman

DARTFORD 3-2 FC HALIFAX TOWN
The FA Carlsberg Trophy Quarter-Final Replay
Wednesday 6^th February 2013
Stephen McCartney reports from Princes Park Stadium

DARTFORD boss Tony Burman says he is proud of his acheivement of leading the club to the FA Carlsberg Trophy Semi-Finals for the first time in 24 years.

The Darts needed two games to knock out an impressive Halifax Town side who arrived in Kent on a four-match unbeaten run and in seventh-place in the Blue Square Bet (Conference) North table, having conceded only fifteen goals in their eighteen League games.

The Darts came away from The Shay with a 1-1 draw on 30 January and Burman made four changes to his side that suffered a 5-0 thrashing at Mansfield Town at the weekend, a result that saw them slip down to tenth-place in the Blue Square Bet (Conference) Premier.

Dartford comfortably defeated Ryman Premier League side Kingstonian 4-0 in the First Round, before beating two Kent sides who ply their trade in the Blue Square Bet (Conference) South in the shape of Tonbridge Angels (3-0) and Bromley (4-2).

But Halifax Town, who have defeated Cammell Laird, Altrincham, Maidstone United and Chelmsford City to get this far, pushed Dartford all the way on a bitterly cold night.

Dartford play League games against Lincoln City and Luton Town before traveling to league leaders Grimsby Town in the FA Carlsberg Trophy Semi-Finals First Leg on 16 February, before bringing them back to Princes Park seven days later.

And if successful they will lock horns with Wrexham or Gainsborough Trinity at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 24 March.

The only time that Dartford have played at Wembley Stadium in the FA Trophy Final was back in 1974 when they went down to a 2-1 defeat to Morecambe.


They have failed to get past three semi-final ties since then, losing to Bishop’s Stortford (1981), Burton Albion (1987) and Macclesfield Town (1989).

”I’m really, really pleased because obviously it’s a great result against a decent side,” said a smiling Burman afterwards.

”There’s an easy way and a Dartford way and we made it difficult. At the end the penalty should’ve finished it off completely.

”I’m pleased for the guys after getting beat 5-0 Saturday, their character has come out. I know we went 1-0 down but I still felt we played alright throughout the game.

”Second half I thought we controlled the game a lot better. 

”All the best to them for the rest of the season. They’re a very good side, make no mistake.”

Burman added: “I’m really pleased with everyone involved in the club. It’s the semi-final. It’s a great achievement that we’ve got there.”

Halifax Town stunned the home fans by taking the lead inside the opening two minutes through midfielder Dan Gardner.

But Dartford striker Danny Harris played his part in all three goals, which were scored by Lee Noble, Elliot Bradbrook and Ryan Hayes during the second half.

A late screamer from Gardner was just too late for Halifax to mount a comeback, before skipper Bradbrook smashed his penalty against the crossbar at the death.

Halifax Town got off to a dream start, taking the lead with only 142 seconds on the clock.

Liam Needham found left-back Scott McManus on the over-lap and his low cross found Gardner at the near post, who flicked his shot across the diving Marcus Bettinelli and the ball nestled inside the bottom far corner to the delight of the traveling fans at the other end of the ground.

Burman admitted he was surprised that a goalkeeper that he’s got on loan from Premier League Fulham was beaten by such a strike.

”I didn’t know what happened on the goal,” said Burman. “They said that he miss-hit it and it’s still gone over Marcus but they’ve said that he miss-hit the chance!

”It’s given them a lift when it was 1-0. Not so long after they scored they had a great chance as well to increase their lead.

”Nevertheless we still caused them problems in the first half. We’ve hit the bar and the keeper’s pulled off a couple of saves.”

More composure from Gardner could have given Halifax Town a shock 2-0 lead, but he lashed his right-footed shot over from the edge of the box.

Dartford squandered an excellent chance to equalise in the 12^th minute.

Hayes played a long ball over the top of the Halifax defence and a mistake from Liam Hogan sent Harris through on goal but he was denied by a fine block from the advancing goalkeeper Matty Glennon.

Dartford were denied by the woodwork halfway through the first half when Hayes whipped in a cross into the penalty area and Jacob Erskine looped a header onto the top of the crossbar and Harris appeared to have won his side a penalty after he was fouled by an offside flag had already been raised.

Halifax went close when Gareth Seddon whipped in a cross from the left but striker Lee Gregory could only glance his header wide.

Gregory then missed another headed chance, which he looped over, following a cross from right-back Ryan Toulson, who had ventured forward into Dartford’s final third.

But Dartford began to turn the screw after the half-hour mark and missed some decent chances.

Hayes clipped the ball over the top for Harris to bring the ball down well with his first touch before hooking the ball across to Erskine, who slid to poke his right-footed shot wide of the right-hand post.

Dartford called Glennon into action just before the break when Bradbrook and Noble combined to release Richard Rose towards the by-line.  The left-back floated over a cross towards the far post and Bradbrook’s overhead kick fell to Harris, who managed to get the ball from out of his feet and stab his low shot towards goal from eight-yards, but the keeper dived low to his right to make the save.
 
Burman said: “We had four decent chances, we felt, in the first half but we said to the guys at half-time, we’ve got to be patient, we’re still 1-0 down but it will come and don’t think you’ve got to go gally-ho and try and win the game straight away.”

Halifax ventured forward straight from the off and called the Dartford keeper into making a comfortable save after only 30 seconds.

McManus made another run down the left before playing the ball inside to Chris Worsley, who had time and space to drill a right-footed shot towards goal from 20-yards, but the ball was caught by Bettinelli at chest height.

But the chilling temperature appeared to rise when Harris’ man-of-the-match performance pulled Dartford out of a hole.

”He started to cause them problems with his pace,” said Burman.

”Danny’s a good player, he’s got a lot of energy, he’s got a lot of pace.   We know his quality has got to improve especially after missing the goal. He could’ve let his head go right down after missing the one-on-one in the first half but he hasn’t and he kept plugging away and second half he’s caused them problems.”

Rose clipped the ball down the line for Harris to latch on to before he cut the ball back for Erskine, who from inside the box laid the ball back to Noble, who drove a right-footed shot across Glennon to find the bottom far corner from 25-yards in the 54^th minute.

Burman simply added: “Great finish! We held the ball in the box and passed it and it’s a great finish!

Dartford turned the game on its head by taking the lead just 113 seconds later.

Harris noticed Bradbrook had made a dash into the penalty area and found him with a low pass before Bradbrook placed his shot across Glennon from a tight angle, the ball trickling into the bottom far corner.

Speaking about his captain, Burman added: “He’s been positive and he’s gone for the space and he’s put the ball in.”

Those quick-fire goals raised the volume inside Princes Park, but Halifax were not going to give up.

Danny Lowe clipped the ball towards the corner of the Dartford penalty area and a poor headed clearance from Dartford right-back Lee Burns was driven towards goal by Gardner, which was saved low by Bettinelli at his near post.

Gregory then played the ball inside to Toulson, who was given time and space to float over a cross, which was headed away to Needham, who sliced his left-footed shot wide of the Dartford goal from 25-yards.

Rose then progressed down the line before hurling over a high hanging cross, which was met by Harris’ looping header, which went wide, before Dartford’s longest serving player sealed the win in the final eleven minutes.

Once again Harris was accredited with the assist, playing a low pass to Hayes, who picked the ball up before bending a low left-footed shot into the bottom corner from 25-yards.

Burman said: “It’s a quality finish. It’s an absolutely superb finish by Haysie.  He’s  doing alright at the moment. He’s working really, really hard. It’s a great finish from Ryan.”

What was pleasing was Dartford’s three goalscorers have been at the club for a long time.

”We’ve got a few of them here for a long time,” added Burman.  “I’m pleased that we’ve did that.

”Listen, we’ve had a few words before the game and after Saturday’s game and at training on Monday and the players’ have responded really, really well.”

That goal had the Dartford faithful started singing those Wembley chants and Bradbrook wasted a good opportunity to score when he played a one-two with Rose before clipping his shot straight at Glennon from 20-yards.

Gardner scored his second of the night with less than two minutes remaining, cracking a stunning right-footed screamer from 30-yards, which whistled past the diving Bettinelli and went in off the top of the far post.

”He’s a good player, the lad and he’s hit a great shot and he’s made it nervous for us in the last five or six minutes,” added Burman.

But any Halifax comeback was extinguished when Harris drew a penalty box foul by Lowe and referee Mr Charles Breakspear pointed to the spot.

Bradbrook, who has just come back from a knee injury, stepped up and smashed his left-footed penalty against the crossbar.

Burman simply added: “Like I said there’s an easy way and a Dartford way!”

That miss almost proved crucial as Halifax almost grabbed an injury time equaliser, to force extra-time but Gregory sent his over-head kick agonisingly over the crossbar following an inswinging corner from the right from substitute Jason St Juste.

Blue Square Bet (Conference) Premier leaders Grimsby Town now stand in Dartford’s way from a date at Wembley Stadium.

Burman said: ”I’m pleased that we’ve got to the semi-final. To get to the semi-final is an achievement for us.  It’s a long time since we’ve been there and it’s not about Wembley at this moment in time. What it’s about we’ve got a big League game on Saturday (away to Lincoln City) and (at home to Luton Town on) Tuesday and Grimsby’s something that we’ll be thinking about on Saturday week.

”It’s a semi-final. It’s a whole different ball game. We’ve been in semi-finals and our experience in the play-off semi-final (beating Basingstoke Town in both games) will put us in good stead for the semi’s.

”You live and learn from your experience. I’m not sure it’s a bigger prize getting promoted (to the Football League) is the biggest prize what we want to do and again we can’t speak about Wembley but we can speak about the semi-final now.

”Grimsby are in great form and they’re top of the League but it’s Cup football. It doesn’t matter what position you are in the League. We’re in the same division as them and when that time comes around to think about it we will do.

”We’ve reached a target to get to the semi-finals. It’s something to be proud off it.”

Dartford: Marcus Bettinelli, Lee Burns, Tom Bonner, Mark Arber, Richard Rose, Ryan Hayes, Elliot Bradbrook, Tom Champion, Lee Noble, Danny Harris, Jacob Erskine (Nathan Collier 76).
Subs: Jon Wallis, James Rogers, Dominic Green, Louis Wells

Goals: Lee Noble 54, Elliot Bradbrook 56, Ryan Hayes 79

Booked: Ryan Hayes 21, Jacob Erskine 36, Lee Noble 68

FC Halifax Town: Matty Glennon, Ryan Toulson, Scott McManus, Liam Hogan, Liam Needham, Danny Lowe, Chris Worsley, Paul Marshall (Jason St Juste 65), Dan Gardner, Lee Gregory, Gareth Seddon.
Subs: Phil Senior, Sean Kelly, Jon Worthington, Osebi Abidajki

Goals: Dan Gardner 2, 89

Booked:  Liam Needham 21, Lee Gregory 68, Danny Lowe 90

Attendance: 805
Referee: Mr Charles Breakspear (Walton-on-Thames, Surrey)
Assistants: Mr Alan Dale (Ipswich, Suffolk) & Mr Lloyd Wood (Dagenham, Essex)
Fourth Official: Mr Craig Hicks (Sutton, Surrey)