Kentish Football 
Listen, we'll pick ourselves up, insists Dartford boss Tony Burman
Wednesday 17th November 2010
DARTFORD boss Tony Burman says he will bring his players back down to earth following their FA Cup exploits in time for their trip to former landlords Thurrock on Saturday afternoon, writes Stephen McCartney.
The Darts - backed by over 400 excellent vocal supporters - were knocked out of the FA Cup by League Two high-flyers Port Vale last night as Micky Adams’ side won the replay by four goals to nil at Vale Park - after the Kent side came within seven minutes of producing a First Round giant-killing at Princes Park ten days earlier.
Dartford’s attention now turns to their FA Carlsberg Trophy final qualifying round tie at Thurrock.
The Essex side climbed off the foot of the Blue Square Bet South table with a morale boosting 2-1 home win over Staines Town last night - but Dartford are only three places above them in the pecking order and Burman wants his side to bounce back.
“We’ve got to get them lifted now,” the Darts stalwart told www.kentishfootball.co.uk following his side’s brave exploits up in the Potteries.
“We’ll come in again on Thursday training and then we’ll go into the FA Trophy on Saturday. Let’s hope we can build on it (our seven game FA Cup run).
“Listen, we’ll pick ourselves up.”
Burman hinted that he is not presently happy with his squad.
“We’re very close, we haven’t got everything right but we’re close to getting things right and I still believe in a few of them but having said that football’s football. We have to make some decisions which I know I have to do.”
With his side four points clear of relegation with 14 points from as many games, Burman added: “The League is the bread and butter and we need to be improving that league position, that’s for sure.”
Having enjoyed a seven-match FA Cup campaign, which has seen them play Lowestoft Town, Canvey Island, Leiston and Port Vale, needing replays in all of their games apart from against Lowestoft, Burman wants his to enjoy a good run in the FA Carlsberg Trophy.
“We’ve got to get them up for it,” he said. “It’s another competition and one we’d like to stay in, it’s as simple as that!
“We know it’ll be a tough game. We’ve got to keep plodding along and try to improve and I’m sure we will do and hopefully we can be in the competition at a quarter-to-five on Saturday.”
Burman’s players will need to show the same work ethic that they did in their two games against Port Vale, and away to Dover Athletic in the league, at Ship Lane on Saturday.
Burman said: “We feel that we’re close but not close enough. It hasn’t quite worked out but it’s a strange week - Port Vale, beating Dover and losing 4-0 at home (to Dorchester Town) and losing 4-0 away (to Port Vale). It’s a strange week but we’ve got to lift them up and get on with it.”
Skipper Elliot Bradbrook, meanwhile, who scored Dartford’s goal against Port Vale at Princes Park, insists his team-mates will be up for Thurrock and the rest of their league campaign.
“We’ve got to start putting performances in the league games and in the Trophy and whatnot and Thurrock are in our league,” said the 25-year-old midfielder, when speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk last night.
“That’s a big game for us. We have to go there and win - and do well!
“Thurrock is a little bit different to Port Vale but that’s the level we play at. We’re used to playing in those grounds and it will be back down to business.
“We’ve put performances in, in patches and it’s not really come off for us. We’ve played well in places and we’ve played not so well in places and we’re getting punished at the moment when we’re not playing well.”
Meanwhile, Thurrock have a handful of familiar faces with Adam Gross lining up against his former side and Charlie Mitten, Matt Bodkin and Dean Cracknell all used to play for Welling United and Michael Power formerly of Cray Wanderers and Tonbridge Angels.
Visit Dartford’s websites: www.dartfordfconline.com & www.dartfordfootballclub.co.uk
Thurrock v Dartford
FA Carlsberg Trophy Third Qualifying Round
Saturday 20th November 2010
Kick Off 3:00pm
At South Way, Ship Lane, Aveley, Essex RM19 1YN
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd