ON THE AIRWAVES: Our equaliser did NOT cross the line, admits Burman

BBC RADIO Kent spoke to Liam Daish (Ebbsfleet United), Tony Burman (Dartford), Andy Hessenthaler (Dover Athletic) and Tonbridge Angels boss Tommy Warrilow following their games yesterday, and www.kentishfootball.co.uk brings you snippets from those interviews.

LIAM DAISH feels his Ebbsfleet United side dropped two points after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Exeter City at Stonebridge Road yesterday.

Chris McPhee had given the Kent side the lead but were pegged back when Matthew Gill levelled just five minutes into the second half.

And Daish told Gemma Sterba of BBC Radio Kent afterwards: “Well, when you’re looking back on the chances that we created first half I suppose it is (two points dropped).

“But we’ve come up against a good side today in form and took the game to them, created plenty of chances, couldn’t get that second goal and with the quality they’ve got, the lad who scored the goal Gill, a very good player and unfortunately for us it fell to him.

“But we take a lot of credit out of that because the lads, they’ve worked very hard.

“We’ve caused them numerous problems and could have easily gone into half-time, two, maybe three nil up.”

Daish, whose side are eighth in the Blue Square Premier table - eight points adrift of the play-offs with eighteen games to go - hasn’t lost hope.

“I feel on our day we’re as good as anyone in this league,” said Daish. “We’ve caused them problems. They’ve come in and they’re happy with a point, and us, a bit disappointed.

“This was a massive game, we’ve got a point out of that, we haven’t lost the game.

“We could have easily won it so we’ll take that to heart, or take heart out of that sorry and take it into another big game Thursday against Crawley (away).

“If we can play like that and create those chances and with a bit of luck in front of goal, hopefully this will look like a big point.”

And on the club’s play-off aspirations, Daish said: “I think we’ve got a good chance. There’s a lot of football to be played. I don’t know how anyone can write off, what is there now, eighteen games left?

“There’s still lots to play for. We’ve started another run against a very good side so we’re unbeaten against Exeter and now we’ve got another two games coming up but I’m confident with the lads that I’ve got here.”

Daish paid tribute to his colleagues, having collected the manager-of-the-month award last week, adding: “It meant a lot for me because in a way that we’ve worked very hard over the last three years.

“It’s not about me, it’s about the lads, the backroom staff and how hard we work day in, day out.

“We’ve got a little bit of recognition for it so it’s good but that’s finished now, we’re into a new month.”

DARTFORD remain five points clear at the top of the Ryman League Division One North table following their 2-2 draw at second placed AFC Sudbury.

Trailing 2-1, striker Brendon Cass “scored” the equaliser on the stroke of half-time but Darts fans close to the action admitted that the ball DID NOT cross the line.

“Well, from where were sitting in the box, we’ve got to say we couldn’t see it,” Darts boss Tony Burman told Mike Green of BBC Radio Kent afterwards.

“If I’m honest, where the referee was standing he can’t see it but he’s given the goal.

“The linesman had a clear view and he didn’t do anything so sometimes they go for you, sometimes they don’t. I think it’s gone for us today.

“The referee was 100% saying he felt it crossed the line but in my opinion where the referee was standing I don’t think he can judge that.”

He added: “They didn’t cause us any problems I don’t think and that’s no disrespect to Sudbury,” he said. “We defended a lot better in the second half than we did in the first.

AFC Sudbury’s largest crowd of the season was swelled by at least 400 fans that made the trip from Kent.

“The interest has come back again as well, obviously because we’re top,” said Burman.

“There’s a buzz around the place again, which is fantastic. I’ve turned up at Princes Park today and there’s two coaches, one double decker and one single and there was another two in town that’s gone.

“You just think it’s brilliant that these people can give up their Saturday afternoon, come this way and watch their club play.

“They’ve had a good result. Ok, we didn’t win but we haven’t lost but they respect it the players if they give 100%, which they did, and they had a nice blue sky as well.

With his side now unbeaten in 12 league games, Burman knows Dartford have an excellent chance of clinching promotion into the Ryman Premier League.

“We’re in A1 position in February to put a good charge ahead,” he said. “I’m not here to say we’re going to win it and that’s it in February.

“I am saying we have got the potential to win this league. I think we are the best side but there’s still thirteen games to go for us but we’re going to have a good go at it.

“We’ve kept our unbeaten run going, we’ve now got 60 points today and the others have got to catch us.”

DOVER ATHLETIC player-boss Andy Hessenthaler saw his side stretch their lead to the top of the Ryman League Division One South table to four points, following their “comfortable” 3-0 home win over Croydon Athletic.

And they can stretch their lead to seven when they win at Molesey on Tuesday night.

Tooting & Mitcham United are in second place and they defeated Kent side Whitstable Town by three goals to one at Imperial Fields.

The title should be decided on the first day of March when Dover make the trip to Imperial Fields.

Hessenthaler described last Monday’s 1-0 home win over Horsham YMCA as “diabolical” but speaking to BBC Radio Kent’s Matt Davison, the former Gillingham star was pleased that his men reached their expectations yesterday.

“A lot better today, a good performance certainly first half,” said the Whites boss. “Second half didn’t start as bright but once we got the third goal the game was over.

“But I was pleased, after the performance on Monday, I know we won on Monday, the performance (today) was up to the standards we’re looking for.

“A good win today, we’ve only conceded one goal in six matches so we keep it very tight defensively and obviously creating as well so it’s good news at the moment.”

Basement boys Molesey welcome Dover Athletic to Walton Road on Tuesday night and Hessenthaler demands that his side maintain their professional approach.

He said: “It won’t be easy because they’re fighting for their lives themselves.

“We have to be careful we don’t get too complacent. We’ve got to be as professional as we’ve been on Tuesday night and hopefully if we can do that and get three points then all off a sudden we become seven points clear of Tooting, who will have a game over us, so physiologically it could be a big boost for us.”

TONBRIDGE ANGELS climbed out of the Ryman Premier League drop zone and into seventeenth place following their 3-2 home win over Kent rivals Margate.

Manager Tommy Warrilow, when speaking to Matt Davison from BBC Radio Kent, knows its important to start picking up points and move up a very congested league table.

“It wasn’t panic stations, we’ve been playing well lately,” said the former Horsham assistant manager.

“Everyone we’ve been playing against have said the same thing “you shouldn’t be where you are,” but basically we’ve got tired of hearing it.

“Today wasn’t the best game of football in the world, it was a scrappy game but the main thing was we’ve come away with the three points, which we really did need.”

He added: “I thought we just shaded it, it was a close call but I thought we just shaded it.

“The boys have played a lot better and come away with nothing. We’ve played not so good today and got three points so I’ll take the three points obviously all day long.”

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