On the night that Sudbury crack under pressure, Burman says: We must not throw it away now!

DARTFORD boss Tony Burman insists the Ryman League Division One North title race is still not over - despite AFC Sudbury losing 3-1 at their arch-rivals Bury Town tonight, writes Stephen McCartney.

Hundreds of Darts fans logged onto fans’ forums for score updates during the Suffolk derby at Ram Meadow, and some fans even made the trip up to Bury-st-Edmunds to feed the news through to tense Darts fans during the encounter.

In a game in which both sides missed a penalty each, it was Bury Town that claimed the Suffolk bragging rights, and ensures Dartford fans walk into work tomorrow morning with huge smiles on their faces.

Their side bagged six points over a stern Easter period, defeating Ware (2-1) at Princes Park, followed by a Brendon Cass goal, which was good enough to beat Canvey Island on their travels.

Table-topping Dartford remain nine points clear of Sudbury, who now only have two games in hand, and the Kent giants have a better goal-difference of plus 12.

But boss Burman, speaking EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk within half-an-hour of the final whistle sounding at Ram Meadow, insists his side MUST win their last five league games and forget about Sudbury’s progress.

He warns that Brentwood Town will want to beat his side at Princes Park on Saturday, before the Darts lock horns with Potters Bar Town (away), Tilbury (home), Edgware Town (away), before ending the season at Princes Park against Wingate & Finchley on 26th April.

“My initial reaction, it doesn’t change anything as far as I’m concerned,” he said.

“Whether they won, lost or drawn (tonight), we have to win our games. I don’t want to rely on other teams to get the results we want.

“We’ve still got a tough game (against Brentwood Town) on Saturday, but we’ll endeavour to get three points.”

With maximum points during a tough holiday programme, Burman knows his side must maintain their winning form.

He said: “The pressure was on us over the weekend to win two really difficult games and we came through the weekend with flying colours.

“I was absolutely delighted with the performance of the players in both games.

“We asked them to do a job and the pressure was on and we came out with six points.

“We move onto Saturday’s game and try to get three points in that game.”

Despite his opposite number trying to deter the Dartford camp with mind-games, Burman, meanwhile, is keeping focused.

“There’s a lot of twists and turns,” he warned. “It hasn’t gone right for Sudbury but I’m not interested or worried about Sudbury. I’m just focused on what we’ve got to do.”

And the man who built Princes Park, Dartford Council Leader Jeremy Kite, was also keeping one eye on the progress many miles away.

“Without a word of a lie, I’ve just realised that being associated with this club and the people I have met there is one of the greatest pleasures of my life,” he told the fans’ forum.

“I even dashed out of a Council meeting tonight to catch up on the Bury score.”

But on a more serious note, Burman paid tribute to the club’s medical team, for saving the life of the club’s chairman, Dave Skinner.

Mr Skinner was taken to hospital following the club’s 2-1 win over Ware on Saturday, having suffered a heart attack.

“Dave came out of hospital yesterday, he had an operation on Saturday night at St Thomas’ Hospital in London,” said Burman.

“He’s had a couple of days there and the consultant said our medical team at our ground, the doctor and assistants saved his life.

“Our medical team at our ground saved Dave’s life and the consultant is that pleased with him and he’s said Dave could recuperate at home.”

Burman added: “That was the icing on the cake with six points. That (winning two games) didn’t mean anything than to get Dave out of the hospital and surviving the heart attack, which he had done.”

Meanwhile, Dartford’s Princes Park Stadium is the venue of the Ryman League Cup Final between AFC Sudbury and Ramsgate next Wednesday, 2^nd April (7:45pm).

www.kentishfootball.co.uk wish Dave Skinner a speedy recovery.

Visit Dartford’s websites:  www.dartfordfc.co.uk & www.dartfordfootballclub.co.uk