Kentish Football 
Port Vale 4-0 Dartford - Our upset should've happened at home, admits proud Darts boss Burman
Tuesday 16th November 2010
PORT VALE 4-0 DARTFORD
FA Cup (Sponsored by E.ON) First Round Replay
Tuesday 16th November 2010
Stephen McCartney reports from Vale Park
DARTFORD’S interest in this season’s FA Cup competition may be over for another year - but they certainly made their mark on League Two side Port Vale - the club are supported by people that are a real credit to the Kent club.
Port Vale confirmed that the away crowd was 314 - but there appeared to be at least 400 fans that made the 376-mile round trip up to watch their heroes at a bitterly cold Vale Park.
Despite their side crashing to a disappointing 4-0 defeat, the Dartford fans out-sung the home fans for the entire game. Port Vale may average over six-thousand but half of their fan base simply stayed away and the ones that actually did bother to turn up only raised their voices when Marc Richards (twice), Sean Rigg and Justin Richards beat Andrew Young in the Dartford goal to end the Kent side’s seven match FA Cup run.
But Dartford lived to regret their missed opportunity at Princes Park ten days ago when Port Vale grabbed an undeserved equaliser seven minutes from time as League Two’s second best side proved that semi-professional footballers only get one bite of the cherry against their professional counterparts.
And so it proved as Dartford defender Paul Goodacre gifted Port Vale a seventeenth minute lead, bringing down Gary Roberts, and when Port Vale doubled their lead through the same player just eight minutes later, the Blue Square Bet South side faced a mountain to climb.
A proud Dartford manager, Tony Burman, told www.kentishfootball.co.uk down the players tunnel afterwards, that he wanted his side to start well.
“I think they’re a very good side, they proved it tonight,” he said.
“They grew in confidence once they got the penalty and you’ve got to hold out a little bit longer than what we did to try and change things round.”
Burman was disappointed with central defender Goodacre for sliding in to bring down Roberts, especially as the right winger had a lot to do on the right-hand side of the box with the ball rolling towards the by-line.
“We’re disappointed because you’ve got to stay on your feet, defenders have got to stay on their feet,” said the manager.
“We’ve lunged in and we’ve paid the price so that’s given them the first goal.”
Dartford adopted a negative 4-5-1 formation and Carl Rook - and later on substitute Charlie Sheringham - were isolated, although their best moments came from the left boot of right winger Ryan Hayes, who twice went close early on with a curling free-kick which dropped agonisingly past the foot of the far post and an angled drive which only just cleared Stuart Tomlinson’s crossbar.
Burman added: “I thought the first 10-15 minutes we were causing them some problems and when Haysie puts in a free-kick or a cross like he did - at that time - we’ve got to score from them, there’s no question about it, we’ve got to score and it wasn’t to be.”
Port Vale called Young into making a smart low save to his right after just six minutes when Justin Richards (with his back to goal) chested the ball to Marc Richards and he smashed a low left-footed drive towards goal, which brought the very best out of the Dartford keeper.
But Port Vale grabbed the lead following Goodacre’s poor judgement and Marc Richards emphatically sent Young the wrong way with a right-footed penalty, which nestled into the net, which had the home fans temporarily clapping their hands and offering some vocal encouragement to the tune of “glad all over,” blasting from the Public address system.
Burman was bitterly disappointed with the way that Port Vale doubled their lead, just eight minutes later.
Hayes showed his poor side of his game when he lost possession to Kris Taylor on the wing and his cross picked out Marc Richards, who struck a first time right-footed volley across Young and into the bottom far corner.
Burman said: “The second goal, as well, is crated from a mistake where I think Ryan should’ve put it out and he got caught out and a cross has come in and the second goal gone in and all off a sudden they’re buzzing as they’ve scored again.”
Tomlinson plucked the ball out of the air at his near post after Dartford’s most gifted player, Hayes, cut in from the right and cracked an angled drive.
Doug Loft forced Young into making another fine save just before the break, but the half-time whistle brought a realisation that the Darts were heading out of the FA Cup.
Dartford deserved a goal, especially with the passionate support from behind Young’s goal and only a stunning save from Tomlinson (who got down swiftly to his right) prevented Michael Shinn from scoring with a goal bound low drive.
However, Port Vale harshly made it three within a minute, to rub salt into Dartford’s wounds, with Rigg’s close range finish after 56 minutes.
Rob Taylor whipped in a fine cross from the right, which flashed across the face of goal and Rigg had the simplest task to tap the ball into the net from a couple of yards out at the far post.
Dartford striker, Sheringham was never going to beat Tomlinson with an ambitious effort from outside of the box, but maybe if Burman played with two up front and showed less respect then they might have produced a giant-killing.
The night got worse for Dartford when Port Vale wrapped up the scoring with 15 minutes left when Justin Richards buried a left-footed shot into the bottom left-hand corner after being released by Marc Richards.
The goalscorer - who before tonight had gone 13 games without scoring - almost scored again when a looping header bounced off the top of the Dartford crossbar.
Young made an acrobatic save to tip over a curling effort from Kris Taylor before Dartford finally created a couple of late half-chances.
Joe Bruce picked up the ball and burst forward and cracked a fierce shot which was blocked and substitute Lee Noble floated a shot into Tomlinson’s arms at the near post.
Noble delivered a corner from the right, which picked out Goodacre at the far post, but the defender’s towering header cleared the crossbar.
The Darts received a standing ovation from their brilliant fans at the final whistle and their heroes responded by going over to them to thank them for their support.
Burman said: “We’re disappointed, but we’re delighted to come this far in the competition. We’ve had a good time in it.
“Obviously our chance was at home, to beat a very, very good side and when you get that chance, that opportunity, you’ve got to take I because they knew more about us tonight than what they did when they first came to our place and that’s the difference.”
When quizzed about his negative formation, which saw Rook given no change for the 68 minutes that he was on the pitch, Burman replied, “We’re quite comfortable with the way we set our stall out and I think we started the game off very well and then we started the second half off very well.
“The goalkeeper’s pulled off a blinding save, a really, really good save at 2-0 and they go up and score, which doesn’t help, but listen, I can’t fault the guys.
“That was our fourth game in ten days. Let’s be fair about it. That’s our fourth difficult game in 10 days and I don’t think anyone can question our fitness tonight and that was their third game (in that period).
“They’ve proved tonight that they’re a very good side and the two lads up front for them are some force - they’re a good striking partnership.”
Port Vale ran out comfortable winners but Burman will reflect on a missed chance at Princes Park 10 days ago - in fact the crowd at Dartford was larger by 89 fans than it was tonight!
Burman said: “You know when you’ve had your chance. You don’t get many chances against pro sides, let alone really, really good pro sides so let’s not forget their second in the league and they’ve proved it tonight how well they can play.
“They knew what to expect from us tonight so they’ve done their homework and they get all the time to do that and good luck to them.”
Burman added: “I’m proud of them, but they’ve got to learn that when you play a league club, especially at home, we had an opportunity to do something and unfortunately a lack of concentration cost us that game and that’s what happens when you play pro sides. That was where our upset should've happened.”
“We’ve played very well against Port Vale in both games but our biggest chance to progress was when we played them at home. It wasn’t to be.”
The Darts boss praised the travelling fans that made this such a special night.
He said: “Listen, they were absolutely fantastic. They’ve come up here and whatever happened they were going to get behind the team. I hope and I’m sure they do think the players have given their all regardless of the score line tonight.”
But despite the disappointing defeat, Dartford we’re so very proud of you!
Port Vale: Stuart Tomlinson, Adam Yates, Robert Taylor (Lewis Haldane 63), John McCombe, Gareth Owen, Doug Loft, Marc Richards, Justin Richards, Kris Taylor, Sean Rigg (Louis Dodds 71),Gary Roberts (Tommy Fraser 71).
Subs: Chris Martin, Anthony Griffith, Tommy Fraser, Louis Dodds, Sam Morsy, Ritchie Sutton.
Goals: Marc Richards 17 (pen), 26, Sean Rigg 56, Justin Richards 75
Dartford: Andrew Young, Joe Bruce, Tom Bonner, Tom Champion, Paul Goodacre, Michael Shinn, Ryan Hayes (James White 76), Danny Harris (Lee Noble 76), Carl Rook (Charlie Sheringham 68), Lee Burns, Elliot Bradbrook.
Subs: Billy Burgess, Oliver Berquez, Adam Burchall, John Whitehouse.
Attendance: 3,590 (314 away supporters)
Referee: Mr M Haywood
Assistants: Mr D Handley & Mr J Tyas
Fourth Official: Mr R Fletcher
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd