Sittingbourne 0-1 Dartford - Hands up! We lost to a great goal, admits Abbott

Saturday 17th October 2009

SITTINGBOURNE 0-1 DARTFORD
FA Carlsberg Trophy First Qualifying Round
Saturday 17th October 2009
Stephen McCartney reports from Bourne Park

STRIKER Allan Tait produced something special to book Dartford’s place in the penultimate qualifying round of the FA Carlsberg Trophy.

With a bore draw the most likely outcome, the former Eastbourne Borough striker settled a hard-fought battle with seventeen minutes remaining, to the delight of the travelling Dartford faithful that had swelled the attendance at Bourne Park to 473.

Tait executed an exquisite lob from 20-yards, which sailed over veteran Sittingbourne goalkeeper Steve Williams, 36, who made his first start for the home club since August 2008, replacing Deren Ibrahim, who couldn’t play because of an agreement between the two Kent clubs.

Sittingbourne, who went into this game in fifteenth place in the Ryman League Division One South, competed well against the runaway Ryman Premier League leaders but lacked the killer touch in front of goal.

They started the game brightly - but their real one and only chance arrived after just seven minutes.

Striker Elie Kayembe got in behind the Dartford back-four down the right and his low centre was ballooned over by left winger, Jimmy Bottle, just six-yards out.

Dartford, who have lost just once in fourteen games before today, created their first chance on the half-hour mark.

Winger Ryan Hayes whipped in a cross from the right and this was flicked towards goal by striker Jay May, but Bottle was on hand to clear the ball off the line on the far post.

May, who like Tait, started their midweek game over Tonbridge Angels on the bench, was booked within two minutes for using his hands to direct Hayes’ cross into the net - emulating what Lee Burns did against the Angels in midweek.

Despite battling well, Sittingbourne failed to trouble Dartford goalkeeper Andrew Young and in the 39th minute Colin Richmond blazed over a right-footed free-kick from 30-yards, after striker Hicham Akhazzan was fouled by Lee Noble.

The game was so dull that in the 66th minute, this game might have created some sort of history as two brothers came off the substitutes bench at the same time - for two different teams - replacing both number 10’s.

Sittingbourne’s Tom Bradbrook - and Dartford’s Elliot Bradbrook - were both introduced for Kayembe and May respectively.

Williams - Sittingbourne’s goalkeeper coach - was forced into making his first save of the game in the 68th minute when he took a couple of giant steps to his left and got down to parry Hayes’ clever free-kick from near to the right corner flag - the winger curled a low free-kick towards the near post after seeing the keeper leaving a gap.

Both sides struggled to produce any fine football - the pitch was uncut- Sittingbourne officials confirmed that this was down to a broken mower.

But Dartford sealed their passage into the next round as Tait scored his third goal of the season - and second of the week - to break the stalemate with 73 minutes on the clock.

Tait started the move and sprayed the ball out wide to Danny Harris, who slipped the ball back to Tait, who looked up to see that Williams had strayed off his line, and with his right-foot, expertly chipped the ball over the advancing goalkeeper and from 20-yards, his shot sailed into the roof of the net - a strike of pure quality!

The winning goal flattened Sittingbourne’s confidence and it was Dartford that finished the game stronger.

Lee Noble’s driven shot from 25-yards was straight at Williams, who made a comfortable save and Dartford had a second goal ruled out in the 88th minute.

Hayes’ corner from the right caused mayhem inside the Sittingbourne box and right-back Billy Burgess stabbed the ball over the line in what was a goalmouth scramble - but the referee had blown his whistle for an infringement before the ball had crossed the line.

And inside stoppage time, Tait tried a replica of his goal when his lob from similar range caught out Williams, curling and dropping down to bounce off the foot of the far post and Hayes’ follow up driven shot struck the foot of the same post.

Dartford boss Tony Burman, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards, was pleased that his side showed professional qualities to get the job done in difficult conditions at Bourne Park.

“Very pleased, obviously it’s a difficult place to come, Sittingbourne and it’s proved today,” said Burman.

“The conditions have not been good, the players have shown a lot of character and a lot of good attitude and in the end they’ve deserved their result.

“You say to them about their attitude, which has been spot on, to be fair all season. Things aren’t going to go quite right, the way you want to play exactly but you have to keep plodding along, you have to be nice and professional and stay focused on what you want to do.

“Whether it’s one-nil or five-nil, we’ve gone through to the next round and that was the main thing.”

Tait deservedly grabs the headlines - and Burman heaped praise on a player that is now showing his manager what he can do following a frustrating start at Princes Park.

“Allan’s come in, he’s scored on Tuesday night, he’s had a bit of a rough time,” explained Burman.

“The game wasn’t brilliant today but it needed a bit of quality in the last third of the field.

“He’s scored an outstanding goal, that’s a superb individual goal that he’s scored and he nearly followed it up with a similar situation where I think he’s hit the post.

“It’s come late in the game but nevertheless I think we probably deserved it. We’ve come here and done a job, won 1-0, possibly could’ve been more, but it wasn’t to be but the main thing is we’ve made it through to the next round.”

Reflecting further on Tait’s stunning strike, Burman added, “It was a quality finish! He’s not had the best of times in respect of his start at the club but he’s looked a little bit better today and Tuesday night and in each game he’ll get better.

“But when you’re looking for something to happen, we usually look to Ryan Hayes to do something special but Allan Tait’s produced something special and it was a great goal.”

And Sittingbourne manager Gary Abbott held his hand up and agreed!

“I can’t fault the boys, the effort they put in, the work-rate, the desire, it was all there and we’ve been beaten by one bit of quality from their centre forward - great goal!” Abbott told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“When people score great goals you have to put your hands up.”

Abbott was pleased with the way that his side matched their higher league opponents.

He said: “I thought the first half we deserved to come in at half-time nil-nil. I thought we was much the better side.

“Second half, obviously they made a few changes, like I said, and everybody has their 25 minute spell and they had theirs and in the 25 minute spell they scored a great goal - so good luck to them!”

He added, “You look at Dartford’s results they’re (eleven) points ahead, they’re beating teams three, four, five nil. For us to lose 1-0 is a great result for us so we’ve got to take the positives out of t hat.

“Like I said to all the boys, all their heads are down, it’s got to be, my head is down, but we’ve got to get on with it now.

“Our system’s working for us and the effort that we put in Tuesday night against Ramsgate and obviously today we’ve got to take that on to our league games, starting with Croydon (Athletic) next week and I think we can do well.”

He continued, “I think we’ve held our own right up to 55-60 minutes and they’ve had their first spell.

“If someone scores a quality goal you hold your hands up and it was a quality goal. I’m gutted. I thought we deserved a replay but we move on now. It hasn’t happened. The boys have to get their heads up and we move on.”

Dartford manager, Burman, meanwhile, appreciates the efforts that Sittingbourne chairman Andy Spice and his unpaid staff put in at Bourne Park.

Sittingbourne’s pitch was uncut because of a broken mower - and no music is played over the public address system as the club can’t afford the relevant licences.

Whilst Dartford supporters enjoy luxurious facilities at Princes Park, Burman appreciates the efforts put in by their less so fortunate Kent rivals.

“It’s easy to criticise the pitch and how it is but Andy Spice and his team try and do their best for Sittingbourne Football Club,” said Burman.

“It’s very difficult for the committee to spend the time doing their work and to look after the grounds so it is difficult conditions here but there are still people behind the scenes working their socks off trying to put things right and they need as much help as they can get.”

If only all councils were like Dartford’s!

Sittingbourne: Steve Williams, Femi Omogbehin, Joe Dowley, Matt Bourne, Nick Reeves, Ashley Grant, Billy Manners (Joe Horlock 87), Colin Richmond, Hicham Akhazzan, Elie Kayembe (Tom Bradbrook 66), Jimmy Bottle.
Subs: Richard Brady, Matt McHugh, Kweku Ansah.

Dartford: Andrew Young, Billy Burgess, Adam Gross, Adam Flanagan, John Beales, Danny Dafter, Ryan Hayes, Lee Noble, Allan Tait, Jay May (Elliot Bradbrook 66), Danny Harris (Lee Burns 83).
Subs: Jamie Coyle, James White, Tony Kessell.

Goal: Allan Tait 73

Booked: Danny Dafter 20, Jay May 32, Allan Tait 45

Attendance: 473
Referee: Mr Tony Goddard (Dagenham, Essex)
Assistants: Mr Kirk English (Romford, Essex) & Mr Nick Grote (Upminster, Essex)