The reward is there now for both clubs, says Dartford boss Tony Burman

DARTFORD boss Tony Burman says he is pleased to have a second bite of the cherry when his side welcome Forest Green Rovers in a winner-takes-all FA Cup replay on Tuesday night.



The Darts came back from Nailsworth in Gloucestershire with a deserved 1-1 draw in the Fourth and final qualifying round, courtesy of Jacob Erskine’s second half equaliser.

“I think it was a decent game,” said Burman.  “I felt we started a little bit slowly and it probably enabled Forest Green Rovers to take the lead early on in the first half.

“But the last 20 minutes of the first half we got back into the game and second half I felt we were the better side and we managed to score to equalise basically.

“I think it was a fair result. We can’t say we deserved to win it or anything like that. 

“The boys gave a good account of themselves and I’m pleased that we’ve got a second bite of the cherry.”

Burman was pleased that hardworking striker Erskine scored his third goal of the season and hopes that will lift his confidence.

He said: “He’s been a bit unfortunate with the goalscoring, but it’s not for the lack of effort, but he scored a good goal as it happens on Saturday.”

Burman issued a rallying cry to the Princes Park faithful to crank up the noise throughout Tuesday night’s replay – because the rewards are obvious.

“When the draws are being made you hope for home advantage, but Forest Green are a very good side and it’s not something that we’ll take for granted or anything like that,” said Burman, who has won promotion three times in the past six years.

“It’s still going to be a tough, tough game for us – and Forest Green.  I felt the two sides were fairly even on Saturday and I just hope things go well for us and we can progress.

“I think it will be won by the team who plays the best on the night. 

“In the League that we’re in if you don’t show up you’re going to lose the game and you get punished for it.

“We’ve done well. I can’t fault the guys. Their work ethic has been absolutely fantastic.   Hopefully we’ll have an advantage with our home crowd and we can progress.”

It looks like the replay will be another tight affair. Dartford, sixth-place in the Blue Square Bet Premier with 26 points from 15 games and Forest Green, one place above them, have collected27 points.

Ball number 66 was drawn out before ball number 32 meaning the winner of Tuesday night’s replay will host League Two highflyers Port Vale in the First Round on 3 November.

The draw brought back agonising memories of Port Vale’s visit to Princes Park at the same stage of the competition in 2010.

The Darts, then in Blue Square Bet South, came seven minutes of knocking out the then League One outfit after Elliot Bradbrook gave the Kent side a dream start by scoring in the 38 minute – before Port Vale grabbed an equaliser with seven minutes left when John McCombe bundled home a corner.

Port Vale’s manager at the time, Micky Adams, admitted his side “got away with murder,” but Port Vale comfortably won the replay 4-0 on the massive playing surface at Vale Park.

When asked how he felt when the draw was made live on ITV1 on Sunday lunchtime, Burman replied, “I watched it but at the end of the day we can’t speculate until we try to get through tomorrow night’s game.

“The reward is there now for both clubs.  We play Port Vale, who are a League side and you play them at home and that’s what you like to have in The FA Cup.

“No I don’t think there’s no pressure on us at all.  We’ve had a real tough draw (against Forest Green).  We’re usually in the Cups earlier than what we are now.

“The FA Cup is an enjoyable thing.  It brings in some extra finances and it also brings in publicity that the club, the fans and the players obviously like.

“There’s no pressure when it’s the FA Cup.”

You can never count your chickens – Dartford must get past Forest Green Rovers first – but Burman reflected those two games against Port Vale.

Burman said: “You usually only get one bite of a League club and you have to take that on that day.  We played well against Port Vale and we didn’t take our chance of causing an upset back then and we’ve got punished for that, but there you go, that happens.

“You really can’t speculate too much until after tomorrow night’s result.”

Tomorrow night’s winners will scoop £12,500 in FA prize money.  Dartford will be looking to join their Kent rivals Gillingham, Bromley and Ebbsfleet United in the First Round on 3 November.

Gillingham, who are one place above second-placed Port Vale in League Two, will welcome League One strugglers Scunthorpe United to Priestfield Stadium.

Bromley, in sixteenth-place in Blue Square Bet South, must travel to Fleetwood Town, who are in third-place in League Two and won the Blue Square Bet Premier title last season.

Ebbsfleet United, meanwhile, must make the longest trip of all, to Carlisle United, who are seventeenth in League One.

Meanwhile, non-league sides who reach the First Round, will also collect some cash from a pool, which comes from a share of the gate receipts of replayed games in the competition proper.

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

Dartford  v  Forest Green Rovers
The FA Cup with Budweiser Fourth Qualifying Round Replay
Tuesday 23^rd October 2012
Kick Off 7:45pm
At Princes Park Stadium, Grassbanks, Darenth Road, Dartford, Kent DA1 1DT