We do feel people are not giving us a chance, says Dartford boss Tony Burman

DARTFORD boss Tony Burman has told his rivals’ to give his side more respect.



The Darts clinched promotion into the top-flight of non-league football after finishing runners-up to Woking and beating Basingstoke Town and Welling United in the play-offs at the end of last season.

The Darts are in fifth-place in the Blue Square Bet (Conference) Premier, with 25 points from fourteen games and are below Newport County, Forest Green Rovers, Wrexham and Luton Town in the table.

Burman said: “Regarding our position and hopes for this season, we know what we’re supposed to be doing and what we want to do.

“We do feel people are not giving us any chance whatsoever.  It’s a bit disrespectful, we deserve to be where we are, but they can keep saying those things.

“We have a great nucleus of a squad, they work so, so hard for each other. It’s been the same in each league in our climb up the pyramid.  If you have a squad that work well for each other, they will do alright.”

Dartford crashed to a 4-1 home defeat to AFC Telford United last night – Andy Sinton’s side scoring all four of their chances at goal – after coming away from Grimsby Town with a memorable 2-0 victory at the weekend.

Dartford commence their trip up to Barrow on Friday for their game the following day.

Barrow welcome the Darts sitting inside the bottom-six in the table, with four wins and four draws from their fourteen league outings and are three points clear of the drop zone at this early stage.

Burman said: “We’ll be in training Thursday night and we’ll go on our journey on the Friday.

“But we have to lift them.  They’re a little bit down but they haven’t let anyone down or anything like that.

“We knew this was going to be a tough week with Grimsby last Saturday, Telford and Barrow and we have a free week next week.”

When asked what he learnt from last night’s defeat to AFC Telford United, Burman replied, “This is what this League can do to you. I think in our first three games we played well and we didn’t get a single point so I’m not shocked what’s happened. I just feel it’s something that can happen and you’ve got to have that cutting edge inside the box, which we’ve had but it wasn’t there last night.”

The Dartford boss couldn’t hide his disappointment over their FA Cup draw – away to second-placed Forest Green Rovers on 20 October.

The Darts went out in the Fourth Qualifying Round to Bromley last season, but they enter the competition at this stage this season due to their League status.

Burman said: “It’s a massive draw really. You ask for one you don’t want it’s that one – Wrexham, Luton and anyone above us but what will be will be and we’ll have to go there and do what we’ve been trying to do in all of our other games this year.”

Dartford’s next home game is against Mansfield Town, but the game has been brought forward to Friday, 26 October (7:45pm) because it is being screened live on satellite television.

Burman said: “It’s been great over the last six weeks.  It’s been fantastic!  No disrespect to any other clubs but you got to Wrexham and you think this is where we want to be.  I want my club to be here.

“We have to be consistent and I think we have in our performances.  We haven’t played badly that many times, we’ve been absolutely superb.  There’s no other way to describe it.  We have been absolutely superb.”

Reflecting on his side’s league position, Burman added: “Everyone should be proud and pleased.  They (my players) haven’t let anyone down.”

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

Barrow  v  Dartford
Blue Square Bet Premier
Saturday 13^th October 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Holker Street, Wilkie Road, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria LA14 5UW