We want to get into the play-off's, says Dartford boss Tony Burman

DARTFORD boss Tony Burman says he is targeting the Blue Square Bet South play-off’s at the end of this season, writes Stephen McCartney.


The Darts initially struggled before Christmas last year after comfortably winning the Ryman Premier League title, but results picked up and the club settled for a final position of tenth place.

Burman’s side saved their best for Cup competitions.  They reached the first round of the FA Cup, going down to League Two side Port Vale in a replay, after coming within minutes of a famous victory at Princes Park, reached the last 16 of the FA Trophy and went on to win the Kent Senior Cup with a convincing 4-1 win over league rivals Bromley at the end of the season.

But when asked about pre-season, Burman replied, “It’s gone very well to be fair.  We started off with some tough games to enable the players’ to get their fitness levels up and finished off with games in lower divisions than us and it’s worked very, very well.”
The Darts kick-off their new league campaign with a trip to Weston-super-Mare on Saturday, before welcoming relegated Eastbourne Borough to Princes Park next Tuesday (7:45pm).

“It’s nice to get one of the longer games out of the way, at least it’s a Saturday that we’re travelling down there,” said Burman.

“I think it’s going to be a tough game, Weston, they improved immensely last year and they got things right, similar to us in the second part of the season.

“Although we were fortunate enough to get a result down there (last season), we know it’s going to be tough, like any other game.  If we come back with something then we’ll be pleased.”

Eastbourne Borough were relegated from the Blue Square Bet Premier last season – and Burman feels the east Sussex outfit will be looking to bounce back at the first attempt.

“They bring large experience from the Conference down with them,” said Burman.  “Eastbourne will be one of my favourites to be up there, like Ebbsfleet last year.

“They’ve (Eastbourne Borough) have been established in the Conference and they’ve come down and they will be looking to bounce back.

“It will be a tough game.  I think they will be one of the teams that will be up there next March-April next year.”

Burman’s aspirations for the new season are clear for everybody to see.

He said: “We want to get into the play-off’s.  It’s as simple as that!

“We finished tenth last year and we want to do better than that and hopefully with the experience that we’ve had and the things that we’ve learnt we can be more consistent over the course of the season and in contention when we get through the winter months, and you come out in March and you’re involved in the play-off’s and anything higher than that would be fantastic.

Burman highlighted the sides that he thinks will be challenging for promotion – no sign of Kent rivals Bromley, Welling United or Tonbridge Angels though.

“You’ve got to look at Woking, they look like they’ve made some good signings.  Boreham Wood have made some exceptional signings as well.  Dover and Chelmsford will be up there.  Salisbury coming up,” said Burman.

He added: “It’s just getting the run right at the right time.  Sometimes being up there too early can be a hindrance for you.  Having said that, if you get a run going like we did at the second part of the season it helped us to get up the table.  If you get a run going it will be hard to stop.

“The league is very strong but that’s what we want and that’s what we want to be involved with.”
When asked about which player he has high hopes for, Burman replied, “I don’t think there’s anyone particular, you want the squad to gel together and our squad has gelled together quicker than it did last year.

“We’ve only signed three players this season in this moment in time and they’ve settled in really nice and well.

“You want them all to do well.  Some of the guys who we had last year did do well in the second part of the season and they’ve got to be consistent enough to carry on that form.”

Kent rivals Tonbridge Angels kick-off their inaugural Blue Square Bet South campaign on Saturday – and Burman knows what’s it’s like to make the jump from the Ryman Premier League into this level of football.

“It can be difficult.  It was a strange one for us as we done so well in the FA Cup but in every round we had a replay, which didn’t help us when you look back at things like that,” reflected the Dartford boss.

“You’re playing against some very good teams and quality players that change games, even when you’re doing well in the game, all of a sudden you lose 1-0 or 2-1 and you’re not playing too badly.

“It’s simply because you’re playing against good players who can change games.”

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

Weston-super-Mare  v  Dartford
Blue Square Bet South
Saturday 13^th August 2011
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Woodspring Stadium, Winterstoke Road, Weston-Super-Mare, North Somerset BS24 9AA

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