When you think you've arrived, it kicks you up the backside, says Dartford boss Tony Burman

DARTFORD boss Tony Burman hopes his side don’t suffer stage-fright when they lock horns with Mansfield Town on Friday night.



The Darts have suffered two heavy 4-1 home defeats in their last two home games – against AFC Telford United and last night in the FA Cup.

Forest Green Rovers came from behind to earn a lucrative home tie against Port Vale in The FA Cup First Round after their 4-1 win at Princes Park last night.

Harry Crawford’s seventh-goal of the season gave the Darts the lead in the 27^th minute, but a stunning free-kick from Yan Klukowski levelled things for the Gloucestershire side only three minutes later.

But two mistakes from Dartford keeper Louis Wells gifted goals for Klukowski and Matt Taylor within eleven second half minutes, before former Ebbsfleet United striker, Magno Vieira came off the bench to place his shot into the bottom far corner to score the fourth with the last kick of the game.

Dartford have suffered two successive Fourth Qualifying Round exits, having lost at home to Bromley twelve months ago.

Burman knows his side must get over last night’s disappointment and pick up three points against Mansfield Town, in the first ever live 90-minute televised broadcast from Princes Park Stadium.

“We’ll get over it and we’ll see what’s going to happen and we’ll move on – we have to,” said Burman, whose side have now gone four games without a win.

“We’ve got to do things in the right manner.  We’ve tried to last night but it just hasn’t gone our way.

Dartford go into the game sitting proudly in sixth-place in the Blue Square Bet Premier table, with 26 points from 15 games.

Mansfield, meanwhile, lie in tenth-place, with 21 points from fourteen games.

Burman said: “Every game’s so, so tough.  We’ve got to get our form going at home, which we need to do.

“It was an important week this week. It’s still an important week. We’re out of The FA Cup unfortunately. It’s one of those things that happens. We usually have played three or four games before we get to the Fourth Qualifying Round.

“Mansfield is a tough game, obviously they’re an ex-League side and we have to work really hard.

“All we need to do is try and get back on track and try and get three points.”

Burman admits his side are playing against quality opposition and Princes Park is currently not a venue where opposing sides fear.

“It’s a fortress – in lower leagues,” he said.

“At the moment we’re playing against good sides who are good on the counter attack and they hit you on the break.

“We’ve done alright. We’ve done absolutely superb.  You’ve got to be careful.  In this game when you think you’ve arrived it kicks you in the backside.”

Tom Champion serves his one-match suspension against Mansfield Town after picking up his fifth booking of the season inside the opening nine minutes of last night’s defeat to Forest Green Rovers.

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

Dartford  v  Mansfield Town
Blue Square Bet Premier
Friday 26^th October 2012
Kick Off 7:45pm
At Princes Park Stadium, Grassbanks, Darenth Road, Dartford, Kent DA1 1RT