Woking 3-0 Dartford - The Pressure is on me, admits Dartford boss Tony Burman

WOKING  3-0  DARTFORD
The Skrill Premier
Tuesday 12^th November 2013
Stephen McCartney reports from Kingfield Stadium

DARTFORD manager Tony Burman says everyone has got to stick together after his side slumped into The Skrill Premier relegation zone after eighteen games.

The Darts finished as the highest-ranked part-time club in eighth-place upon their return to the Conference Premier last season but they are now in the bottom four after capitulating three goals in fourteen minutes away to fellow part-time strugglers Woking.

The first hour was a dull encounter and three goals looked unlikely, but the stalemate was broken in the 63^rd minute when Jack Marriott, 19, scored on his Woking debut having joined the Surrey club on loan from Championship outfit Ipswich Town.

And when striker Scott Rendell and central defender Joe McNerney both scored their fourth goals of the season, it gave the scoreline a flattering look for Woking, who sealed their second home win of the season to move to within a point and a place of Dartford, who have collected 18 points this season.

“I think for 60-65 minutes it was an even game, fairly even and I think we was doing reasonably well, but I felt a little bit of tiredness crept in from our part and the closing down what we were doing didn’t happen for the (first) goal,” said Burman.

“When you’re in the position that we’re in because you go a goal down it doesn’t mean you’ve got to go gally-ho and try to win the game in the next five minutes.  There’s 25-30 minutes to play and we’ve got to be composed to try to get back in the game.

“It was a great finish, in all honesty, the first goal.

“I felt they got just a little bit stronger than us. We put in a lot of effort but it just didn’t work out but we’ve got to be patient and try to get back in the game, even if you do go a goal down. I felt we didn’t do that.

“We didn’t keep organised. We tried to rush to get a goal back too quickly and you’ve got to be a bit more composed than what we were.”

Burman added: “They all worked hard. I can’t say that the players’ didn’t work hard today but we needed that little bit extra and we probably haven’t tested their keeper in all honesty.”

Burman recalled strikers Adam Birchall and Matty Godden, who were both unavailable for their 4-2 defeat at full-time league rivals Salisbury City in The FA Cup First Round at the weekend.

But Dartford failed to register a single shot on target as Woking goalkeeper Sam Beasant enjoyed a quiet night behind Jack Parkinson and McNerney.

Woking created the first opening after only 51 seconds when Charles Banya swung in a corner from the right and Rendell glanced his header across goal and harmlessly wide of the far post.

Marriott burst forward before stroking a left-footed drive narrowly wide of the left-hand post from 25-yards, beyond Alan Julian’s dive.

Woking’s fourth corner of the game was swung in by Josh Payne, which was punched away by Julian, before Kevin Betsy floated in a cross from the right and Rendell headed down and harmlessly wide of the left-hand post from 12-yards.

Dominant Woking should have broken the stalemate in the 19^th minute.

Payne – who has been named in the England C squad to face Czech Republic under 21s at Woking next Tuesday – played a diagonal ball over to Betsy on the right and he played the ball into Marriott, who passed to Banya, who teed up Rendell on the edge of the penalty area, but his right-footed shot on the turn flashed wide of the far post.

Dartford’s first chance arrived halfway through the first half when Birchall picked the ball up before drilling a deflected right-footed shot wide of the near post from 25-yards.

Burman said: “We’ve had a half-a-chance in the first half which was blocked before Woking had their chanced and it hasn’t gone in for us.”

Lee Noble – who misses Saturday’s trip to Macclesfield Town after picking up his fifth-booking of the season tonight - swung in the resulting corner from the left and Woking got bodies back to block Mat Mitchel-King’s fiercely struck shot.

Woking continued to press and went close on the half-hour mark when right-back Adam Newton’s hanging cross found its way to Payne who flashed his right-footed shot narrowly wide of the near post from 25-yards.

A long clearance from Beasant was flicked on by Rendell outside the Dartford penalty area and Marriott was unlucky when his left-footed effort crashed into the side netting beyond the diving Dartford goalkeeper for Woking’s best chance of the first half.

Dartford enjoyed a brief glimpse of attacking play and went close to breaking the stalemate with their best chance of the first half, five minutes before the break.

Lee Burns clipped the ball into Godden who laid the ball off to Birchall, who unleashed a right-footed shot on the turn from 22-yards, which only just cleared the top of the near post.

The Dartford boss said he was happy with the former Dover Athletic and on-loan Gillingham striker.

Burman said: “I thought Birch was excellent today in all honesty.  I thought his work-rate was good and he joined up the play very, very well.

“We’ve had a lot of possession outside and near the box but he (Beasant) hasn’t pulled off that many saves.  I don’t think our keeper’s pulled off that many saves in all fairness. For 60-65 minutes it was a close encounter.”

Despite Woking winning the corner count six to four at the half-time interval, both goalkeepers weren’t called into any serious action.

Burman said: “We felt at half-time we done ok. We felt we were handling Woking quite well to be perfectly honest with you. It wasn’t to be (later in the game).”

Woking created the first chance of the second half when Banya played the ball into Marriott, who laid the ball off to Banya, who cracked a left-footed drive sailing over the crossbar from 25-yards.

Dartford squandered an excellent chance to grab the lead when Noble swung in a free-kick and Mitchel-King was left unmarked and sent his downward header wide of the mark from 12-yards.

And Marriott hit a shot on the turn from 25-yards at the other end and saw the ball sail harmlessly over the Dartford crossbar.

Birchall, who was Dartford’s best player on the night, teed up a chance for Alex Woodyard, but the central midfielder wasted the opportunity from 25-yards.

Kent-based Parkinson tried his luck from distance out on the left and could only send his shot sailing over the Dartford crossbar after skilful Payne made progress down the left hand side.

An offside flag thwarted Woking gaining a deserved lead in the 59^th minute.

Betsy released Marriott down the left and the ball was cut back to Payne, who drilled his right-footed shot against the left-hand post from 30-yards.

Betsy picked up the loose ball and laid the ball across goal to Rendell, who was in an offside position by the time he steered his shot into the empty net.

But Woking’s vocal supporters were finally celebrating when their side did deservedly open the scoring in the 63^rd minute.

Payne floated in a cross from the right into the Dartford penalty area and the unmarked Marriott swept his right-footed shot across the flat-footed Julian to find the far corner from 12-yards.

“The first one, I don’t think we closed the guy down from the throw-in,” bemoaned Burman.

“We were probably a little bit tired probably at that time. He’s got the cross in and it’s a great finish but it’s what happened on the end of that is disappointing.

“At the moment, we look like if we concede a goal there’s going to be more on the way and we’ve got to get that belief – that’s not the case.”

Within 48 seconds of going a goal behind, Beasant cut out Ryan Hayes’ attempt after Dartford’s longest serving player cut in from the right.

Dartford squandered an excellent chance to claw themselves back into the game when Noble whipped in a corner from the left and Kenny Clark came up from the back to power his diving header agonisingly wide of the right-hand post.

Marriott held his head in his hands when he was denied by a fine save from visiting keeper Julian, who dived low to his right to push away the shot, after Rendell played the ball across the penalty area to find his new strike partner.

Things started to go horribly wrong for Dartford, as Woking scored twice in 122 seconds.

Mark Ricketts’ fine 75^th minute pass released Marriott down the left and the striker swept the ball across goal to pick out the unmarked Rendell, who steered his right-footed shot into the far corner from three-yards.

“Again, we get stretched and we’re not organised and we’re out of position and that’s where we’ve got to improve our performance,” said Burman.

“You’ve got to stay composed and believe that you can get back in the game and that belief is probably not just there at the moment.”

Dartford were clearly missing the influential force of central midfielder Elliot Bradbrook, who cracked two ribs in their FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round Replay home win over Ebbsfleet United two weeks ago today.

Burman admitted: “We miss him!  We’ve missed all the players that we’ve had out.

“We’re talking five or six players near enough every single game that we’ve missed and if I can get the squad back to full fitness then hopefully that will help us.

“I think we lose Nobes (Lee Noble) now for Saturday. These things happen and they’re here to test you and when you’re down these things do happen.”

Woking were awarded a free-kick down the left some 35-yards from goal and Payne whipped in an excellent delivery with his right-foot and McNerney provided the touch from inside a group of players to find the far corner of the Dartford net.

“Again, it’s a delivery that’s gone in to a good area. If it misses everyone it probably goes in to the back of the net,” said Burman.

“It’s things like that we talk about week in week out and we say how important free-kicks are especially away from home and if you get them into the right areas you’ve got an opportunity to score. I’ve had to explain that to the guys in the (dressing room) and they need to sort that sort of thing out.”

Woking almost grabbed a flattering fourth, but Banya’s left-footed shot flashed past the foot of the near post, past Julian’s despairing dive to his left.

Burman admitted after he is hurting following his side’s tenth-league defeat of the season.

“We’ve got to stick together,” he insisted.

“I know that’s going to be difficult but we’ll stick together in the changing room and we try to stick together on the pitch and I hope that supporters do their best to stick together. I know it’s been difficult for them. It’s difficult for them to watch it week in week out.

“We are still in November. Yes, we’re disappointed, very disappointed, but if they don’t stick together as a club it’s going to make it even more difficult.

“I think (my players) have had a lot of stick over the last couple of weeks. It’s hurting. It is hurting but we’ve got to get on with it.”

Dartford appear to be suffering from second season syndrome.

Burman said: “It is tough, but we knew that.  Us and Woking have been two good teams over the years. We’re both at the wrong end of the table. 

“It’s worked out for Woking tonight and hopefully when we meet it may work out for us again and we get the three points that we’ve just lost.

“It is difficult and with the position that we’re in, it obviously brings it’s pressures and there are a lot of people who are running – not only the team down but they’re running the club down as well at this moment in time - which doesn’t help the situation.

“We have to stick together and year after year you have to beat these sort of things that get put in front of you and we’ll do it together.

“We can all jump on the bandwagon. It’s as easy as anything to jump on the bandwagon. Let’s try and do something positive about it!”

Dartford travel to fifteenth-placed Macclesfield Town on Saturday.  Macclesfield Town pulled off a shock 4-0 win over League One side Swindon Town in The FA Cup First Round last weekend, before being held to a 1-1 draw at home to Kidderminster Harriers tonight.

Burman said: “It’s very difficult for me to sit here after having a 3-0 defeat – I’ve got to say things.

“The pressure is going to be on. It’s on me. The supporters are entitled to their opinions. It’s fine. But if they don’t stick together it makes things only worse.

“It’s not a good time at the moment but at the same time we’ve got to dig in and hope things turn for us.

“I don’t think anyone can say there was a lack of effort in tonight’s performance but Woking got the breaks, it’s as simple as that and we hope we’ll get the breaks when we play other teams. It hasn’t quite worked for us. We’ve got to improve and hopefully with a full squad that might happen.

“Macclesfield is a tough game. They’re flying at the moment. It’s going to be tough but we have to regroup again (at training) on Thursday night and do the long trip to Macclesfield and hopefully things might change.”

Woking: Sam Beasant, Adam Newton, Jack Parkinson (Mike Cestor 82), Joe McNerney, John Nutter, Kevin Betsy, Mark Ricketts, Josh Payne, Charles Banya (John Goddard 90), Jack Marriott (Giuseppe Sole 88), Scott Rendell.
Subs: Aaron Howe, Gavin Williams

Goals: Jack Marriott 63, Scott Rendell 75, Joe McNerney 77

Dartford: Alan Julian, Lee Burns, Kenny Clark, Mat Mitchel-King, Matt Fry, Ryan Hayes (Tyrone Sterling 82), Max Cornhill, Alex Woodyard (Danny Harris 73), Lee Noble, Adam Birchall, Matty Godden (Jason Prior 81).
Subs: Nathan Collier, Tommy Forecast

Booked: Lee Noble 77

Attendance: 1,157 (88 away fans)
Referee: Mr Robert Whitton (Braintree, Essex)
Assistants: Mr Ross Smith (Bedfordshire) & Mr Paul Johnson (Walton-on-Thames, Surrey)
Fourth Official: Mr Alex Neil (Sutton, Surrey)