11thoct04

Dartford sign Knight in shining armour

DARTFORD manager Tommy Sampson has announced the signing of 29-year-old central midfielder Graham Knight - and he will make his debut in their Southern League Division One East match at bottom-of-the-table Tilbury on Saturday, writes Stephen McCartney.

Knight, who has moved locally to Bexley, was released with "mutual consent" by  Ryman League Division One side Banstead Athletic recently.

He spent four years with the Merland Rise outfit and Sampson said: "He has a very good CV and the managers he has played for all speak highly of him."

The six-foot tall midfielder, however, hasn't played for the past three weeks but he will make his Dartford debut at Chadfields, as the Darts aim to pile more misery on the Essex side.

Sampson also revealed he has put in a seven-day approach for Craig Dennis from Great Wakering Rovers - the club he signed Danny Heale from last week.

Heale made an impressive debut scoring twice as Dartford beat ten-man Leatherhead 5-2 at Stonebridge Road in the preliminary round of the FA Trophy on Saturday.

Their reward is a trip to Nationwide South club Redbridge in the first round on the 6th November.

24-year-old Dennis, is a six-foot three central defender and Sampson added: "He is quite experienced having played in Essex.  I need a dominant centre-half with a left foot.  We don't win enough headers and he has impressed me when I have watched him twice."

Sampson, however, has mixed feelings about their Trophy win over Leatherhead.

"It's like a Curate's Egg (good in parts)," he said.

"We were brilliant at times and at times woeful," he admitted.

"We were great going forward and some woeful defending allowed Leatherhead to score twice."

"When I talk about defending, I don't mean the back four - I mean from the front two backwards.

"The game could have been over at ten-past-three as we missed four great chances.

"Leatherhead shot themselves in the foot as the boy Dave Stevens got himself sent off.  He tried to head-but (allegedly) Darren Penfold - which the assistant referee witnessed and the referee had no hesitation (but to send him off)."

However, it was the home side's defending that is causing concern for the Dartford manager at present, but he admitted his side are entertaining to watch.

He said: "It's the second week running we have given a disastrous goal away, and we gave them a moments gift.

"We could, however, have scored 12, but we have got an ability to score - that will save us - but our ability to defend isn't great.

"We are a very young side, but the young players have to make mistakes to learn.  It seems we have got to score three goals to win a game."

The Darts have scored five goals at Stonebridge Road on two occasions - the other a 5-0 win over Horsham YMCA in the FA Cup preliminary round at the beginning of September - and have also scored three goals at home twice.

Former Margate man, Paul Sykes, who has missed the last three weeks due to an knee injury, is still another three weeks away from making a return.

Jim Carter, who is suffering from a groin injury, should return at the same time as Sykes.

Striker Tommy Planck, however, who missed the win over Leatherhead with a slight hamstring pull, will be out of action for a maximum of two weeks.

Sampson, however, is sweating on the fitness of Ted Ansell (ankle), Eddie McClements (knee) and two-goal hero Heale (ankle).

The manager will asses the trio at training this week before making a final selection on the team for the trip to Tilbury.

Meanwhile, Sampson has asked supporters to attend Wednesday night's Pepsi FA Youth Cup first qualifying round tie against Crawley Town at Stonebridge Road, which kick's off at the standard time of 7.45pm.