29thmar05

Dartford bounce back after Maldon mauling

DARTFORD manager Tony Burman has revealed the capture of youngster Ryan Hayes from their Kent League neighbours Slade Green, writes Stephen McCartney.

With transfer deadline day coming up on Thursday, the Southern League Division One East club have also received a seven-day approach from league rivals Erith & Belvedere for Teddy Ansell.

Burman, speaking on the club's website said: "On Thursday sees the transfer deadline and yes I have made a couple of seven-day approaches for some players and yes we have received a seven day approach for Teddy from Erith & Belvedere.

"I have also signed Ryan Hayes, a young player from Slade Green, who I have watched a couple of times and think he has good potential and would like to look at him more closely.

"Of our present squad I do not want to see anybody leave as when I took over I told them that I wanted to see things through with every single one of them."

However, the Darts have had a mix Easter, losing 5-0 to in-form Maldon Town at Stonebridge Road on Easter Saturday then picking up a point at Wingate & Finchley, in a 2-2 draw, two days later.

Speaking about their loss to Maldon Town, Burman revealed: "I changed our formation slightly after reports I had received on our opponents.

"In the first twenty minutes of the game I felt from three good chances that we created we needed to score from at least one of them to put our opponents under some sort of pressure and obviously to keep our good start opening.

"This didn't happen and with the excellent form that Maldon are in they took control of the game.

"Their first goal was just outstanding from a player full of confidence.  Again at home we had a crazy fifteen minutes and found ourselves 3-0 down.

"To say that I was disappointed is an understatement.  The last two goals being school boy errors.

"Maldon were a very good side and their two forwards were excellent players.

"On the day we were well below their level of performance and Maldon just ran the show.  We must remember that a lot of our players are under twenty years of age and they will learn from their mistakes but for me when you play against a good side with good players you must try and compete and raise your game, which we only achieved in the first twenty minutes.

"Young players often, when they go a goal down, drop their heads and lose their concentration and they think that the game is already lost.

"I hope I am not talking out of line and that this is probably been a major problem all season.  I have only seen two of the top teams in our division this season and if we are to get to this level of performance for next season we have a lot of work to do.

"Maldon were far the better side on the day and if it wasn't for Kevin Hudson the scoreline could have been more embarrassing."

However, Burman, managed to lift his battered squad for their trip to Wingate & Finchley two days later.

"When you take a big defeat like we did you hope you can lift the players for the next game, which was another tough away trip to Wingate & Finchley," he said.

"At training last Wednesday, I told the players because of two games in three games I would probably use all the players in the squad.

"I changed the formation for Monday's game after reports on Wingate and went back to three players upfront.

"I felt that Wingate are a team in a higher position than us but a team on our day we could get something from.

"I think we started the game in a very positive way and caused them sort of problems with the pace of Dominic (Elmes) and Tostao (Kwashi), with Tostao hitting the bar with an overhead kick after fifteen minutes.

"When you are playing away the home team will always come forward and create chances and unfortunately we went a goal down from a disputed offside.

"Once again, I wondered what the attitude of our young players would be and to be fair after a dodgy five minutes they held their own.

"The players battled back with some good football and Teddy (Ansell) struck one in from twenty yards.

"I felt this was well deserved and was fairly pleased with our first half performance.  I have stated in my notes before that I play three forwards upfront we must cause our opponents problems.

"In the second half, I felt that Jimmy (Carter), Dominic and Tostao were excellent and were causing enough problems, which enabled us to take the lead.

"At this stage I was thinking "should I take two forwards off and play six across the middle or carry on letting our forwards cause them problems."

"One change was forced on me as Dominic had hurt his ankle but in the time it took me to make my mind up unfortunately Wingate got an equaliser, which I have to say I wasn't too pleased about.

"In the last fifteen minutes, to be fair to Wingate, they struck the bar three times from long range shorts but we still also had our chances to go further ahead.

"Overall, I think a draw was a fair result from an entertaining game from both sides.  From our point of view, on the back of a 5-0 defeat the attitude of the players was good and for their hard work I am pleased they got something from the game."

Southern League Division One East (bottom six)