Dartford 0-3 Boreham Wood - We lost to a better side, confesses Burman - EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

DARTFORD 0-3 BOREHAM WOOD
Tuesday 14^th November 2006
Westview Cup Fourth Round
Stephen McCartney reports from Princes Park

After the euphoria of Saturday’s homecoming, when they defeated a plucky Horsham YMCA side 4-2 in front of a capacity crowd of 4,097, Dartford returned back down to earth with a thump, being knocked out of their last cup competition, the Westview Cup tonight.

A crowd of 1,087 witnessed Boreham Wood, sixth in the Ryman Premier League table, show their class throughout and two own-goals in the last 17 minutes from full-backs Tommy Osborne and Danny White, following Chris Watters’ sixth goal of the season after 21 minutes, sent the Hertfordshire side through to the last eight of the Ryman League Cup competition.

Gone were the fireworks and pumping loud music (the club don’t have the necessary permission yet to play music at their new £6.5m home) but the realisation that the Darts lost to a much better side.

Dartford were without the cup-tied pair of Lew Watts and Nick Barnes and made three changes to the starting eleven that won at the weekend.

Boreham Wood, who came away from Tonbridge Angels with a 1-1 draw at the weekend, were thwarted three times by Darts goalkeeper Kevin Hudson inside the first eleven minutes.

Hudson got down quickly to parry Sam Taylor’s drilled effort from distance and by the time he blocked Chris Bangura’s follow up, the flag had already been raised for offside.

Hudson did ever so well to stick out a hand to prevent Greg Morgan’s deflected shot from beating him and then he produced an acrobatic flying save to tip Paul Burrows’ 20-yard shot over his bar.

With their fans behind the goal that their side were attacking, they were in pockets during Saturday’s game, the Darts faithful saw Eddie McClements have their first shot on goal after 18 minutes, but the Dartford born midfielder’s low shot from 20-yards was too comfortable for Noel Imber.

But it was from Imber’s route one clearance that assisted in Boreham Wood taking a deserved lead just three minutes later.

His full-back Michael Cox rolled the ball back to him and Imber took his time to launch the ball over to Watters on the left hand side.

Watters left right-back Osborne sleeping and then drove a 20-yard shot across Hudson and into the bottom far corner.

The Princes Park crowd were stunned but they were cursing their luck just five minutes later when Brendon Cass, the first person to score a goal at this stunning stadium, saw his hanging shot from 20-yards bounce off the far post.

Brad Potter was caught in possession by Luke Gregson, whose shot from the edge of the penalty area, dropped just over Hudson’s crossbar.

Gregson then thumped a shot against Hudson’s crossbar before McClements’ right-footed drive flew over Imber’s bar, following a move involving winger Ryan Hayes and Cass.

Dartford created another chance on the stroke of half-time but Cass’ poked shot towards goal, following Hayes’ cross from the right, was never going to trouble Boreham Wood’s 29-year-old goalkeeper.

But Dartford’s best chance came early in the second half when Anthony Henry met Ryan Briggs’ free-kick, but his header looped agonisingly over the bar.

Taylor whipped in a cross from the left hand side after 52 minutes and Hudson made another fine save when he tipped Gregson’s powerful header over the bar.

And Dartford went close within a minute when Hayes’ drilled cross from the right bounced off the head of Boreham Wood skipper Mark Smith, but Imber made a superb recovery save to turn the ball around his post.

Imber would have been disappointed with his three man wall for allowing Steve Hafner’s drilled long range free-kick skidding off the excellent playing surface straight into his grateful arms on the hour mark.

But two own-goals sent the visitors through to the last eight of the competition.

Bangura’s cross from the left by-line diverted off Darts skipper Osborne and flew into the back of the net to stun the Princes Park faithful once more.

The striker, with his arms raised, celebrated by the advertising hoardings, and although people were congregated behind the goal, no-one seemed to care.

And with four minutes remaining Watters’ cross looped off White to find the back of the net.

By this time many fans were heading for the exits, but instead of a chorus of booing, the loyal Darts fans showed their devoted love to their team.

Although disappointed that his side have to concentrate solely on the league for the rest of the season, manager Tony Burman emphasised that they were playing a team from a higher division.

“Disappointing to be out of the competition but we have gone out to a good side,” he said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“They are strong, it’s disappointing with the two second half goals because they are own goals but that’s the way it goes sometimes.

“We didn’t start off that brightly again but they got sloppy goals from our point of view.”

But despite their defeat, Burman was pleased with his team’s performance.

He said: “I thought the game as a neutral seemed good, it seemed a good footballing game but we have lost.

“I hope people realise that we’ve played a team in a higher league and that’s not making any excuses but we have and they are a strong side.”

But Burman was delighted with the support given by another big crowd.

“The support was excellent tonight,” he said. “It was really, really good as in vocal support.

“To have over a thousand here tonight it’s a fantastic feeling and to be honest I wasn’t expecting that.

“I hope they realise we have played a team in a higher league and they are really a good side.”

Midfielder McClements, who was substituted after 65 minutes, is expected to have recovered from his dead leg in time for Saturday’s trip to Cray Wanderers (Hayes Lane, Bromley).