Dartford 1-1 Port Vale - We got away with murder, admits Port Vale boss Micky Adams

Saturday 06th November 2010

DARTFORD 1-1 PORT VALE
FA Cup (Sponsored by E.ON) First Round
Saturday 6th November 2010
Mike Green reports from Princes Park Stadium

USUALLY when a team from high reaches of nPower League Two plays a side from Blue Square Bet South its more often than not the Non League boss who makes a post match comment like “We've got away with murder today, let's not make any mistake about that!”

But when you learn that this was a quote from Port Vale boss Micky Adams, you begin to realise just how close Tony Burman’s Dartford side came to achieving their own giant killing and knocking a League side out of the Greatest Cup Competition in the World for the first time since the mid 1960’s.

Seven minutes – seven lousy minutes – the Darts were that close to the promised land of giant killing history after skipper Elliot Bradbrook had steered Ryan Hayes’ drilled free kick into the net.

Seven minutes between Vale and an embarrassing exit until they were saved by central defender Jon McCombe who scrambled the ball home from a corner, after earlier in the game twice clearing the ball off of his own goal line!

After the game Burman spoke to www.kentishfootball.co.uk and BBC Radio Kent with pride oozing from his every word. "I'm a happy man to be fair, the performance was the best one we've put on all season,” he said.

“I'm disappointed because I'd like it to be like that every week,” the Darts boss added smiling. “I’m glad that we went to see them on Tuesday night because we did have a game plan - we spoke to the players on Thursday about what we thought they should do and they did it perfectly really, I was really pleased for them.”

The Darts sounded the first warning to their opponents in the opening seconds as Danny Harris prodded the ball wide of the advancing Stuart Tomlinson in the Vale goal only for McCombe to scramble the ball off of the line.

Hayes, who was magnificent throughout, then drilled home a free kick, which fizzed across the face of goal as the Darts early dominance really took their opponents by surprise!

Half way through the first half, Gary Roberts was booked for an ugly two-footed challenge on Michael Shinn, which sparked a melee with players from both sides “airing their views”!

Indeed upon reflection, Roberts was very lucky not to be shown a straight red card by referee Gibbs as the challenge really was out of keeping with rest of what was a cracking Cup-tie.

Paul Goodacre’s header on the half hour (from Hayes’ corner) was hacked to safety by an off balance McCombe as the home side continued to pressed and with the majority of the 3,600 crowd baying for the opening goal, their wish was granted even minutes from half time – and boy didn’t Princes rock!

Hayes was again the provider – a driven free kick from the right hand edge of the box was met by Bradbrook, and whether he knew anything about it or not, the ball finished up in the back of the Vale net and the home crowd went wild!

Vale boss Adams made a triple change at half time in a bid to kick start his side, but in truth it didn’t really work with Goodacre and his central defensive partner Tom Champion immense throughout – Goodacre even had time to thump a header into Tomlinson’s chest from a Shinn corner.

Dartford edged closer and closer to promised land of Round Two but there was a brief sign of Vale coming to life on 67 minutes when two of Adams’ substitutes combined – with Kris Taylor crossing for Sean Rigg to head wide.

Hayes then drove a free kick inches over the bar before crossing for Carl Rook, who lead the Darts line brilliantly on his own, shot wide from the edge of the box.

With the click showing 83 minutes, Vale finally showed some metal and put the Darts dream on hold – at least for ten days!

McCombe bundled home a corner through a crowd of players and the reaction of their players, management and fans alike told you that they had just got out of jail big time – a fact that Adams admitted when he also spoke to www.kentishfootball.co.uk and BBC Radio Kent after the game.

He said: "We've got away with murder today, let's not make any mistake about that. From start to finish we were second best against a very good Dartford team.”

He went on: "I feel sorry for Dartford in a way, although I'm delighted we get a chance at Vale Park in 10 days time. You have to say that Dartford thoroughly deserved to be in the hat.

"I'm amazed because we're second top in the second division and you wouldn't have thought that playing like we did today. We were out-battled, out-passed, out-fought, the desire wasn't there from our point of view and that's really disappointing from a team I manage!”

Final words must go to the Darts chief who came so close to masterminding an upset, but nonetheless, this performance is quite possibly the beat from a Dartford team since they returned “home” on November 11th 2006.

Burman concluded by saying "No disrespect to Port Vale but we were by far the better side today and if we had got the second goal it would have been over. I think we deserved more – of course I'm pleased we're in the hat but really we should have won the game.”

Dartford: Andrew young, Billy Burgess, Tom Bonner, Tom Champion, Paul Goodacre, Michael Shinn, Ryan Hayes, Danny Harris, Carl Rook (Charlie Sheringham 81), Lee Burns, Elliot Bradbrook.

Subs: James White, Lee Noble, Ollie Berquez, Joe Bruce, Adam Burchell, John Whitehouse.

Goal: Elliot Bradbrook 38

Port Vale: Stuart Tomlinson, Adam Yates, Anthony Griffith, John McCombe, Gareth Owen, Doug Loft, Louis Dodds, Tommy Fraser, Justin Richards (Sean Rigg 46), Lee Collins (Kris Taylor 46), Gary Roberts (Louis Haldane 46).

Subs: Chris Martin, Sam Morsy, Matthew bell, Ritchie Sutton

Goal: John McCombe 83

Booked: Gary Roberts 24

Attendance: 3,679

Referee: Mr Phil Gibbs

Assistants: Mr Warren Atkin & Mr John Magill

Fourth official: Mr Ashley Slaughter