You want to stay in The FA Cup for as long as possible for obvious reasons, says Dartford boss Tony Burman

DARTFORD boss Tony Burman believes Slough Town are favourites going into their FA Cup Third Qualifying Round tie tomorrow.

Slough Town are top of the Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division going into the game at Arbour Park, as they have won nine and drawn one of their 11 league games.

Dartford play one level higher, in the Vanarama National League South, having collected five wins, five draws from their 12 games and they sit in seventh-place.

“I think it’s going to be a tough game, they’re on a real good run of winning games at the moment,” said Burman.

“They’re top of their league so it’s going to be tough but I think we’ve had a good start to our season and we’re on a good run as well.  Hopefully, it’s going to be a decent game.”

Slough Town play on an artificial pitch at their new stadium but Dartford have been training on one at Princes Park for nearly ten years.

Burman said: “We train on one, which is a bit older than what some of the newer ones are now. Because we train on it we know what it can do and what it’s like so there’s no excuses in that respect. It’s whether people like watching games on 3G surfaces?  It can be different. It’s just one of those things, you just have to get on with it and not complain too much.”

Burman is keen to enjoy a lengthy run in The FA Cup, having knocked out their National League South rivals Chelmsford City 3-2 in the last round.

“It’s the same as any other non-league club, you want to stay in it for as long as possible for obvious reasons,” said Burman.

“The financial rewards are fantastic and the publicity is great for your club, your supporters and your town. We’re no different to any other non-league club.

“We’ve had a difficult tie in the last round. The draw wasn’t very kind to us, we had to play away from home and it’s similar this time around and you’ve got to win your battles and we had to win our battle in the first game against Chelmsford and hopefully we can do that tomorrow against Slough.

“I think if Slough wasn’t top of their league and doing so well then they might be the underdogs, if you like.  I know we’re in the higher league but because they’re doing so well - and fair play to them doing that – we go there and people might not give us much of a chance on a 3G pitch as well but I think we’ve been playing reasonably well and got some good results.

“The result against Chelmsford brought the players together and it will only help them in the future.

“We’re looking forward to it and we want to progress like everyone else does.”

Dartford moved in to Princes Park ten years in November and Burman knows how it feels to move into a new stadium – and the pressures involved to produce a winning team on the pitch.

“It’s 10 years ago in November and we’ve had a great time since we’ve been in our new ground,” said Burman.

“I know Slough have had a ground build and it’s not quite finished yet with their stand and that sort of thing but nevertheless it’s been great for their supporters and the people running their club that their back in their own town.

“I know and we all know how hard work it is to do that and good luck in their quest to go forward and have a home of their own. It’s a fantastic feeling and good luck to them.”

Burman revealed that left-back Tom Wynter will have a fitness test before tomorrow’s game but “he probably won’t be risked,” after being stretchered off during last weekend’s 2-1 home win over Concord Rangers, managed by former Dartford defender Adam Flanagan.

Visit Dartford’s website: www.dartfordfc.com

Slough Town  v  Dartford
The Emirates FA Cup Third Qualifying Round
Saturday 1^st October 2016
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Arbour Park, Stoke Road, Slough, Berkshire SL2 5AY