Edgware Town 2-1 Dartford - Darts win title on emotional day and Burman says: I'm proud as punch!

At least 500 Dartford fans made the trip to north London and were in full voice before, during and after the club’s first championship winning bash for 24 years.

The Darts knew that their nearest title challengers AFC Sudbury couldn’t catch them last Tuesday night as they were defeated by Enfield Town.

And Sudbury’s 1-0 defeat at Redbridge today ensured that the Kent giants sealed their title mathematically, despite troubled Edgware fighting back from being a goal down to grab a late victory to stun the Darts, inflicting only their seventh league defeat of this champagne campaign.

Darts boss Tony Burman was disappointed that his side couldn’t seal the title in style as Maharjan drilled a right-footed shot from twenty-yards past the diving Tony Kessell in time added on.

Dartford had taken the lead with 24 minutes and 13 seconds on the clock as striker Jay May scored his 18^th goal of the season.

But Edgware were soon level through their leading man, striker Greg Ngoyi, who scored his 17^th goal of the season from a very tight angle just 171 seconds later.

Burman kept faith with the same team that had thumped Tilbury 5-0 at Princes Park seven days ago and they raced onto the pitch through a guard of honour by the clapping Edgware Town players in front of the main stand.

But the north London side were not going to roll over and die as they have promotion aspirations of their own - via the end of season play-off lottery.

Dartford, however, created a couple of early chances. Ryan Hayes’ first corner was punched away by goalkeeper Darren Bonfield and midfielder Junior Kadi unleashed a right-footed half-volley from twenty-yards, which deflected just past the left post.

And from the resulting corner, this time from the left-hand side, Adam Flanagan met Hayes’ set-piece with a downward header, which was comfortably saved by Bonfield, diving low to his left.

Ngoyi’s first chance arrived courtesy of a header, which he sent just over the crossbar, after Vince Rispoli delivered a free-kick from midfield.

The striker then drilled a shot just past the left-post from twenty-yards but they called Tony Kessell into action when the former Folkestone Invicta goalkeeper was alert to tip Richard Morton’s 35-yard free-kick over his crossbar.

Kessell was tested again after seventeen minutes when he made a comfortable low save to his left to prevent the unmarked Rispoli scoring with a header from 12-yards.

And in a four versus four attack, Adam Wallace’s cross from the right was brought under control by Ngoyi, whose right-footed shot from twenty-yards was tipped around the post by Kessell, diving full-stretch to his right.

But the majority of the travelling Dartford fans, filling two thirds of the covered terracing opposite the main stand, increased their volume levels as their side took the lead after 25 minutes.

36-goal striker Brendon Cass took a whack from a defender as he knocked down Junior Kadi’s far-post free-kick from the inside left-channel and May thumped a right-footed half-volley into the roof of the net from 12-yards.

But teams are always vulnerable after scoring and Edgware immediately drew level when the lively Ngoyi cut along the right by-line and somehow found the net from a tight angled with a driven shot, which stunned the Darts.

Winger Hayes whipped in a cross from the right, which was knocked down by Kadi but May poked the ball agonisingly over the crossbar from just four-yards out.

Nigoyi squandered an excellent chance to give the home side the lead just before the break when he latched onto a quickly taken free-kick but stroked his right-footed angled shot just past the foot of the far post.

Early in the second half and Morton, the Edgware skipper, tried his luck with a driven right-footed shot from Kessell from 35-yards, but the Darts goalkeeper kept his eye on the bouncing ball to make a comfortable save.

Kessell was booked after 56 minutes after he rushed out of his penalty area to bring down Ngoyi, who had latched onto a ball over the top down the left-hand side.

Edgware goalkeeper Darren Bonfield was finally called into action with nineteen minutes remaining.

Flanagan, up for a previous corner, was released down the left-channel and cut the ball back to May inside the area and his shot was blocked by the goalkeeper’s legs.

Left-back Steve Norman wanted to get in on the act two minutes later, unleashing a left-footed shot from 35-yards, which bounced agonisingly past the far post.

Eddie McClements, a player who has been with the club during it’s exiled days, drilled an angled shot from the edge of the penalty area, but this was comfortably saved by Bonfield.

A cross from substitute Nick Barnes from the left found Hayes out on the right and his cross was headed towards goal by Barnes, but the ball struck Ben Hayden’s chest at the near post.

But Edgware should have scored with nine minutes remaining.

Ngoyi, on the right-hand side of the penalty area, sprayed the ball to the unmarked Wallace on the left, but the alert Kessell advanced off his line quickly to block the shot from eight-yards at his near post.

Hayes’ swung over a left-footed free-kick from just outside the box on the right and this bounced off the top of the crossbar but when Maharjan scored the winning goal, to the delight of his team-mates, nothing was going to stop the party spirit.

At the final whistle of the club’s penultimate league game fans started running onto the pitch and they congregated in front of the main stand - and players tunnel - signing their hearts out.

And when the players emerged from the dressing rooms, shirts were thrown into the crowd, champagne sprayed and the knowledge that the club will be playing Ryman Premier League football in August.

Boss Burman, who scored the club’s Southern Premier League title winning goal at Sutton Coldfield 24 years ago, couldn’t hold back the tears when paying tribute to the many loyal people that have made this possible.

“There’s so many people to thank but for me what’s going to be the best thing that I can enjoy now is there’s smiles on so many people’s faces, who have put a lot of effort into the club,” Burman told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“I can’t tell you how good that will feel for me - I’m delighted for them!”

He was, however, disappointed that his championship winning team couldn’t win it by avoiding defeat.

“I was disappointed in the end with the result,” he admitted. “They’ve scored a goal in the last minute. I think the fella’s hit a goal from (twenty) yards (and it’s) gone into the back of the net.

“It’s disappointing, I wanted to get our point. We didn’t get it but we’ve won the league now and we’ll try and get our three points next week.

“I wanted to win it in style. It wasn’t the greatest of games today but fair play to Edgware, they’re not a bad side.

“But we’re champions and I’m proud as punch to say that!”

Despite taking four points from the Darts this season, Edgware remain outside the play-off’s in seventh place - just two points adrift of fifth placed side Canvey Island.

Burman said: “Edgware have been in the top six for most of the season and they’ve got a hell of a lot of troubles here, financially, let alone their (joint) manager (Del Deanus) is seriously ill at this moment in time and we wish him all the best.

“It puts things into perspective. If they’re in the play-off’s now after today’s game or it goes into next week, I think they’re going to be a match for anyone.”

Edgware Town’s joint manager Steve Newing, meanwhile, paid tribute to Dartford fans following today’s match at the White Lion Ground for their behaviour and generosity towards Del Deanus, 34, who sadly has been diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease, a terminal condition.

“I take my hat off to them,” he said. “They came to the White Lion Ground today - mob handed - 600 or so, behaved impeccably, enjoyed themselves, enjoyed our hospitality.

“Dartford got beat 2-1 in an entertaining game, by a special goal from Denis Maharjan in injury time, won the league deservedly so and then spent another one hour plus at our club, drinking and partying.

“More importantly, I take my hat off to them as a whip round in the bar well after 6pm led to their fans donating just over £300 to the Del Deanus Benefit Fund.

“You are a credit to your club and the fans of non-league football.

“As Del’s joint-manager and one of his best mates, I am moved by such a gesture!”

Edgware Town: Darren Bonfield, Fergus Moore, Gavin Hart, Vince Rispoli (Stuart Blackburne 79), Craig McKay, Ben Hayden, Dave Taylor, Richard Morton, Adam Wallace, Greg Ngoyi (Jason Fernee 90), Denis Maharjan.
Subs: Adil Salih, Jordan Lockie, Rob Blackburne.

Goals: Greg Ngoyi 28, Denis Maharjan 90

Booked: Fergus Moore 85

Dartford: Tony Kessell, Jamie Coyle, Steve Norman, Adam Flanagan, John Guest, Alex O’Brien, Ryan Hayes (Luke Piscina 90), Junior Kadi (Nick Barnes 65), Brendon Cass, Jay May, Eddie McClements.
Subs: Yohance Lewis, Mark Green, Tommy Osborne.

Goal: Jay May 25

Booked: Tony Kessell 56

Attendance: 613
Referee: Mr Barry Holderness
Assistants: Mr Reuden Simon & Mr Aiden Farrelly