We've got nothing to lose at Woking, says Dartford boss Tony Burman

DARTFORD manager Tony Burman says his side must raise their game if they are to come away with anything from the top-of-the-table clash at Woking.


The Darts are eleven points adrift of the league leaders with sixteen Blue Square Bet South league games left to play.

A win at Kingfield Stadium on Saturday could make the title race interesting – and the Darts are presently nine points clear of fifth-placed side Sutton United.

Dartford were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Ryman Premier League side Wealdstone in the last sixteen of The FA Carlsberg Trophy last night, as they were twice pegged back after Danny Harris and substitute Lee Noble scored.

Wealdstone scored through two headed goals.  Prolific striker, Richard Jolly, 28, scored his 29^th goal of the season and Chris O’Leary’s towering thumping header, which secured The Stones a deserved replay was something special – in front of the cameras from The Football Association.

Looking ahead to their massive game at Woking, Burman said: “It was always going to be a massive game.  We’re second, they’re top and if we played like we did last night we’ll be in trouble in all honesty.

“Having said that, it’s out the way and we have to play a bit better than what we have done.

“It’s a big game.  We have to try and go there, work hard and be confident. 

“We’ve got nothing to lose. It’s three points.  It’s not going to lose the championship or it’s not going to lose us a play-off place, which we’d like to take, as much as what Woking would like to take.”

Dartford’s FA Carlsberg Trophy Third Round replay will take place at Wealdstone’s Grosvenor Vale ground  next Tuesday.

Gordon Bartlett’s side play home league games on Monday evenings, but they wait a further 24 hours for Cup ties at their Ruislip based ground.

The Stones didn’t look out of their place against the Conference South highflyers last night and will fancy their chances at a hostile home ground as both sides battle for a place in the Quarter-Finals, where they will play the winner of Cambridge United or Guiseley, who hope to play their tie next Tuesday also, after three postponements due to the state of the pitch at Abbey Stadium.

Burman, who has seen his Dartford side held to five successive draws against The Stones, knows what to expect next Tuesday.

He said: “It’s Cup football and we have to be up for that.  It’s a Cup competition and we have to go over there and see what we can do and hopefully we’ll progress to the next round.

“We’ll just go over there with the right attitude and we’ll do our best to try to get through to the next round and I’m sure Wealdstone will do that as well.  Who knows?  Thing’s may open up a little bit better than they did for us last night.”

Wealdstone have now lost only once in their last eighteen games and are presently in eleventh place in the Ryman Premier League table.

But Burman sees Bartlett can lead his side into the higher reaches of the division.

He said:  “I’m not sure they’re mid-table.  I think they’ve got a great chance of getting in the play-offs.  They’re always hard games against Wealdstone and their players have given it their all, which is great to see and things didn’t go our way.  I think we can do better, but it wasn’t to be.”

Burman lost influential skipper, Elliot Bradbrook, to a hamstring injury and Matt Jones was forced off the pitch after picking up a knock as he challenged O’Leary as the Wealdstone midfielder crashed home his excellent header last night.

Burman added: “That’s disappointing, again you’ve got a squad of players and you have to get that sorted out.  Unfortunately for us we’ve lost Elliot and possibly Jonsey but we have to get on with it and we’ll have to see what happens by the weekend.”

Visit Dartford’s websites: www.dartfordfconline.com  & www.dartfordfootballclub.co.uk  

Woking  v  Dartford
Blue Square Bet South
Saturday 18^th February 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Kingfield Stadium, Kingfield Road, Woking, Surrey GU22 9AA