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Dartford boss Tony Burman says FA Cup prize money is vital after only two home games since early September

Dartford manager Tony Burman is relishing the prospect of getting a home tie in the FA Cup First Round draw on Monday.

The Darts have played only two home games since early September, and Burman says the revenue is very valuable in the absence of so few matches at Princes Park, with his team not due to play in front of their own fans again until Saturday week.

Burman said: "We are delighted to be in the hat, because it means so much at this stage. We have got a lot of things going on at the ground, and it must be four weeks since we last played at home, and there has been no income - so the money from the Cup has helped us and been a blessing.

"We have a board meeting on Monday night, and it's going to be interesting, with the draw being made then."

Dartford celebrate Alex Brown's goal. Pic by Andy Payton
Dartford celebrate Alex Brown's goal. Pic by Andy Payton

Burman added: "Tonbridge started off very well which we expected, the wind was a little bit stronger than we thought in the warm-up, but we were organised and kept our shape, but didn't have the quality going forward on the counter-attack.

"The times we did at the end of the first half, we produced the first goal, we felt the game would open up in the second, and it was nice to get a couple in the first 10 minutes, the game was over then and we have done a job.

"We rode the early storm, we wasn't lucky, talked positively at half-time, said we didn't want anything to upset us like Tonbridge scoring - and we ended up getting two, and finished the game."

Dartford scorer Elliot Bradbrook chased by Craig Dundas Pic by Andy Payton
Dartford scorer Elliot Bradbrook chased by Craig Dundas Pic by Andy Payton

Tonbridge boss Steve McKimm said: "I am proud and disappointed.

"Proud of my players to get as far as we did in the competition, but disappointed because simple instructions weren't followed through, especially after half-time when the game is dead and buried as soon as they got their two goals."

"All-in-all, the club has made a good bit of money out of it, I wouldn't say we came up a little bit short today, we were just a bit naive on certain things, and the higher level you play you get punished - but it wasn't a 3-0 game in my opinion.

"In every game you need to score when you are on top and we didn't.

"We hit the post, the keeper's made a save, but apart from that neither of them has had to make any, so it was a nothing game, and they scored the three goals which got them through."

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