Dartford boss Tony Burman is thrilled to see his side respond to a drubbing by Mansfield Town by beating FC Halifax Town
By Steve
Tervet
Tony Burman praised the
character of his players after they bounced back from a thrashing
at Mansfield to win Wednesday’s FA Trophy quarter-final replay
against Halifax.
The Darts won 3-2 at Princes
Park to book their place in the last-four. Grimsby Town now stand
between them and Wembley, with the first-leg of the semi-final to
be played at Blundell Park next weekend.
Saturday’s 5-0 reverse at Field
Mill was Dartford’s heaviest defeat of the season. Once again, the
Darts conceded early against Halifax but this time they bounced
back with three second-half goals to keep their Trophy run
going.
Darts boss Burman (pictured)
said: "All credit to my players. We were on the end of a 5-0
beating on Saturday and we had a few words on Monday night at
training. I felt that we responded well.
"We played against a very good
side in Halifax. I think people may not have realised what a good
result it was up there (1-1) because they absolutely came at
us.
"They got a great start and that
gave them a lift. As the game went on, we played some decent
football and we had chances. We should have converted those chances
but it wasn’t to be and that’s how football goes
sometimes."
Dartford trailed to Dan
Gardner’s goal at the interval but Lee Noble and Elliot Bradbrook
struck after the break to put them 2-1 in front.
Ryan Hayes scored a third but
Gardner’s second goal gave Halifax hope and Bradbrook’s late
penalty miss ensured Burman, and the home crowd, had to endure a
nail-biting climax.
He said: "Coming in 1-0 at
half-time, we told the players they had to be patient, they
couldn’t go gung-ho and leave holes at the back.
"I thought it was a controlled
performance and when we got the third goal, you think the game’s
over. Fair play to Halifax, they still came at us in the last 10
minutes.
"There’s an easy way and there’s
a Dartford way. Their fella had a great strike in the
89th minute, then we‘ve got a penalty and Elliot decided
to hit the bar."
Dartford have two Blue Square
Bet Premier fixtures to negotiate before they head to Grimsby for
the semi-final first leg on February 16.
07/02/13