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Sport

Former Millwall defender and manager Alan McLeary coaching Dartford's defence in National League South

By: Matthew Panting mpanting@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 05:00, 13 October 2022

Updated: 16:37, 13 October 2022

Alan Dowson has called on a former Millwall manager to help out his Dartford defence.

The Darts have drafted in ex-Lions stalwart Alan McLeary to ensure there’s extra defensive resolve in his squad after leaking a number of soft goals early in the campaign.

Dartford striker Charlie Sheringham's header gave his side three points at Dulwich on Saturday. Picture: Keith Gillard

McLeary played more than 300 times for Millwall and managed the club alongside long-time team-mate Keith Stevens in 1999.

Darts boss Dowson explained: “We’ve got my mate Alan McLeary from Millwall - he managed them - and he’s come in and helped us.

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“We’re getting stronger and stronger with him coming in once a week, we’re benefiting from that. He’s been there and done it but it doesn’t matter if we’ve got Jürgen Klopp in and we make individual mistakes – it kills you.

“Alan’s been in for a while. I always respected him as a player, I was a young apprentice at Millwall when he was a pro. He watches all the home games, and gives his opinion as well so we value that.

On-loan midfielder Jack Smith is pulled back at Dulwich. Picture: Keith Gillard
Dartford's Alex Wall clears against Dulwich. Picture: Keith Gillard

“The players themselves are not bad players but it was the goals we were conceding as a team, not just the back four, that were not right.

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“Any help we can get then I’m all for that, I love doing my coaching on the training ground but extra help like that is great.”

Dartford extended their winning run to five games in National League South with a 2-1 success at Dulwich on Saturday.

Samir Carruthers scores from the spot at Dulwich. Picture: Keith Gillard

A Samir Carruthers penalty and a Charlie Sheringham header proved decisive as the Darts responded to conceding early on.

“I thought it was a deserved win,” added Dowson. “It’s a funny place, a sell-out of 3,300 but it felt more like a Test match than a football match. It’s a lovely place with lovely people, they’re a decent side and we were glad to get the points.

“We keep starting sloppy and we were trying to work on that at training. I think it’s only against Worthing when we’ve scored an early goal. We don’t score early goals and it’s frustrating.

“We said before kick-off that they’ve been struggling so let’s get on the front foot and score an early goal but within six minutes we were one-down. It was four mistakes going through the team when they scored.

Charlie Sheringham celebrates the winner on Saturday. Picture: Keith Gillard

“It started off with a sloppy ball going through midfield, then my centre-half has to do a bit more, another centre-half has to do better with the cross and the right-back has let the lad go. That’s cost us a goal.

“We showed good character to come back. We had to sort a few things out at half-time as I knew we could do better, and we did that in the second half.

“It shouldn’t need a rant by me, they should be doing that themselves to start with.”

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