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Dartford assistant manager Christian Jolley says attention to detail is vital ahead of play-off campaign in National League South

Dartford will scrutinise every minor detail as they gear up towards the play-offs.

The Darts boosted their chances of a top two finish after thumping Dulwich 4-0 at Princes Park last weekend.

Christian Jolley alongside Dartford boss Alan Dowson. Picture: Keith Gillard
Christian Jolley alongside Dartford boss Alan Dowson. Picture: Keith Gillard

And assistant manager Christian Jolley wants them to demonstrate that precise focus again ahead of Good Friday’s trip to Eastbourne and a home derby with Dover on Easter Monday.

“Every game is important now,” stated Jolley. “You look at it from a group perspective and we all want to be in a good momentum-based shift going into the play-offs and making sure we can do what we want to do.

“From an individual basis, I keep saying to the players that every game you’re asking questions of each other and making sure that people can deliver in important moments.

“That’s not switching off in the last five minutes, if it had been 4-1 against Dulwich for example, they’re the details we want to get right and the boys got it right. Ben Dudzinski made a really big save at 3-0 and then Maxwell Statham made some really pivotal clearances at the back post which means they didn’t score.

“They are the sort of details we’re scrutinising about because a detail in the play-offs is something you can’t bounce back from.

“You don’t have other games to do it from, you’ve got to really nail it from the first hurdle. The boys are fully aware of exactly the standard that we’re after.

“I’m really excited, every game is a cup final as we’re trying out different processes, different personnel, different reactions, different characteristics of a game.

“When we come up against those sorts of things in a play-off game, we’ll be ready and operating in a manner which we’ve already experienced them so we’ll be ready for those scenarios.

“Going into all of these games over Easter is a challenge where we need to make sure we’ve got something just to mix things up so we don’t go in with the same system every week and we’re a bit more insightful.”

Alex Wall netted a hat-trick against Dulwich, taking his tally to 11 league goals for the season.

He’s had plenty of questions to answer since rejoining the club in the summer.

“That’s a conference south thing - every player has question marks,” responded Jolley.

“At this level most players have had three, four or five clubs and that’s where the question marks go. Can he score enough goals there? Can he stay injury free? He’s been fantastic, he’s been available for 90 per cent of the season which has been a massive plus, that was one of the question marks over him.

“Does he score goals consistently? He’s delivered that and demonstrated that. Is he hungry? I think Saturday demonstrated exactly that. What sort of character is he? He’s top, a proper bloke, proper player and that’s exactly the kind of person the gaffer wants in the dressing room.

“I’m really pleased for him, he does all his hard work and he drives us on, he’s not afraid to give us feedback and that’s really important as a staff as you need to know exactly where you’re at and anything you can improve on.”

Dartford paired Wall alongside Harvey Bradbury as they moved away from their favoured 4-3-3 formation.

It certainly gives Alan Dowson’s men a new dimension ahead of the play-offs.

“We played the two and they’re both big lads and can affect things physically,” said Jolley. “They’ve both got good legs, that’s something Wally doesn’t get credit for, he’s got good athleticism and they’re both honest.

“It gave Dulwich a different threat, normally we play with a three. It’s something different and we looked a threat when we had good possession in the middle to final third.

“That’s something to just plant a seed in other teams as now you do your homework going into the play-offs, what do they do in this or that situation, and I think we’re just trying to demonstrate we’ve got quite a bit of versatility in the squad.”

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