Dartford’s season took another backward step as they slipped to another home defeat and now means that the Princes Park faithful haven’t seen their heroes win at home since November – a run that now stretches to nine heart-aching games.
And to be fair for three quarters of the game, the Darts were a poor second best against a very ordinary Altrincham side who hit the home side’s with goals in each half that left Tony Burman absolutely bewildered and let down.
After the game he fumed, “there were some of the players out there today, first half in particular who let me and themselves down badly. They were a different side than went to Alfreton in midweek and competed so very well – that wasn’t good enough!”
The visitors opened the scoring with their first real attack as Damian Reeves was put through by Nicky Clee and comfortably clipped the ball past the hopelessly exposed Deren Ibrahim in the Darts goal – it was almost like a hot knife slicing through butter!
The play that followed was that of a struggling side as the crowd began to wonder whether that shopping at one of the nearby shopping centres may have been preferential – the action they did see saw Lee Noble had what can only be called half-hearted penalty claims waved away at one end before Clee’s drive was well caught by Ibrahim.
Seven minutes from half time, a stretching McAuley just about got a touch to a long free kick to head wide. Problem was for the home side that Andy Pugh was a yard behind and would have surely hit the target had the ball come his way!
Five minutes after the break the lead was doubled in slightly controversial circumstances. Everyone stood still with the exception of Reeves who rolled the ball past the advancing Ibrahim and into the net – it really was threatening to turn into one of those afternoons for Tony Burman’s side!
Just before the hour, Reeves battled through on the edge of the box only to be denied his hat-trick by a super save low by his right post by Ibrahim.
The introduction of Ryan Hayes as a 65th minute substitute then totally transformed the game and there was Dartford life and hope where previously there had been gloom and despondency – and within 90 seconds Hayes delivered.
A great run in off of the right wing saw the ball finish up in the net – thanks in the main to Gianluca Havern’s horrendous attempt at a clearance right in front of his keeper – gave the Darts that new hope.
The balls that were bouncing harmlessly away were suddenly in reach or rebounding to a white shirt instead of a yellow one. The question now was could the Darts somehow get back on level terms and get something out of a game where previously there had seemed no hope?
Elliot Bradbrook was inches away from a Hayes cross as keeper Coburn came out to punch clear and then Jordan Chiedozie’s shot was well blocked by Havern’s right knee as at last the Darts began to press with purpose and with the vocal backing of the Princes faithful who were now daring to dream.
Hope that grew still further into the last minutes as Peter Cavanagh – who had dictated the game throughout for the visitors – was shown a second yellow card for a “nothing” foul on Bradbrook.
But sadly it was the visitors who were to come closest as Kyle Perry shot inches wide of Ibrahim’s left post as the ball was played into him.
“The first 45 minutes were awful from our point of view”, admitted Burman. “We had to change the way we played to match them as they were controlling the game and that’s not something that you want to do when you’re at home – we were playing far too deep!”
“We played with a weight on our shoulders that I just don’t know why especially after playing so well at Alfreton on Tuesday.”
“We got a goal and Ryan’s come on and he got the goal, and whilst we were getting the ball out wide for him we were stretching them in a 4-4-2 formation and we could have got something out of the game. But we played with too much anxiety and we didn’t need to!”
But sadly the truth is that it’s just two points out of twenty seven at home since Remembrance Day – November 11th – and if the Darts don’t remember how to win home games starting Tuesday against Grimsby Town, their stay in the Conference will certainly end sooner rather than later…
Dartford – Deren Ibrahim, Jamie Richards, Rory McAuley, Elliot Bradbrook, Lee Noble, Andy Pugh (Ryan Hayes 64), Danny Harris (Harry Crawford 56), Nathan Green (Nathan Collier 32), Peter Sweeney, Callum Driver, Jordan Chiedozie
Subs – Luke Daly, Tony Kessell
Altrincham – Stuart Coburn, Adam Griffin, Jake Moult, Gianluca Havern, Scott Leather, James Lawrie, Damien Reeves (Kyle Perry 81), Nicky Clee (Ryan Crowther 82), Tom Marshall, Peter Cavanagh, Jordan Sinnott (Sean Williams 73)
Subs – Steven Gillespie, Dave Parton
Referee – Colin Lymer
Assistants – Adrian Gillett & Alexander Guy
Fourth official – Aji Ajibola