Dartford v Taunton Town Sat 24 Feb 2024

[Mark Sweet]

Shocking performance from both us and the referee to be honest.

Aside from our goal, our only test for the opposition keeper was Wall's volley towards the end and the free kick right at the death.

Should we have had a penalty? From where I was sitting it certainly looked like it however I'm sure the video will confirm. Their penalty definitely looked like a silly dive in from Maxwell who again had a poor game. One of many players who has consistently been underperforming and benefitting from the lack of depth this season

I know he scored, however Shomotun must develop his other foot. Too many times he had the run on the defender and slowed it right down just so he could cut back which allowed them to regroup and completely destroyed any counter attacking opportunity we had.

MOTM For me was Billy in goal, some important saves and I thought his distribution was near perfect today picking out some fantastic passes.


I really don't think a point in these sort of matches is enough. If we can't beat Taunton who are in some sort of crisis off the pitch then we are in deep deep trouble. Looking at the fixtures, and assuming last seasons safety net of 49 points will be enough I don't see where we win 4 games from. Especially as Welling are on a sort of run themselves.. Taunton and Truro both with loads of games in hand will inevitably overtake us and then we will be down in the drop zone. I fear the boards lack of urgency to appoint a new manager will be the wrong decision.

[MickW]

We got just about what deserved. The ref was something else but not the reason we didn't do better.
One point is better than no points and might be key at the end of the season.
Was Box injured? If not it was a shocking act of omission but if he was only to play some part he should have come.on earlier.

[Trevor B]

A point sums it up we only had one shot on goal from Wall which tested the keeper otherwise no shots on goal and no near misses and a pretty poor performance other than our goal.
The referee very poor with numerous booking and he missed the possible penalty for us and straight from this they break away and he gives them a penalty and the first goal.
On our penalty shout a steward who was down near the front heard their keeper shout out that it was a stone wall penalty and so he passed this on to us fans up at the back as he stood behind us so confirms what most of the fans thought about the decision and a sh*t referee.
I don't know why Olly didn't start but whether the interest being shown by two premier league clubs &/or perhaps some other factor influenced the decision by Tony but when he did come on at least he looked far more lively and interested than some of the other players.
M.O.M. to Billy and at least a point

[Sleightly Deceptive]

Disappointed in the usual lack of RELEVANT TO FANS information coming out of the club regarding the benching of Box when it’s bloody obvious to most that he’s the only bright spark we’ve got to keep us up!

Wotsitsface from St Albans looked like a frightened rabbit caught in headlights. Substituting him in the 89th minute was utterly pointless. He should have gone at half time. Hate to say it but TB has to take a bit of criticism today.

The referee’s performance was bordering on cheating to be fair. No penalty to us - but deffo a FK outside the box. Pen to them? Looked like it to me from 100 yards. MOTM: Take a bow Billy. Outstanding performance that kept us in contention and earned us a draw. We should really have been well beaten. Worrying isn’t it?!

That’s said, it’s a point more than we began with and results below us weren’t too damaging. BUT these are the type of games we should really be winning. Truro and Taunton will inevitably overtake us if they can finish the season without playing seven games a week.

I’d have taken a draw from each of Aveley and Worthing but that was with the expectancy of winning today. Now we really have to win one of those. Oh well, it’s made for an exciting end to the season. For all the wrong reasons!

[Grassbank]

Dreadful game from all three teams involved. Our best two players were the last two to join the match and both sparked some life into a game that offered hardly any for eighty minutes. Beginning to think that this season could go down to the wire.

[ArtTheDart]

I have no idea how the Taunton Manager got away with only a yellow card for coming onto the pitch and pushing Elliot Romain

He should have been sent off and should get a ban

[Lars Resort]

Coulson and Rooney played well even though Rooney at the back is a big no no for me. Teams like Aveley and Worthing coming up will not be as forgiving as Taunton.
Coulson has been outstanding for us in the last few games.

[ozymandias]

Interest from Palace and West Ham for Ollie should be ignored and we should keep him for a couple of years yet.
If they are allowed to get him, what will happen? They will sign him and then send him out on loan to Hornchurch. He's 18 for goodness sake. Let's keep him here.
Coulson MOTM for me.

[Tony H]

Two burning questions for me - why not start Olly and why leave it so late in the game to make changes? I agree with SD, today TB got the strategy all wrong!

Still, a point’s a point but, as most others have said, it makes picking up points n the next couple of games all the more important against opposition that are flying and pushing for a play-off spot.

MoM for me - Billy, with Luke, who’s been class since Christmas, a close second.

Btw - the foul on Shomitun in the first half was outside the box (just!) but still should have got the free-kick.

[Babylon]

A worried man am I.
Against mediocre opposition we were also mediocre.
There is effort out there but quality is another thing all together .
I don't envy TB, he is doing his best but I am sorry to say that relegation is definitely a possibility .
We hardly worked Taunton's keeper ,we can get out of this but imho we need someone who knows where the goal is.

[The Duke]

A performance [?] today from an average team containing many players who are not good enough for NLS Football , from the half way line onwards we are clueless and lack any sort of goal threat with Shototum the only one getting balls in to the penalty box but hey ho no=one to finish with long punts from the Goalkeeper being the main weapon
The Keeper , Clifford , Coulson and Shototum played well today as for the rest ?????????????

I wont name names [ to please Parklife ?] but a couple who are playing on a regular basis whose distribution/ positional play is awful shouldnt be in the team are a liability and surely a NEW Permanent Manager will get rid !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am pro Tony Burman and know the position we are in isnt his fault but today Romain and Akinba were ineffective and he should have gambled and brought Wall on after 70 mins [nothing to lose ] , just maybe he would have enjoyed some of Shototums tempting crosses into the box

Taunton are where they are in the NLS cause they are not very good but neither are we !!!!!

[Tall Dart]

The referee gave no protection to Shomotun today, there were at least 4 fouls waived away by the one in the black, including the resulting pen following one of them.

Keeper with the sun in his eyes all second half and apart from wall in the last few minutes, nobody attempted a shot at goal, dispite us being in their box often enough, trying to walk it in the net. Just have a crack FFS, there may be a second ball from it if not a goal.

I would say a draw was a fair result as they had chances other than the pen.

On the the next one.

UTD'S

[The 5th Searcher]

https://buff.ly/3T6LCYx

Tony’s post match interview.

[tommytollbooth]

Totally toothless upfront until Olly Box and Wall came on , perhaps had they got on earlier we might have nicked it. Luke Coulson worked hard. Taunton seemed very happy with their point. So the Ref was total shite what else is new in the NLS.

[DA Mikey]

We will get smashed by Worthing and possibly Aveley.
Sad to say, but Dartford have been woeful for 14 months now.

[Lars Resort]

In his interview Tony admits we have a tough couple of games next week. So from one week worrying about who we are going to put up top, my big worry is now turning to the defence.
Did anyone think that it took Max 45 minutes to wake up yesterday. Admittedly, he perked up second half but he looked so off the ball (excuse the pun). Joash and Paul, more than once, got in each others way.. Time and again it was all too easy for Taunton to get round the back of our defence.
Teams like Aveley and Worthing are going to be a different issue for our defence.
I wouldn't like to be in Tony's shoes and if we get anything from these two games it will be a plus. Maybe we should be looking to the attack to take the pressure off of the defence by either scoring goals or just playing deeper to help out.
But as said we are lightweight all over the pitch. And does anyone feel that Jordan is going around in third gear. I know that's his game but in this time he is often caught with the ball.
Aveley are the surprise team this season and Worthing are scoring goals for a laugh in some matches. So nothing easy this week.

[Babylon]

No offence to TB but we need the new permanent manager in ASAP.
There are just too many ordinary players in our squad for this level of football.
We struggled against a fellow relegation threatened team and Wall ,(who was only on the field for a few minutes ) had more shots than our powder puff attack put together.

Hopefully the new manager can bring in a few players to get us out of this mess.because this present bunch (apart from a few) are average at best.

[BrianL]

Nice to be back, and to see some old faces, for first game since moving to Derbyshire in October. However, the game was very average with little atmosphere or excitement. To have not been given a foul (possibly just outside the box), then see Taunton given a penalty straight from the breakaway, seemed sadly inevitable with our misfortunes this season.
Luke was always the most likely to make things happen, with Clifford linking with him quite well in second half, and Shomotun had his moments, but front two never looked likely to create anything. Only when Ollie and Alex came on did we cause them some trouble, and it took a good block from their keeper to stop Alex's shot. Agree with others that Billy in goal looked calm and in control at the back.
Underwhelming, but a point and not losing to a rival was something to cling to.

[ozymandias]

Billy's distribution of the ball yesterday was excellent but the lad is looking vulnerable with a stuttering defence in front of him.
I don't know what the answer is because with injuries and a lack of quality in the squad Tony has not a lot of options.
Would have been nice to have got three points yesterday if only we could have got our nose in front I think we could have held on.
But yes, things are looking grim.
But I don't think it's through a lack of trying. Dowson certainly left us up the creek without a paddle.
COYD's

[Stumpy]

https://buff.ly/3T6LCYx

Tony’s post match interview.

So, I stood adjacent to, and watched the outfield players warm up yesterday.

I have to say, it was lazy, lackluster and lacking in any sort of effort or energy. Not helped, I don't suppose, with a coach stood flat footed, hands in pockets, not looking particularly keen to be there, throwing out a few words here and there giving off zero energy himself.

It all looked a bit like going through the motions, and not preparation to play. There's an old saying in football.... train as you want to play. It was little surprise to me that we were so underwhelming during the game.

If Tony wants tempo, that thought process needs to start when players and staff arrive at the ground, not hoping it'll turn up it during the 90 minutes.