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Ady has no mixed emotions ahead of derby
Dartford boss Ady Pennock goes up against former.club this weekend - and he's hoping to clip Welling's wings!
Dartford manager Ady Pennock remembers spell as Welling United boss with fondness but victory over Wings is all that matters this weekend.
Dartford manager Ady Pennock is relishing this weekend’s local derby against Welling United.
Pennock takes charge against his former club as Darts boss for the first time at Princes Park on Saturday.
The Wings have struggled this season and arrive in the bottom four, two points adrift of safety under interim boss Rod Stringer.
“It’s a great game for everybody,” admitted Pennock. “I’ve got history with being the manager there before but I’m just after the three points.
“I love a derby and I’m sure there will be a good gate as well as they’ll bring a lot. Our supporters have been pleased with the last few weeks results-wise.
“The formbook goes out of the window, it’s all about the day, it’s a derby so it will be a passionate affair and I’m looking forward to it. It’s all about the three points for me, that’s all that matters.
“We know it’s going to be a difficult game because it’s a local derby. They’ll be up for it, we’ll be up for it and the fans will be up for it. I’m really looking forward to it for that reason.
“We’re at home and we’ve got to keep believing in ourselves and being positive. Anything can happen on the day but hopefully we can get the three points.”
Pennock spent two seasons as Welling boss from 2005 to 2007 before leaving to take an academy role at Stoke City. It’s a much-changed club now but he still looks back fondly on his first managerial role at Park View Road.
“It’s changed massively,” he said. “I had the Hobbins brothers in charge at the club and the likes of Piggy [Barry Hobbins] and Teddy [Steve Pain], I really enjoyed my time there. I was manager when Graham sadly passed away.
“It was a long time ago, all I’d say is that it was the start of my managerial career so we had some good times but that’s all forgotten come Saturday - although it was gone 18 years ago as I’m not someone who thinks it’s my old club and stuff like that!”
Dartford go into the game having moved into the top five of the Isthmian Premier for the first time this season with an excellent 2-0 win at Cray Wanderers last Saturday.
Pennock’s side are 10 league games unbeaten and have won their last three matches.
“It was a very good win at Cray as they were unbeaten at home,” said Pennock.
“I thought we controlled the game really well. Jonny Henly made a couple of good saves that you’d expect him to with them coming back at us a bit more in the second half.
“It was a very good away performance, there wasn’t any one individual that shone for me.”
Henly gave another assured performance for the Darts and Pennock insisted his form hasn’t been an area of concern after joining the club from Folkestone in the close season.
“He’s a very confident boy, he’s a goalkeeper and they’re all nutters anyway,” said Pennock. “He wears his heart on his sleeve, he’s great in the changing room and has been really good for us this season.
“Like every outfield player that has been new to us this season, he just had to settle in. I think he’s settled in lovely now, I really do.
“His performances over the last few games have been excellent and he’s shown his experience in most of the games that we’ve played.
“He did two good saves and if we were going to say before the game that he had to do that in 95 minutes then we’d have taken that.”
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