DARTS LOOK IN FINE FETTLE
SURREAL. That’s the only word to describe the feeling going into today’s play-off match with Slough Town. Usually we’ve come off the back of a busy season and we’re straight into the play-offs with a big buzz in the build-up. With no fans in the grounds it doesn’t feel like we’re going into a game with so much riding on it. I imagine all the teams involved feel the same way.
But it is what it is and we are going to Slough to give it our best shot. I’m a realist. I know they are very capable of beating us and we are very capable of beating them
Every play-off game I’ve been involved in has been tight. It’s why I’m disappointed with the decision to not have extra-time. I spoke to all six managers in the National League South and they all voted to have the usual 30 minutes if the scores are level at full-time.
You could be battering a team for 85 minutes and go into extra-time with your opponent on the ropes as you try to finish the job. Now there won’t be that opportunity and suddenly you could be out on penalties. We’ve all seen how fine the margins are in shootouts. It’s a shame games could be won that way.
We had a friendly against Boreham Wood last weekend, which was really good. Their pitch is the most amazing surface. Arsenal paid for it because their Women’s and U18 and U23 teams play there and it is absolutely fantastic. It allowed us to play good football and we were really grateful to
Luke Garrard and Boreham Wood for the game.
We fielded two teams – one in each half – so that everyone got a decent run-out. We won 1-0 and although it wasn’t about the result, it’s nice to win as it breeds confidence.
Desire
The players have really returned to training with a good appetite. The competition for places is as fierce as I’ve ever seen it. I’ve got some tough selection decisions because they’ve all done so well since we’ve been back together. Choosing the team for big games like this is always hard. I’ve been managing for nearly 20 years and I’m yet to find it any easier because I care about players. They all want to be involved but the nature of the beast is that some will have to be left out. That’s a difficult one. I have good relations with my players and it’s impossible not to feel for them. Especially when they are all chomping at the bit.
Their form when the season was stopped has gone out of the window now. It’s been all about how they’ve come back. There are players who, a few weeks ago, I didn’t think would necessarily be in the squad. Now they could maybe start. They’ve opened my eyes. They’ve shown good desire, the right attitude and I can see they’ve all been doing a lot of work away from the club. That has completely changed my thinking. It’s the same when it comes to deciding what shape we play. We could change that too. We did against Boreham Wood and we looked solid.
Cowboy boots
I’ve been involved in the South play-offs with Farnborough, Whitehawk and Welling United. This feels a bit different because we didn’t expect Dartford to be in them. Whereas if we’d taken over last summer, then play-offs would have been the aim. I genuinely feel more relaxed this time round. Expectations aren’t quite the same.
I know from personal experience how fine the margins are going to be. In the finals
I’ve been in, the result could have gone either way. The only exception was when my Farnborough team played Ebbsfleet United. We were 3-0 down with 85 minutes gone.
We got it back to 3-2, we were battering them but Preston Edwards was like a cat in their goal. We had a shot that was going in the top corner and he somehow clawed it away for a corner. You think, ‘How?’. But, in truth, we only played for ten minutes and it was too late. Ebbsfleet deserved it. But the other finals just haven’t gone my team’s way. We’re not thinking further ahead than today. As I say, we are in for a very tough game. It was great seeing Wycombe win the League One final at Wembley earlier this week. You could see the emotion on all their faces and Adebayo Akinfenwa’s interview was brilliant. They couldn’t believe what they’d done.
I was first team scout at Wimbledon when Wycombe manager Gareth Ainsworth played there. He’s done a fantastic job – although he’s got unusual style! Those red snakeskin cowboy boots are another level! And people talk about my fashion!
But we are all individuals and they are his lucky boots. He has never lost when wearing them. If it got us through I may have to borrow them!