DARTS GET READY TO POUNCE!
ALAN Dowson hopes Dartford knowing for a while their route to promotion is through the play-offs will play into their hands – and they can’t wait to get going.
Runners-up to runaway leaders Ebbsfleet United, the Darts had their feet up in the week waiting to learn they would be taking on St Albans City at Princes Park today.
And Dowson can feel the anticipation building around the club.
“The excitement starts now,” Dowson told The NLP. “Once we knew we couldn’t win the title as Ebbsfleet ran away with it, we were second all the time. We had a bit where we would win a game, lose a game, but now is the time the lads are really looking forward to.
“I can see an extra bounce in training. Last week was the same. We look quite on it. It’s going to be intense. We know we’ve got to play a game against a very good side, against a very good manager.
“I haven’t thought that much about it, to be honest. Just about the team I can pick to try and win the game on Sunday.”
Dowson, who has won promotion at every club he’s managed, enjoyed glory in the National League South play-offs with Woking but has also tasted defeat in finals with Hampton & Richmond Borough and Kingstonian.
And the experience means he’s keeping calm in the buildup.
“It’s not doing anything different,” Dowson said. “I remember when we lost the playoffs at Hampton, I probably overthought it. We practiced penalties in training when anything can happen on penalties. There’s no one in the stand when you take them in training.
“We finished second for a reason. We won’t do anything differently. You hear about teams doing hotels the night before and all that, I don’t think it makes any difference at all. We’ve just got to make sure we do everything spot on.
“In the past I’ve been nervous but I’m not this time. It’s another game and that’s the way we’ve got to play it.
“As a management team, as players, you can over do it, overthink, over blinking talk. We know they’ve got good players. (Shaun) Jeffers scores every time he plays! He scored an unbelievable goal against us. We’re not daft with where we are. We know their strengths and weaknesses and we know our strengths and weaknesses. It should be a good game of football.”
And he’s hoping for the rub of the green so often needed for play-off success.
“It’s on the day,” Dowson said. “You need luck as well. I’ve been in situations where we’ve been on a great run, got in the play-offs and got beat. I’ve been in situations where we haven’t been very good with winning and won.
“It’s like for like. You need a lot of luck. The boys have been outstanding this season. Are we favourites? I don’t really know. I don’t think there are favourites in the play-offs. We’ll just crack on with it.”