With the introduction of our new policy in using youth at the weekends and experience midweek, I have been very pleased in how things have gone in the first month. I think the first team have benefited from the fact that players like Jay May had two ninety minute games scoring three goals between them, Taity played three games back to back in a week scoring a hat-trick at VCD, and John Beales, Noble, Kess and Whitey all got two games in each. With these players included, as you would expect our results were good, winning at Erith and Belvedere 2-0 and at VCD 4-0. However, our results on the Saturday games have been excellent as well when the team has been set up with my squad players like Sean, Isa Hussein and Crouchy, with players also coming in from the Academy. In the league we beat Maidstone at home 2-1, Whitstable away in the cup 5-0, and drew 2-2 at home last Saturday against a very experienced Thamesmead side.
Off the pitch Kiran Dingri has now left the club to begin university in Bristol and I wish him every success both in his education and football, and is currently on trial at Forest Green Rovers. Sean Eferakorho has now begun his university studies also, staying in residence at Canterbury. It has been agreed that he will continue to play for Dartford, but we are trying to be more flexible with him at this time on his availability as he does not drive yet. Isa Hussein had a major seven hour operation to his chest last Saturday to cure a medical condition he was born with, and is not expected to be available for around eight weeks. Danny Baigent has been out for two weeks with knee ligament problems but is expected to return to training next week.
Hopefully we can finish off the month with a win tonight at Lordswood in the floodlit trophy, and next Wednesday, 7th October, we are at home to Whitstable, and I hope to see many of you there.
Thank you for your continued support.
Henno
