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Dartford FC joint-boss Adam Flanagan on the 2-2 draw at Slough Town

00:00, 17 February 2019

Adam Flanagan gave credit to Slough Town after Dartford's draw there on Saturday.

The visitors came from behind to lead 2-1 but their advantage was wiped out within three minutes as it finished 2-2.

Flanagan admitted Darts were poor in possession and said: "I think we'll take a draw.

Dartford joint-manager Adam Flanagan Picture: Andy Payton
Dartford joint-manager Adam Flanagan Picture: Andy Payton

"I know we had a great chance in the last 10 minutes when they were throwing their bodies on the line to stop it from going in but they were good in the second half. They pushed us back and when we were able to retain the ball, within a couple of passes we'd given it away so it was very difficult for us to get a foothold in the game.

"They put a lot of crosses into the box and we made a couple of great last-ditch tackles.

"I guess the overall feeling is that we've not played to the levels we've been recently - and I put that down to them. The effort was there from our players but Slough were very good at keeping the ball, they moved the ball very well, put lots of crosses into the box, which we defended better in the second half than we did in the first.

"When you make those clearances and you pick the ball up, you need to keep it to get yourselves up the field and then generate opportunities to counter quickly - and we weren't really able to do that."

Dartford conceded in the first minute when Ben Harris beat Ronnie Vint in the air and then scored from the return pass.

Flanagan: "Letting a goal in within 60 seconds is not what you plan for.

"The players were briefed before the game. With regards to Harris, we felt aerially he can offer a lot of issues and a long ball's come forward, him and Ron have gone for it and he's got a little flick. It's fallen to Manny (Williams), he turned it inside and then Harris has shot through bodies to score a good goal.

"It's not the start we wanted but we manufactured a very good goal as well and I felt, going forward in that first half, we looked good."

Darren McQueen set up Ben Greenhalgh for the equaliser and then marked his debut with a goal as Dartford turned the game on its head.

But no sooner had Dartford got their noses in front, Slough levelled things up through Sean Fraser.

Flanagan said: "When we went 2-1 up, we felt we had to - for at least the next five minutes - not concede because they would start pushing bodies forward which would give us more opportunity to counter and use Darren's pace.

"But within three minutes they'd scored so that didn't materialise. It was end to end, a bit more open than we would have liked and I felt we were very sloppy in possession.

"Slough have got a lot of the top teams coming up in the next few games and I think, at home, on this astro pitch, they'll ask a few questions of a lot of other teams as well.

"It'll be interesting to see how they do because prior to the last five games, they were on a really good run.

"They've had a little bit of a blip but in Jon Underwood and Neil Baker they've got two people who are very passionate about the club and know the way they want to play.

"They'll probably make signings in the next few weeks and that'll strengthen them further. I think they'll be difficult to beat at home."

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