Having made an excellent start Welling United fell to defeat at Dartford in their Isthmian League Premier Division derby. After the game, Welling manager Rod Stringer gave his thoughts.

“I thought we were really good, first half. We looked really compact but we didn’t score when we had the chances and, as I said in there (the changing room) the worst thing that happened was half time. Conceding two goals immediately after was ridiculous. So disappointing.”

“We were very good in the first half. We won a lot of second balls. I thought that numerous time we got in good areas. We had a great start with the first goal, a great finish by Ruben (Shakpoke) and then I thought we really should have gone in at least two-nil up.”

“I don’t know what happened second half. Someone, sort of, switched a light off and we started so poor. I think that started from our restart when we gave the ball away in an area and two of them haven’t run for it. I thought that set the tempo a little bit.”

“We shouldn’t have conceded the goals as quickly as we did and as soon as we did. I think there was three minutes on the clock, second half, and then we conceded two in three minutes, or whatever it was, and that gives you a mountain to climb after you come out, you’ve had a team talk, you’ve gone through it all again and I just think it was a case of players switching off and I just said to them there, it’s both boxes.”

“We could have gone two-two. It’s on the goal-line. It’s a tap in. I thought, second half, it just showed the way the forwards held the ball up for them very well. Our centre halves let the ball bounce and they secured it and got the ball in the right areas, and then the final execution that we didn’t have and to be fair to Dartford, they looked a lot better second half.”

After nine consecutive league and cup games, Stringer is looking forward to overseeing his first game at Park View Road since his return.

“Everybody wants to play at home, don’t they.” said Stringer. “This was a derby today and we brought a good following, but there’s nothing like playing at home. As you saw second half, I think they got a bit of a rollicking at half time and came out second half being at home and they turned it into their fortunes of coming away with a win.”

“Up until half time we were decent. You wouldn’t have thought that they were at home. We had the ascendancy and a lot of the play but they had the desire to make sure the ball went in the net early on in the second half and then the crowd was up and the home advantage kicks in.”

“It’s a tough place to come. Reidy (coach Colin Reid) came in today and I think that showed how we were a bit more organised but disappointing how we threw away the opportunity to get going second half.”

“We still need to strengthen in one or two positions. We’re trying to get as many players in their natural positions and we need to strengthen if we’re going to move forward with that, having the right players and the right personnel in the right areas.”

“Everybody in the team needs to be wearing their hearts on their sleeves and I felt that the supporters got to go away and say there was some of that today, and that’s all that we can offer the supporters. It’s just a shame that we started the game so bright and finished so dull, but that’s the bit that we’ve got to try and get balanced.” 

Picture supplied by Dave Budden.