DARTFORD’S Elliot Bradbrook can see progress in displays, despite his side succumbing to a seventh consecutive league defeat with a 1-0 loss away to Barnet.
Jon Nurse’s 30th minute effort proved to be the decider in a clash which saw Barnet finish with 10-men after player-manager Edgar Davids was sent off in the second half.
But Bradbrook saw big improvements in his side’s performance compared to other weeks and believes with a little luck they can break their dismal run of form.
“As everyone knows it has not been going well for us recently,” he said.
“We have lost quite a few games but for the last two or three now we have been playing quite well.
“The performances are there but we just haven’t quite got the bounce.
“We have conceded quite a few sloppy goals and it’s just not really going for us at the moment.
“Today we played quite well and we put them under a lot of pressure, especially in the second half.
“It’s just not going our way, so we have got to dig our way out of it.”
There is no doubting Dartford’s performance was an improvement on previous weeks and Bradbrook believes they have something to build on.
He said: “We were very good defensively today.
“We have gone through periods previously where we have attacked quite well but conceded poor goals defensively.
“But today I thought all over the pitch it really came together.
“As a team we defended pretty well but we conceded that goal when the game was pretty even and that is what has decided it unfortunately.”
Bradbrook added: “We have brought a few players in and it has really started to turn around for us performance wise.
“I can’t say we honestly deserved to lose that game.
“We might not have deserved to win it but it’s the same with Forest Green last Saturday, we definitely didn’t deserve to lose and if anything we were the better side.”
Barnet keeper Graham Stack was awarded man of the match at the Hive Stadium, a sign of the kind of pressure the hosts were put under late on.
Stack pulled off some impressive saves towards the end, particularly from Lee Noble’s late efforts, and Bradbrook was pleased it wasn’t the other way around for a change.
“Usually it’s our keeper getting the man of the match,” he explained.
“It is nice to play in a way where we have put them under some pressure and you could see that.
“They were the ones trying to keep the ball in the corner, protecting their 1-0 lead in the second half.
“There is not much we can do except forget this now and try and take the positives.
“We have got to try and get some points on the board and try and pick up a win, so we’ve got to try and move on quickly.”
Dartford play Halifax Town at home on Saturday and Bradbrook hopes they can begin to move quickly out of the relegation zone.
“Luckily for us there are lots and lots of games left this season and we are still relatively in touch with the people in and around us,” he added.
“If you look at the league table you can see that if you win a couple of games, you can start digging your way out of there.
“That’s what we’ve got to believe in and try to do.”
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