TONY Burman was left with a goalkeeping dilemma before Dartford’s big derby clash with Ebbsfleet on Saturday.

Andy Young missed the match because his wife was due to give birth and the problem was further exacerbated when Deran Ibrahim and Jack Pallen suddenly decided to seek careers as professionals in Malta for three months.

Fortunately, Burman was able to call on free agent John Whitehouse and his performance will leave the Dartford boss with plenty to think about when Young comes back into the reckoning.

Burman said: “I hope Young’s a dad by now. It was taking a long time.

“He phoned me around about 11 o’clock on Friday and unfortunately nothing had happened at the time but I’m hoping that it has all happened for him.

“I’ve not heard from him just at this moment but John’s come in.

“I phoned John on Friday because he wasn’t attached to any clubs.

“He’s come in to a difficult situation because Deran Ibrahim’s going to Malta today (Sunday) to play for three months.

“He wanted clearance on the Friday to attend his game and we wanted it after the game.

“At the end of the day, I wasn’t too sure if he was cleared or he wasn’t cleared.

“I ended up in sticking John and that’s why I didn’t have a keeper on the bench.”

Burman was less than pleased with the way in which Ibrahim’s and Pallen’s departure was handled and is hoping the pair are being given sensible advice.

He said: “If it had been done in the proper way, I would have said to them go and have a go at it.

“But I was told by the pair of them after the game on Tuesday that they’d had a phone call from someone in Malta.

“It was just a phone call and on the strength of that phone call they’ve decided they are going out there for three months to try and be professional footballers and have been offered a three-month contract.

“I haven’t got a problem with people trying to go for an experience but they are only young lads and I hope their advisors will look after them and the guy who’s speaking to them is keeping to his word.

“They’ve never met the guy and they’ve never been to the place where they are going and all of a sudden they’re flying out on Sunday to stay there until January.”

He added: “They have had a lot of things said at them this week.

“Unfortunately the manager is sometimes the last to find these things out.

“That wasn’t quite right.

“It’s a little bit of a sore subject at the moment because there are some other people involved in it as well. “I’ve got to sort something out.”

The Darts manager praised Whitehouse, who stepped into the breach in unusual circumstances.

Burman said: “John’s come in and he’s done well today.

“Andy will probably be back on Monday if everything goes alright.

“Now John can have a chat with us and see what he feels and who knows, he might come in to be number two or challenging with Andy.”