As darkness envelops every waning afternoon, while icy winds whip through every heavily-layered soul nearby, it's clear to see that we're approaching the time of the year synonymous with togetherness and joy. However, the weeks around Christmas have always been difficult for Dagenham & Redbridge as we typically struggle with form; in both of our post-relegation National League campaigns, this spell has very nearly proved the undoing of our season and we'll be doing everything in our power to ensure that history doesn't repeat itself this year.
The arrival of Winter this year of course coincides with a trip to one of the coldest places in the country, Hartlepool. A 249-mile round-trip to the North East may not seem like the most ideal way to spend a Saturday but such has been the standard of performance by our rejuvenated side in the last few weeks, that it could be very worthwhile. Our upturn in fortunes has been dramatic as some effective new signings have helped us to a run of five victories from six encounters, which places us at the very summit of the form table, and we seem to be getting increasingly better by the week. Weeks ago, though it seems longer because of our rapid rise, we were stuck in the drop zone not knowing where the next point would come from, yet from the ashes of this has emerged a title-winning spell of form. Aside from a defeat to Sutton United at the beginning of November, we were faultless, beating Harrogate, Dover, Fylde, Bromley and Havant & Waterlooville. Against Fylde and Harrogate, we proved that we're capable of defeating talented outfits and it showed that we're actually not too far away from that standard. Against Havant and Dover, we demonstrated our ability to win pressure, six-pointer games. All good signs. We're playing with a supreme level of confidence with there being a slick arrogance about us that almost resembles the way we were performing last August, when we were blowing teams away and had players like Morgan Ferrier, Michael Cheek, Corey Whitely and Fejiri at the peak of their majestic powers. Peter Taylor has been criticised and I'll admit that I've been sceptical with some of his tactics or decisions, but he's doing nothing wrong at the minute - it's glorious to see. This weekend, Taylor and his troops face another test with their being an expectation behind us winning, especially given Hartlepool's recent form. They're the only team against whom we played earlier on in the season and, on that simmering August afternoon, they were well-drilled and had a lot of quality amongst their ranks. Alex McQueen rounded off a tremendous team move to hand us a deserved lead but we crumbled in the second-half, conceding two sloppy goals which proved decisive. It was a frustrating encounter but epitomised how every game seemed to unfold in the first few weeks, but now we have the quality that we lacked then. Conor Wilkinson has been integral to our transformation as he's scored four goals in three games and has been absolutely clinical so far. He's a pest to the opposition but one thing that's clear is that he's capable of playing much higher up the pyramid, but for one reason or another he's just lost his way. This loan spell seems to be benefiting both parties at the minute, though, and long may the mutual benefits remain. Another one without whom we wouldn't be nearly as good is Jack Munns, who is very familiar with Hartlepool fans after a spell there last season. As a young lad living a long way away from home, he struggled there but seems to found a settled rhythm at Daggers. He's formed a good partnership with Balanta, who is contributing more and more with every game. His first goal for the club against Bromley was vital because it's got the monkey off his back somewhat, and this allowed him to bag his second in our midweek victory over Havant, which was easily our best performance of the season. While things are going brilliantly for Dagenham, things are very different at Hartlepool, who have lost six consecutive league games. Naturally this would seem like a great time to play the under-pressure Pools but they parted company with their manager Matthew Bates on Thursday, which means that they're likely to enjoy the customary boost that follows every sacking. Craig Hignett will take caretaker charge of this weekend's clash but while he may inject a bit of hope into Hartlepool, it's still the same players who lost six in a row and that should fill us with confidence. Bates seemed like a promising manager but his inexperience showed, as he was unable to turn their fortunes with pressure mounting after every defeat. They suffered recent losses to Bromley, Dover, Wrexham, Sutton and Barnet, but it was Tuesday's 2-1 reverse to AFC Fylde that sealed Bates' fate, and when the attendance for that game was announced as their lowest in two decades, it became clear that something needed to change because people were voting with their feet. Their clash with Barnet was broadcast live on BT Sport and they certainly weren't terrible, yet they just struggled to create chances and everything seemed disjointed with the side, who were clearly unsettled. Their main threat is always Liam Noble, one of the talented players in the division and a true professional, though admittedly someone not too fondly regarded by supporters of other clubs. However, I believe that we have it in us to limit his control on the encounter. So two sides in contrasting form meet at Victoria Park but previous form counts for nothing in the National League. Last season we were brilliant throughout away at Hartlepool yet suffered a smash-and-grab defeat, so anything can happen. I hope for a similar performance with a result to match this time. As Matt Robinson said in his pre-match interview, we owe them one after August's defeat, so that's all the motivation we need. Safe travels everybody, Up the Dags. Keep doing us proud boys.
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Last week's battling display against Fylde was fantastic not only because it yielded three very satisfying points, but also due to the fact that our new-found defiance and belief lends itself perfectly to a relegation battle where composure will be very much needed. While we were second best for most of the encounter, of which there is no shame against a team as decent as Fylde are, the most pleasing aspect was the way we fought our way back into the match even when a battering looked to be on the cards.
Two months ago, conceding after 34 seconds would be a setback from which we probably wouldn't recover, such was our fragility yet the recent additions seem to have made us mentally stronger. From just a couple of matches it's easy to conclude that Manny Onariase is one of the best defenders at this level; his timing and ability to read the game is something we haven't seen since Craig Robson left for Barnet in the summer. Then, at the other end, you have Ángelo Balanta, who has made our attack so much better and even then still gives the impression that there's more to come from him. Conor Wilkinson's brilliant goal last weekend further illustrates the quality we now have. Earlier on in the season, we would control games yet simply be unable to score but now we have players who only need one chance to do so, and that's the difference. In sixteen games we only scored more then once inside ninety minutes on a single occasion but we've now done it three times out of the last four. Recently, it's been like watching a different team and the only blip has been away to Sutton, where we weren't even that bad. However, it was the disappointment of the display at Gander Green Lane that may cast a few doubts this weekend, when we make the short trip to Bromley. Artificial pitch, physical team, on the outskirts of London - we've been there before. It's almost exactly the same situation as when we played Sutton three weeks ago except Bromley are lower in the table. The last time we played on a plastic surface we looked leggy and lethargic but while it's hard to attribute the pitch for that, it can definitely be said that there's something psychological about it, especially when you've lost on the same type of pitch a matter of weeks ago. Hopefully, though, we're not looking for excuses come 5pm. We have the capabilities to beat Neil Smith's side which could take us as high as 17th in the table. Losing would be the worst thing to happen ahead of Tuesday's game as well because that has all the credentials of being a huge clash in East London. Against Harrogate and Fylde, we got in their faces, showed neither any respect and were clinical in front of goal. Bromley aren't a terrible team but it would be a shame to lose to them. Just yesterday they brought in Jack Barham from Barnet, who will be very familiar to us after scoring a brilliant winner against us in August so that's something we'll have to be wary of. As demonstrated by their demolition of Hartlepool recently, they can score goals but the fact that they shipped four against Braintree at home also illustrates they can concede them too. One of their biggest threats will be Omar Bugiel, a player who in the past has proved more of a obstacle without the ball than with it. We'll always be wondering 'what could've been' had he not dived to win a penalty in the 2016/17 play-offs so let's not give him an opportunity to get one over on us. Where could we be now if that penalty doesn't happen and we take a lead into the second leg? It still hurts to be honest. Anyway, looking at their form they've been very hit and miss. In their last encounter they were beaten by Leyton Orient at Brisbane Road but that's not the kind of match that they will be judged on. Prior to that they had an FA Cup meeting with Peterborough United where they took the lead and looked to be on route to a cup upset until Frankie Raymond's rash actions earned him a red card, derailing his side's hopes. They lost 3-1 after that. Today I really fancy us for the victory. We've been very good in the last few weeks and if we play to that level will have every chance of taking three points home. It's going to be absolutely freezing, pitch black by half time and we'll be in an uncovered side terrace so I really hope we put in a performance! We've been a joy to watch since we made our signings just over a month ago and finally it appears that the good times are slowly returning. With plenty of away fans there today, it could be an enjoyable day. Do us proud boys. Up the defiant, determined Dags. The roar at the final whistle encapsulated the delight of the home crowd perfectly. This was a huge win, not only to put us within touching distance of being outside the dreaded drop zone, but to send out a powerful statement to the rest of our relegation rivals from whom we are slowly starting to move away. More results like this and we can slowly start to look up the league table rather than being consigned to it's surface. Of course, it wouldn't be a Daggers victory if there weren't a few worries and scares. For the first twenty minutes, we were dreadful and surely heading towards a heavy defeat - but this is exactly what makes the result all the more pleasing. Had this been a couple of months if not weeks ago, we would've crumbled yet now, all of a sudden, there seems to be a defiant level of belief instilled into the team, which is ideal if you're fighting relegation. However, it's important to remember that we spent a lot of the game on the back foot. Elliot Justham made some absolutely incredible saves and it was a regular occurrence for a defender, usually the fantastic Onariase, to bail us out just as it looked for all the world that Fylde's predatory instincts were about to show. But they never did. Even though Fylde kept the ball well and to their credit had quite a few opportunities, they never sliced us open aside from the opening goal. They were definitely the better team and through their sharp passing and quick movements, it was clear to see why they have been one of the best teams in the division for over a year now. Under Dave Challinor, they have a very talented outfit and the glue that holds it together is Danny Rowe. He's a very unique striker in the sense that he's everywhere - at times he was racing towards our goal, moments later he'd be defending his own goal yet I'm proud to say we kept him largely quiet. To say we were vastly inferior, though, would do our boys a lot of discredit. This was a side with a lot of money invested into it whereas, aside from Balanta, the foundations of our side were essentially scraps, young and inexperienced players. The fact that we were so clinical against them and managed to see out the game without there really being a massive 'heart in mouth' moment is a testament to particularly the improvements we've made in the last few weeks. The big test, now, is how we approach the next game which is an away clash at Bromley. The last time we played on an artificial surface was obviously at Sutton and that was a bitterly disappointing occasion so hopefully we adjust better this time. Beating Fylde is mightily impressive so it would be frustrating for an instant reality check to bring us back down to earth. With that, I'll leave you with five observations from what turned out to be a very good Saturday and the perfect way to celebrate the life of our amazing former chairman Dave Andrews. 5 OBSERVATIONS FROM DAGGERS 2 FYLDE 1: WE'RE NOT THAT FAR AWAY | I'm not going to pretend that we could match the technical attributes of a very talented Fylde side who weren't even at their best, yet it's also clear to see that we're making steady progress. In the last few weeks, we've played three very good teams in Harrogate, Sutton and Fylde - we have two wins from that very tricky spell of fixtures which is hugely impressive and stands us in great stead ahead of a potentially defining few weeks prior to Christmas. Even when we were disappointing against Sutton, there wasn't a single point in the match where we were outplayed or even looked vastly inferior to Paul Doswell's outfit. Our away form is something that needs improvement but having ended both Fylde and Harrogate's unbeaten away records, it's clear to see that things are slowly getting better. The next few games, particularly that six-pointer against Havant at Victoria Road, will prove whether this is merely a good run of form or the beginning of our future.
THE NEW SIGNINGS HAVE MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE | Before we made our recent influx of signings, we had only found the net more than once in a fixture on a single occasion out of a possible 16 attempts, and we wouldn't have even managed that were it not for the fact that our opposition that day, Maidenhead, were reduced to ten men. Since Balanta has signed we've done it three times in just four games and it's clear to see that we're distinctly more confident when going forwards. Though the former Boreham Wood attacker has failed to break his duck in a Daggers shirt, he's laid on two assists for team-mates (already the joint highest in the side) and gives us an extra dimension going forwards. Elsewhere, Manny Onariase has joined on loan in defence and has quickly outlined that he's a class act with his ability to read the game better than most on the pitch. Another addition, admittedly also on loan, is Conor Wilkinson, who took just 28 minutes to cap his debut with a goal; he's another who has definitely bolstered the squad. It may seem like minor tweaks but these additions could be the difference between staying up or not. JACK MUNNS IS QUALITY | We've had to wait a long time to see Munns in action but it's been well worth the wait and you wonder where we'd be if he had come into the side just a month earlier than he did. I've spoken about the impact of Balanta and Onariase but the most influential of the lot has been this man, and now he's got his first goal we may see another gear from him in the next few weeks. He's a nightmare for defenders, nippy, energetic and just a pest. The perfect centrepiece linking defence and attack, he's been thriving in an attacking midfield role where he can compliment our strike-force very well. However, one thing clear about Munns is that he's definitely not a left winger which is where he started against Fylde. We need him in the hole - that's where he makes a difference. LET'S NOT GET TOO CARRIED AWAY | While we're having a decent few weeks, everything can change in an instant in the National League and this was demonstrated perfectly when we won two on the bounce earlier in the season, only to lose five consecutive games after that. You can't deny that victories over Fylde and Harrogate indicate much promise, but lots of things are going for us at the minute. Justham is producing outstanding saves left right and centre, opposition forwards are missing sitters and we're getting away with a lot of last-ditch clearances, which won't happen every week. Quite how we even won this game after the first twenty minutes is incredible but there's no way we'll survive onslaughts like that frequently. Nine times out of ten, Fylde would kill teams off but, as luck would have it, they kept us within touching distance and then we scored out of nothing. If we get a bit of fortune every week then that's brilliant, but it's bound to even itself out in coming weeks. WE'RE STILL HEAVILY RELIANT ON LOANEES | It's all well and good seeing Onariase slide across the grass to pluck the ball from the feet of an onrushing striker, Goodliffe clear one off the line and Conor Wilkinson rattle a low strike into the bottom corner - but these aren't our players. At the minute, the core of our defence are loan players and that's dangerous because all it takes is one phone call for that player to be gone and for your hopes to be thrown into disarray. We have six loan players on our books and many of them, like Wright or Mullings, will probably be rotting on the bench for the foreseeable future. January could be a huge month if parent clubs decide to either keep these players or loan them out higher up in the league pyramid. It would be so much better if we had more permanent options especially as money is now available, otherwise we're relying on favours. With their intricate football and rapid style of attacking, AFC Fylde have established themselves as one of the National League's most feared sides and are led by a manager, Dave Challinor, who epitomises their immense ambition. After a great end to last season propelled them into the playoffs, they ultimately fell at the first hurdle of the new promotion system but have picked themselves up well to sustain another promotion challenge.
They possess perhaps the most valuable asset in the division with Danny Rowe, who is irreplaceable in the team and has been subject of bids from teams higher in the footballing pyramid, yet such is Fylde's determination to reach their goal of being an EFL outfit come 2022, that they knew they could not afford to lose their talisman. Not only is he clinical in the box, but he's capable of scoring sublimely from distance and this potent combination has led to twelve goals so far, topped by only two other players. However, to focus simply on Rowe, would discredit the role that several other integral players play because they're far from a one-man team. There's talent all over the pitch; Francis-Angol and Byrne are all well-regarded defenders while Philliskirk and Bond anchor the midfield. Then, you have Gime Toure who has complimented Danny Rowe well - he adds another dimension in attack for the Coasters. The undoing of them last season was their away form, which everybody could see was a weakness when we beat them in March. This campaign, though, they've rectified that and are one of just two teams to have not tasted defeat on the road yet while also only conceding twice on their travels. If anything, their home form is now quite unpredictable as they've seemingly stopped being free-scoring at Mill Farm, where they've lost twice, admittedly to good sides in Orient and Salford. If the Daggers get caught up in the above level of thinking then we will lose quite easily today, especially if we start on the back foot. The fearlessness with which we began our last home game left Harrogate significantly rattled and that was the catalyst for a fantastic display at Victoria Road. We ignored the fact that Harrogate were third and instead imposed our own style of football on them, which was so rapid that they ultimately succumbed to it. Infact, there have been a number of promising things to arise in the last few weeks. From the moment we had the fans' forum a few weeks ago, the new American investors have seemed to instil new belief into the side. Some good signings have followed, notably Balanta, which have given us both an extra spark in attack and an extra level of solidity at the back. This has yielded reward with the two good results against Harrogate and then Dover Athletic. In those games, we scored twice and we'd only done that once prior to then throughout the whole season, so we're making gradual improvements. However, such is the congestion towards the bottom of the league that one bad result can throw things into disarray again, and this happened in our last game which we lost at Sutton United. Though there is no disgrace in losing to a team like Sutton who are always in and around the playoffs, we weren't great in that game and it's hard to not feel that our good period prior to then has been tarnished somewhat. So we're in a position where we face a real test of character, and the games don't get any easier. The last time we won two in a row, it was proceeded by a run of five straight defeats and so we're trying to prevent similar fate from ensuing. It seems like we have a lot of time left in the season but the reality is that we're in November and have played a lot of games. With every defeat and every missed opportunity, we're only leaving ourselves more to do after January which is when the stress will really develop. Havant & Waterlooville are steadily improving, Braintree have a new manager and have rapidly developed, Maidstone are getting better by the week and Dover, too, have a new manager who will improve his side's fortunes. All of those teams have picked up form and many have made managerial changes. Therefore, we need to be better than all of those to rescue our season and given that they're all getting better, it will be a hard task for Peter Taylor and his troops. Six points from a possible nine, though, is impressive and should that trend continue we'll end with 69 points come May; suffice to say, relegation won't be an issue. For now, though, we need to start picking up points, particularly in our home games. Fylde are a good side but they won't be coming here expecting an easy game. There's no room for respect in football, so we need to put Fylde under pressure from the off. Most importantly, we need to focus on our strengths, and other issues like containing Danny Rowe will take care of themselves. It's been a long two weeks and it's good to have football back. It would be even better to have that winning feeling back, because we haven't experienced it nearly as many times as we should've. Up the Dags |
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January 2024
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