VNL#32 - Daggers 0 Aldershot Town 2
Following the disappointing and immediately concerning news of Myles Weston's absence from the side, a notable drop off in intensity was expected. Naturally, it meant our creative output would be severely impacted, although this represented an opportunity for others to shoulder the burden. We were always going to be worse without our primary assist creator. However, nobody would have foreseen us being this bad. The performances of our team, both individually and as a collective, were alarmingly disgraceful. Though this cannot entirely be attributed to the absence of our winger, it doesn't feel like a coincidence. It certainly doesn't excuse it, however. It conveys the simple fact that, under McMahon, a day like this is never too far away. His entire reign has been typified the analogy of going one step forward then two steps back. We remain 17th in the division, which paints a solemn picture of how the season has gone. Results and performances like this have characterised it. Unfortunately, the poor games have vastly outweighed the good ones. It was a pathetic showing all over the pitch, exemplified by the disgraceful defending that allowed Aldershot to double their advantage within fifteen seconds of the restart. That essentially put the contest beyond all reasonable doubt, after a contentious penalty had edged them infront. Ultimately, two goals either side of the break did the damage, but in truth the contrasts between the sides were present far more frequently than just that period of the game. We were second best all afternoon. All of which has to raise severe questions about manager Daryl McMahon. As impressive as the Daggers had been recently, this was an unceremonious reversion to a standard of performance we are unfortunately all accustomed to. Though hopes were faint at best, this result also signifies the end of any realistic play-off aspirations, which in turn signifies a colossal failure of a season, for which there has to be some inquest. Defensively, it was a mess. Clark was scruffy, Jones erratic and Wright unconvincing. There was plenty of endeavour in the middle, where Robinson and Rance did their best to no avail, but the root of our problems originated from attacking positions. We've been toothless in the final third all year, and the fact we've still not triumphed by more than a solitary goal epitomises that. Very rarely do we resemble a dangerous side. Countless players from today's starting eleven are out of contract. This was not a particularly convincing sales pitch from any of them.
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VNL#31 - Hartlepool United 2 Daggers 1
In the immediate aftermath of a narrow defeat in the reverse fixture just ten days ago, I wrote about how facing Dave Challinor's high-flying Pools outfit was just a step too far for us, despite the vast improvements we've undoubtedly made recently. This was much the same; the assessment could easily be copy and paste. There is probably a greater degree of frustration this time. Once again, the decisive moment was a free header inside our box, exactly as it was just over a week ago. It's harsh as they didn't create too much else of a clear-cut nature, but that's the price you pay against decent teams. Once again, switching off for just a split second was catastrophic. With Hartlepool boasting formidable form, with a near exemplary home record since the turn of the year, it was always going to be a tough ask to emerge with something. However, we matched them throughout the entire contest, scoring a well-worked goal to equalise and then enjoying a period of control from which we really ought to have capitalised. Our inability to do that is our primary undoing, and provides a lot of context as to why we're 17th in the league. Encouragingly, we have showcased that we can compete with the best this division has to offer, at least in terms of performance. After all, it wasn't too long ago that we were disgraced away at Notts County, being outclassed against ten men, one of whom was a veteran midfielder assuming the role of a makeshift goalkeeper. Now, we're performing impressively, but defeats like this prove there's still a long way to go before we are, as McMahon theorised, even close to being one of the best teams in the league ourselves. Had Balanta converted the one-on-one at the beginning of the second half, we might have recorded an outstanding victory here. Had he opted not to shoot altogther, and instead go down under the blatant contact of the defender, we might have had a penalty and even a numerical advantage. It's that kind of intelligence we're lacking as a team. That kind of game manipulation that Hartlepool do so well. We did manage to go out fighting until the very second, something which drew praise from Hartlepool's commentators and supporters alike. A last-gasp equaliser was a tantalisingly close prospect, as our keeper of all people Elliot Justham got his head to a corner that, unfortunately, just crept over the bar. Fine margins again, which seem to conspire against us more often than not. The luxury of the Easter schedule, though, is that it offers an immediate chance to make amends, and that's what we simply have to do on Monday when we host Aldershot Town, who will similarly be looking to bounce back after being edged out by Stockport today. For any supporter of a lower-league side, the Easter period is amongst the most enjoyable within the football calendar, encompassing a rapid double-header of games that offer a valuable opportunity to gain precious points as the end of the campaign draws near.
Essentially, it's two Saturday 3pm matches in the space of four days, usually played against a backdrop of simmering sunshine. The only thing missing this extended weekend is the supporters, as has unfortunately been the case for the significant majority of the season, with the exception of a frustratingly temporary reprieve in December. As decent a spectacle as it usually is, it also represents another gruelling period in this enormously congested campaign. The Daggers have been in action for the vast majority of midweeks since the turn of the year, including seven of the past eight. Daryl McMahon's team commence the Bank Holiday period in the midst of their best performances of the season, which has thankfully translated into results, namely an impressive return of 14 points from seven outings. Our only defeat during that time, though, came against the very team we play today, second placed Hartlepool United. They're unbeaten in fourteen, boasting formidable home form, which alludes to a very challenging task for the Daggers. However, we matched them just shy of a fortnight ago, giving a very respectable account of ourselves that maybe ought to have yielded a point. While a draw in the North East would be a brilliant outcome, Monday brings opposition we simply have to triumph over - Aldershot Town. Though they're a very capable outfit, illustrated by a recent success at Notts County, we're at that stage of the campaign where we need to beat mid-table outfits, especially on our own patch. Overall, the next few days offer a real chance to make significant progression up the table, as we look to deliver an impressive end to a season that has otherwise been arduous and depressing. Come this time next week, we'll certainly have learned a lot more about this team. |
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May 2024
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