No sooner had the form of the Daggers risen so rapidly when we were promptly restored to a state of panic and worry after two straight defeats in the week. Though news of the surreal takeover significantly lifted spirits, the question still remains whether this young side are capable of keeping us in the league and the manner in which we've sunk back into our early-season habits hardly fills supporters with the greatest optimism.
Two scoreless losses to very ordinary sides, Eastleigh and Solihull Moors, outline our problems perfectly. As every other Daggers supporter will verify, we've competed in every game yet it's the finest margins that have cost us, demonstrated by the fact that our defeat at the Moors was the first time all season we've lost by a single goal. We still fail to take even the most inviting of opportunities, which gives the impression that it could prove to be a 'what if' season. Our circumstances have changed massively since the start of the season. Though this is the same side assembled admirably by Peter Taylor on a practically non-existent budget, the fact that we now have money available means that we should utilise it because at the minute I'm not sure we're good enough to stay up this season. Player by player we're actually better than the table suggests, but as a unit we're too inexperienced. We lose every header in both boxes. So, in a bid to solve our goalscoring problems, we've taken to the loan market and signed Shamir Mullings from Maidstone. If he's not good enough for Maidstone then the question remains whether he'll fit the bill with us but of course certain players suit certain clubs better, and hopefully we're a good fit for Mullings. He's a strong forward apparently good in the air, but his goalscoring record doesn't exactly indicate a potent striker. Only time will tell if he is the answer for us. Whenever we've made a mid-season signing so far, the player has usually gone straight to the bench and eventually pushed on from there, so we can assume that Mullings won't start today. However, we do need to do something different and that will give Taylor a bit of a headache ahead of the visit of Ebbsfleet United. Munns and Bellamy still seem to have the fitness of a pre-season Brian Woodall, so nobody knows when they'll actually make an appearance. Defensively we'll probably stick with the same side that has been playing recently. McQueen is obviously an option but Hoyte has been doing alright, even if he doesn't get forward as much as a modern-day full-back typically does. Plus, we don't actually give away too many clear-cut opportunities as evidenced by our three consecutive clean-sheets at the beginning of the month. Our problems lie in other areas and, though we concede goals, our defenders have been decent even if they do make the odd mistake (inevitable with age). Elsewhere, Adeloye and Leighton will battle to start up front alongside Elliott Romain. Neither are fully fit with Adeloye unable to play two games in a week, hence his lack of inclusion in the Solihull squad, and Leighton still recovering from illness. Personally I'd start with Adeloye because he's still getting a lot of chances, even if he's not taking them. All he needs is one goal to spark a good run of form and inject some much-needed confidence into him. Leighton, however, has the potential to do well and works harder than Adeloye. The opposition today are Ebbsfleet, a good side who haven't done as well as they should this season. Their form is inconsistent, even though they have a very talented team on paper. Whitely, Cheek, Coulson, Magri, Adams, Powell, Kedwell, Weston, McQueen, Shields - I could go on - all good players capable of hurting us. Ebbsfleet have been much better on the road than at home, racking up two wins and two draws, with their only loss coming at high-flying Wrexham. Daryl McMahon is an up-and-coming young manager who likes to play composed, attacking football. Ebbsfleet United made the play-offs last season and since then have bettered their squad, though it seems to have had a detrimental effect on the team. There's always the worry of too many names unsettling the unit, and perhaps that's why the Fleet have failed to live up to expectations so far. However, much like last season, they have the capabilities to end the season much better than they start it. Two of their main players today are very familiar to Daggers fans, having swapped Greater London for Gravesend. Corey Whitely was absolutely adored by one point until his form dipped, and he eventually departed in February during our financial crisis. Around the same time, Michael Cheek turned down Ebbsfleet to see out the season at the Daggers but, when the opportunity arose again two days before the new campaign, he didn't say no twice. Those players played their part in our promotion pushes since relegation, and personally I hope they get a good reception today. Unfortunately, I think we all know what's going to happen. However, hopefully we can nullify their threats well. It's about time we focused on ourselves rather than the opposition. The last time these teams met at Victoria Road the score was 3-3. Much has changed since that enthralling evening, but hopefully we can produce a similar intensity today. If we work tirelessly, and play the kind of football we played at the beginning of September, then I'm sure we can get something out of the game. After all, we're unbeaten in three at home, so teams won't relish a trip to Victoria Road. Up the Dags.
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Though Saturday's devastating late defeat to Eastleigh may have ended our unbeaten run, such is the recent positivity around the club that nobody was too disheartened by the result. Thankfully we have a chance to instantly make amends as we're on the road again, this time to high-flying Solihull Moors under the floodlights of the Automated Technology Stadium.
The general consensus on Saturday was that we played some decent football, especially in the first-half, so hopefully we approach this encounter with vigour and confidence. Peter Taylor's side have seemed to grow in maturity each week and but for a spate of missed opportunities, which ultimately cost us, we would've emerged from Hampshire with all three points. While the defeat outlined that we're still vulnerable, it also showed that we've never been out of a game and can always compete. Tonight's game will certainly be different as we face an organised and well-drilled unit who, by all accounts, use their physical attributes well. However, it won't be the first time that we entertain a commanding and imposing side given that we've faced Chesterfield and Eastleigh recently, both of whom exerted their aerial dominance. It will be another learning curve for the players but after those aforementioned encounters we'll be well-equipped to match them all the way. Strugglers turned contenders, Solihull Moors are an inspiration to those sides at the bottom with the way they've turned their fortunes around and shown no fear against the so-called better teams. It's a testament to their football that they sit in a play-off place, especially considering that they lost influential manager Mark Yates to Macclesfield in the summer. It may be early days in the campaign still but even to be sitting that high at the end of September deserves respect, but not the kind of respect we showed Salford a few weeks ago. A 5-0 demolition against Bromley just three days ago highlights the potent way Solihull play their football. They're a very solid side on a good run of form and are very underrated when compared to some of the sides around them. After suffering two straight losses recently, they've managed to turn it around with back-to-back wins against Dover and Bromley respectively. One of their main dangermen is Danny Wright, a clinical forward who will be the focal point of his team's attacking exploits. Similarly to how tonight's opposition recovered from their recent defeats, the Daggers will be hoping to put Saturday's result behind them. With every game the pressure will mount on us to get on the right track and hopefully we get that underway sooner rather than later, and don't fall into the kind of unlucky, negative run that plagued our start to the season. Although Solihull are talented, Romain and Kandi are capable of causing anybody problems. Over the last few months, meetings between Dagenham and Solihull have certainly been enthralling, pulsating, end-to-end encounters. With 23 goals in our 4 meetings, you can guarantee a free-flowing encounter tonight. Generally the Daggers have had the upper-hand over Solihull, picking up 4 points at Damson Park. Last season, Jake Howells struck in the 94th minute but Solihull wouldn't be denied in the next meeting, triumphing 3-1 in East London. As for what could transpire in Birmingham tonight would be anybody's guess. Dagenham can be composed and calm, yet seem to lack a cutting edge at times. The biggest lesson we'll have learned recently is that we have to take our chances, so hopefully the team have been putting extra work in on that, and it pays off tonight. I believe in these boys who continue to so the team proud. Whatever happens tonight, let's hope for a committed and nergetic performance. When that happens, everything else should fall into place. We're at that stage of the campaign where the league table begins to vaguely form something meaningful, and you can begin to make accurate predictions on where teams will realistically finish. One thing evident so far is that the National League is typically competitive and, as usual, anybody can beat anybody. BEN NUNN (5/10): Of course, our captain having been out all season through injury means there is very little to base this on. However, Nunn seems to be fighting to get back on the pitch and is supporting his team-mates on it. He joined in on the celebrations at home to Maidenhead in August which shows the passion he has for the club; by contrast, all other sidelined players can usually be found motionless in the TBS. When Nunny gets back, it could be vital.
LIAM GORDON (7/10): Some of Liam's excellent performances have defied his young age. While inevitable errors have crept into his game, overall he's been a very reliable figure at the back who has held his own against more physical opponents. Plus, as well as being defensively solid at times, Gordon has been fearless going forward and this is demonstrated by his joint-highest tally of two assists. In five or six years, he could be one hell of a player. MATT ROBINSON (6/10): Despite being one of our more senior players, it's easy to forget that Robinson isn't that old himself. It hasn't been easy for him having to assume the role of stand-in captain and there's been times where he hasn't exactly shone, but Robinson seems to be getting better, particularly in the last few games. He's not the kind of creative midfielder who will spray and thread passes seamlessly, and sometimes he fails to track his man, but what I will say is that he isn't afraid to get stuck in. ALEX DAVEY (7/10): Hard to pinpoint many instances where Davey has put a foot wrong. He was one in just a few who arrived with National League experiences and already he's demonstrated a good understanding of the game. Unfortunately, he has been injured for a while now after going off against Salford in the first week of September. Overall, he looks composed on the ball, has a variety of passes in his locker and has looked a threat from set-pieces. LUKE PENNELL (8/10): After being called up for England C in the summer, Luke Pennell has re-emerged for the new campaign with confidence, energy and a good mentality. He continues to perform well at centre-half which has always looked his strongest position, even though he was restricted to the left-back role last season. There's always the worry that Pennell will suffer another lengthy injury but at the minute, with every game, his fitness is growing and he continues to look sharp. ALEX MCQUEEN (6/10): It's never a great omen when a full-back looks stronger when going forward than defending. He's a frustrating player because when he's defending, he looks weak going one-on-one with a winger and when attacking himself, looks reluctant to take him on. When he initially signed, Mcqueen was excellent and contributed significantly to the team with two goals. Sadly, his biggest mistake was missing our game at Barrow through international commitments - he has lost his place ever since. HARRY DONOVAN (6/10): A solid yet unspectacular midfielder, somewhat similar to Robinson but with a bit more technical ability. Donovan impressed many in pre-season with his mature performances and he's showed glimpses of talent so far. However, he doesn't look like he's gone out of his comfort zone. He needs a good run of games to fully get into his stride and only then, I feel, will Donovan begin to have more influence on the games. CHIKE KANDI (7/10): Probably not a good time to write about Kandi. His penalty miss on Saturday overshadowed what had been a great run of form for the striker, who has blistering pace and (generally) a good finish on him. Last season, particularly towards the latter stages, he looked brilliant at times which he carried into parts of this season. He's an asset to the side but his crossing needs work. On a positive note, though, he holds the ball up well and is always first to every foot race. ELLIOTT ROMAIN (8/10): Works harder than anybody I've ever seen on a football pitch and typifies the approach typically synonymous with being a Dagger. Romain has added the missing part of his game this season - an end product to all his running and endeavour. Last season we would've been happy to let him go permanently to Torquay but now I wouldn't sell him for any price and am delighted he's unlocked his potential at this club. He's a fans' favourite and a great role model for aspiring footballers. LAMAR REYNOLDS (5/10): Probably our most underwhelming player so far but that's not to say that Reynolds doesn't have the capabilities to become a quality player. While he threatened to become a Zavon Hines type skilful and tricky winger, so far Lamar has looked lightweight and reckless infront of goal. However, at times he has outlined just why he is so highly rated in non-league through glimpses, but we need to see more from him. LEWIS MOORE (5/10): Moore was always going to be consigned to the role of backup keeper this term. He looked very good in our pre-season games but until we see him in a competitive environment, it's hard to judge him properly. The best thing for Moore is to keep his fitness and sharpness up because there may be a point when he is suddenly required for first-team duties, should Justham become unavailable. Until then, he'll have to contend with friendly matches. ELLIOT BONDS (5/10): In the pre-season friendly against West Ham in mid-July, I remarked on how composed Elliot Bonds looked at the heart of midfield. After emerging from nowhere as one of the few beneficiaries from our financial crisis, Bonds hasn't really pushed on this season and is yet to make an appearance. If he were to be needed, however, I'd have no doubt that he could do a fairly decent job, and he still has a bright future ahead. BEN GOODLIFFE (8/10): Apparently when Daggers secured the loan capture of Ben Goodliffe from Premier League outfit Wolves, our former manager John Still said it was one of the best signings in the National League. Stilly may not exactly be adored within the club at the moment but it's hard to disagree with him on this. Goodliffe has played with an incredible level of maturity and has grown into an accomplished defender. Recovering from the setback of an opening day red-card shows immense courage too. HARRY PHIPPS (6/10): Phipps has been a bit touch-and-go since signing for the Daggers, playing the first three games then suddenly going missing until he recently re-emerged on the bench. He didn't do too much wrong in the early weeks of the season, but one criticism is that he appeared to lack fitness. When it comes to his performances however, he's been fairly decent and looks calm in possession, but it will take a lot more for him to cement a spot in the side. TYRIQUE HYDE (5/10): Tyrique doesn't seem to have gone anywhere in the last couple of years. When he scored on his debut against Solihull Moors in December 2016, it was hoped that he would really kick on yet here he is, two years later in a much weaker team, no closer to making a mark on the side. Every time I've seen him play he hasn't looked too bad but it's obvious he needs to do more. JAMES BLANCHFIELD (5/10): After an impressive cameo on the opening day against Boreham Wood, the general consensus was that Blanchfield needed to start the next few games. He didn't, and has only amassed a further two substitute appearances since then. He seemed to have a lot of potential when he signed following a stint at Ipswich, so the fact that he hasn't been around the first-team picture much is strange. One thing is clear: he needs to force his way into the team and obviously he isn't doing that. ELLIOT JUSTHAM (7/10): To fill the void vacated by Mark Cousins, a figure adored by supporters, was always going to be difficult but Justham has commanded the goal really well so far this season. His distribution is good and he rarely sends the ball spiralling out of play, while some of his saves against Eastleigh on Saturday epitomised how excellent a shot-stopper he can be. It must have been hard sitting on the bench throughout last season but Elliot is certainly making that perseverance count now. TOMI ADELOYE (7/10): As a player, Adeloye is strong and gets into good positions. Unfortunately, he almost always spurns the opportunities spectacularly. Adeloye is cutting a frustrating figure at the minute but you get the sense that as soon as he next finds the net, he'll embark on a good streak. Until then, he needs to keep persisting. However, he doesn't work hard enough or press enough, so perhaps needs to take a leaf out of Romain's book. WILL WRIGHT (8/10): Good, versatile, but unfortunately only a loanee. Wright has played at centre-back and in centre-midfield but doesn't look out of place in either, making several good clearances per game and doing the simple things effectively. It's a testament to his ability that he has played every minute of every match so far and we're certainly a better team with him than without him. NOEL LEIGHTON (6/10): Would love to see more from Leighton who has provided that extra spark at times. Though he's currently injured, Leighton will be a good asset when fully fit which he's already started to show in his current appearances. That assist against Barnet was quality and offers a taster of what he can produce. Now, it would be nice if we could see more of it from the player dubbed by Taylor as a good number 9, effective with his back to goal. GAVIN HOYTE (7/10): Hoyte has taken his chance in the team very well, and it's coincided with those around him performing very well. It would be good to see him go forwards more because he is capable of producing a good delivery for his teammates. The main reason behind the signing of Gav was his experience so he will obviously be influential to the side, especially as the season develops. OLLIE HARFIELD (6/10): Harfield's main asset is his crossing, which has set up many opportunities including Adeloye's header against Barnet. Recently, Harfield has returned to the side and has been a useful presence with his composure and eye for a pass. However, at times he can drift in and out of games making little impact on the outcome, which explains his fluctuation in and out of the side so freely. MUNNS AND BELLAMY (5/10): Daggers two recent new signings are yet to make an appearance for the team but extra funds enabled Taylor to bring them in, so they will definitely play a part in the future. Munns played in our recent friendlies at Hornchurch and Canvey, performing well on both occasions. However, Peter Taylor has said neither are currently match-fit so hopefully that won't be a recurring problem. AGBOOLA, SALIS, MEKHI HYDE, HIRST, BALOGUN AND NAJIA (5/10): Don't know enough about any of these to pass any sort of judgement. None are likely to feature in the first-team this season but, providing they make steady progress, could break into the side in the future. All have potential, though. Tarek Najia was apparently being watched by West Ham and Chelsea according to the Daily Mirror. Mekhi Hyde and Luke Hirst have been loaned out to Bowers & Pitsea u23s. In the midst of a turbulent few weeks came the eagerly-awaited news that all Daggers were hoping for, with the emergence of an American-based consortium who have since seized majority control of the club. That, and the double-signing of Jack Munns and Liam Bellamy respectively, has made for a hectic few days. However, while traditionally calm preceeds the storm, on this occasion the roles have been reversed and it's been quiet since.As the club absorbed the injection of much-needed positive news while also simultaneously preparing for the next game, a BT Sport televised trip to Eastleigh, there haven't been many stories coming from Victoria Road, which seems unusual given the turbulence of this year where there seemed to be a fresh revelation every week. There was supposed to be a fitness-maintaining friendly match against Heybridge Swifts on Tuesday night, but that was instantly cancelled for reasons unknown, which was a shame for Peter Taylor who said he would've liked the opportunity to give more minutes to the injured Ben Nunn. On Monday, in the aftermath of our game against Chesterfield at Victoria Road, the club released a statement regarding an incident that happened during the 1-1 draw. From one side of the North Terrace, reportedly in line with the 18-yard box, a bottle was thrown at visiting player Drew Talbot. Although the actions and tactics of all Chesterfield players had been frustrating, it's doesn't excuse what happened and it's a shame that our supporters are, as usual, being regarded in a negative light thanks to a single individual. The statement from the club read, On a day when the ownership of the club, and the performance on the pitch were grabbing all the attention, there was a regrettable incident that has the potential to prove just as significant to the Daggers. In the 62nd minute a spectator in the North Terrace, apparently annoyed by the actions of a visiting player, threw a bottle at the player. The incident was seen by the referee, who removed the bottle from the pitch and continued with the game. Naturally it's a case of the actions of a particular person overshadowing the faultless conduct of our supporters, who have been criticised in the past. Generally, we're a good bunch and so that makes it hugely frustrating when you see these sort of statements. It's also very irritating that the incident came from the sieve, where there doesn't seem to be much trouble ever. Most attention goes towards our fans in the A13 Steel Stand so, once again, it's disappointing that - instead of being praised for our vocal support this season - our supporters instead were having to read that sort of negative publicity.
Of course it came in the midst of a really good time at the club which makes it all the more puzzling. Quite why someone who calls themselves a Dagger can do something which has even 1% chance of jeopardising or even slightly overshadowing the recent feelgood factor is beyond me. Saturday's game against Chesterfield marked a good time to support the club, when there hasn;t been much of that this year, and it seemed as if we could all look towards the future. There was no more mentioned about the incident given that nobody could, or would, identify the perpetrator. Instead, the club's attentions were turned towards the upcoming game against Eastleigh, which would be documented live on BT Sport. As the days slowly ticked by, there was increased focus on the game thanks to the launch of Daggers' revamped Youtube channel, now called DaggersTV. Credit to those who've partaken in the creating of the channel, which looks fresh and is a testament to those who clearly spent hours working on it. The first highlights package, for the Chesterfield game, was highly impressive. With not much else going on, the final action of the week was the main event and that was the clash against Eastleigh, though unfortunately that didn't really go to plan. Despite a great first-half display infront of the TV cameras, we were made to pay for guilt-edged missed chances and were punished for it. A poor second half was always leading to an inevitable Eastleigh goal and, guttingly, it came with just seconds left of normal time. So that was it for this week at Victoria Road. With two games next week, it's guaranteed to be a busy few days around the club. Hopefully all publicity is positive and we can match it with equally impressive displays on the pitch. We all knew it at half time, because we've seen it so many times before. To miss those kind of chances, especially while embroiled in a relegation battle, was always going to cost us and so it proved in the most frustrating way possible.After such a good week both on and off the pitch it was a shame that our positivity was blunted so cruelly, but the goal had been coming for a solid twenty minutes. From the moment Chike Kandi wasted our penalty so spectacularly, you could see the team were drained of confidence and Eastleigh really did take advantage. There was only so many times our defenders could produce last-ditch tackles and it's not surprising that a set-piece proved our undoing.
As always with our young side, we lost nearly every header in both boxes and invariably that leads to a lot of goals. Unfortunately, their winner came at a time where we had very little time to respond. It was a crushing feeling especially after a first-half in which we were so dominant. When you miss that many clear-cut opportunities, though, you're almost asking to get beat especially in such a difficult division. Adeloye done all the hard work going through one-on-one with the keeper, only to inexplicably pull it wide just as a man low on confidence would, yet somehow that wasn't our biggest failing. When the penalty arrived in the 45th minute, it was a huge moment and most expected Kandi to score given how he effortlessly dispatched his spot-kick against Braintree. But, how, how, how, has it crossed his mind to tamely pass it towards the corner? It was an awful effort, which the keeper always looked like saving. Sadly, that was the turning point. Eastleigh had enjoyed lots of success on the wings through counter-attacks but after the break they began to dominate the midfield and instead it was us restricted to rare forays forwards, where we would always immediately lose possession. Chike was suffering badly from his miss and the symptoms were contagious for the team because we looked nervy and no longer took the game to them like we had in the first half. Overall we were worthy of at least a point, even then we would've been slightly disappointed not to have claimed all three. So, to lose everything was absolutely gutting but it wasn't an unfamiliar feeling because it's almost ingrained into us to concede late, heartbreaking goals. Recently the luck had been with us but there was only so much pressure we could withstand as Eastleigh chucked everything at us late on. We invited pressure which is always dangerous and, of course, suffered as a result. There were a few impressive performers for us and, in particular, I thought Matt Robinson was absolutely fantastic today. He covered a lot of ground and gave us a little bit extra both defending and going forward. He provided the part of his game that had been lacking in recent weeks so huge credit to him for that. He also done brilliantly well in earning the penalty which typified the determination he played with. Elsewhere, Elliott Justham pulled off some scarcely-believable saves which kept us hanging on for a while. He definitely didn't deserve to be picking the ball out of his net in the 89th minute because his display was more than worthy of a clean sheet. It's a similar story with Goodliffe, who constantly exceeds himself every week and this performance was no different. For a player that young to have so much maturity in his play shows how successful a career he is capable of forging. But for every Justham there was a player like Kandi or Romain, neither of which looked their usual selves today. Hoyte, I thought, didn't offer enough in attack which is why so many of our build-up play down that flank broke down so easily. Ultimately, the outcome of the game hinged on the substitutions; Eastleigh brought on Zebroski and Constable who offered that vital spark while our introductions of McQueen and Reynolds proved highly ineffective. We'd have been much better utilising Ollie Harfield. Lessons learned, though, and let's go again Tuesday. I'm proud of the players for another dedicated performance that could've, on another day, brought a point or all three. Our supporters were excellent especially with the game being on BT Sport and personally it was another good day out following the boys. So the unbeaten run is over and now the real test of character arrives as we look to bounce back. However, if there's one thing to take from this game, it's that we simply have to take our chances or we'll consistently be punished, as we were both today and on many occasions earlier on in the campaign. |
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January 2024
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