If we only win one game this season, then please, please, please make it today. After a summer in which Barnet stole our manager, our assistant, our coach and five of our first-team players, it would be so satisfying to inflict some footballing retribution upon the Bees, who also happen to be our local rivals to add fuel to the fire. So as this eagerly-awaited clash, highly anticipated ever since the fixtures released, finally dawns upon us there won't be a more pleasing way to get a first victory of the season.
This means a lot to the club and the supporters have made it obvious to the players how important this clash is because to lose to a team of essentially our own players, managed by the staff who were with us last season including Mr Dagenham John Still, would really hurt. Even seeing Craig Robson and Mark Cousins, two adored fans' favourites at Victoria Road, line up in Barnet colours will hit hard but hopefully only act as extra motivation. Hopefully a large contingent of travelling supporters make the relatively short trip to North London and offer an unrelenting backing to the team, who really do deserve it despite our league position, which doesn't truly reflect both our capabilities and our performances. However those that do travel will be split into three groups: those who will boo John Still, those who will stay quiet and those who will applaud him. I can see the arguments for all responses but personally I feel that while the most successful manager in our history deserves a degree of respect, it shouldn't make him immune from criticism. The manner in which he made the seamless transition from Dagenham to Barnet was disappointing and did feel slightly underhand given that Stilly had earlier said he didn't have anything lined up, only to be at Barnet under a day later (though this did significantly reduce the wage bill it's worth adding). However, we need to forget about all that and focus 100% on the task at hand which is to earn three points and move out of the relegation zone. The atmosphere will be feisty but we need to treat it as if it's any other game and focus on ourselves. After losing three away games on the spin, Dagenham sit bottom of the league with their only point coming at home to fellow strugglers Maidenhead United, who were also reduced to ten men. On Saturday we were disappointingly defeated by Hartlepool United despite an assured home display. However, we completely threw it away after the break but the luxury of the Bank Holiday schedule is that you have an instant chance to make amends. Rivalry and animosity aside, Barnet will be a tough test and it's a terrible time to play them as they're fresh from a morale-boosting first victory of the season at Chesterfield of all places, thanks to a 90th minute Jack Taylor stunner. However, prior to that, they'd struggled with many fans demanding that the club sack Still, which was a happy distraction from our own problems. They've been poor against sides towards the bottom with draws to Braintree and Aldershot, plus a home reverse to Eastleigh. Elsewhere, they were soundly beaten by Ebbsfleet and also comfortably defeated away at Harrogate. Though they'll be on a high, they won't have an easy ride at the Hive, where they haven't won all season. Dagenham have been good in spells this campaign and could be much higher in the table so if we absorb the enthusiasm of the supporters there's no reason why we can't pull off a victory today, especially with the pressure on the home side to win. We don't have the best of records away to the Bees, with one win from eleven attempts, but history cannot define our future. We have a side determined to win who will battle for everything today and soon enough it will pay off for us. With such a demanding schedule, though, Peter Taylor may ring the changes. Adeloye could make way for Leighton who has been anxiously waiting for a start, and wasn't even on the bench Saturday. Plus we have key players Kandi and Reynolds who have the ability to change games. It's hard for Taylor because he wants to persevere with five at the back in the hope we'll have defensive solidity and we also want to accommodate Reynolds and Kandi, but you have to sacrifice something. Barnet's team are very familiar with us. They have a great keeper at this level, Mark Cousins, but if anybody knows his weaknesses it's us and while Cousins is a good shot stopper, he notoriously doesn't take gambles off his line much so we must swing the crosses in today. They also switched to three at the back at the weekend, which may be good for our faster players like Kandi and Reynolds, who can be expansive. Robson will be important for them, but Boucaud remains out which is a boost to us. It's guaranteed to be an entertaining clash but we desperately need the points and with the backing of the supporters, hopefully we can produce a brilliant performance. The players know what it means to all of us so I urge them to continue making us proud. Can today finally be the day? Up the Dags
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January 2024
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