Another batch of five games has passed since our last look at the Daggers’ fortunes. You may remember we were four points short of the playoffs at that point, but now we find ourselves a further point back with only six games remaining. Not only that, loan expiry and injury has added to the difficulty of the task.

We were hoping for a win at Lincoln to kick-start our form, but as with so many away games this year, we couldn’t quite do enough to take all three points and had to settle for a 1-1 draw. Monty was sacrificed after his poor showing against Rotherham, although several others could count themselves lucky to stay in the side after equally ineffectual performances. Nurse was the replacement, and duly scored the opener. Lincoln had hit the post early on, but this was an otherwise positive display from the Daggers until they succumbed to a sucker punch from Somma. A decent point against an improving side, but really we should have killed this one off.

Four days later Macclesfield were the visitors to Victoria Road. The first half saw chances at both ends with Roberts making two very good saves, and Benson and Gain both failing to connect with whipped balls across the area. Visiting keeper Brain also made a great save to keep out a looping Benson header before the Silkmen took the lead. A corner was half-cleared as far as Bell, and his sweet volley died on the sandpit that formed Roberts’ goal area to squirm over the line. Thankfully, the Daggers responded in the 2nd half with a superb performance that yielded 3 goals. Danny Green came alive to score with two excellent finishes, one carefully placed across the keeper, the other a controlled volley into the top corner. In between, Ogogo got forwards to volley home a Green cross whilst Benson’s handball goal after Josh Scott had brilliantly carved out a chance was disallowed by the referee.

Buoyed by this victory, a trip to Bradford City seemed less daunting especially given their less-than-stellar home record. The line-up was left untouched, meaning Nurse remained on the bench after being dropped in favour of Gain the previous week. However, we were beaten out of the blocks as Hanson scored with a near-post header from a corner in only the 2nd minute. It was really a calamitous goal to concede as the old set-piece vulnerability reared its head again; Robbo came and was beaten to the ball as the defence stood and watched, leaving Hanson a free header. Further chances came and went but the lead was extended when Hanson again headed home, this time at the back post from a freekick whilst once again unmarked. Possibly even more irritating than the manner of the goal was that Josh Scott’s self-made chance minutes early had seen him shake off a defender, round the keeper and inexplicably roll the ball wide.

However, within minutes, Nurse was on hand to crash home a left-footed strike to breathe new life into the game. With fifteen minutes left he had a hand in the equaliser too, Williams inexplicably diverting a Nurse header past his own keeper when there seemed to be little danger. We obviously like doing things the hard way though and went behind with minutes remaining, Kendall lifting the ball calmly over Roberts from a Hanson flick-on. But yet another fine comeback was sealed in injury time, when that man Nurse produced a cross which the towering Luke Oliver headed beyond his own keeper at full stretch. Perhaps before the game three points was a realistic target, but you can’t argue with picking up a point away from home after being 2 down.

Back at home the following week, the visitors to Victoria Road were Accrington, who had playoff ambitions of their own. Just three points behind ourselves at this stage with a game in hand, a win was a must and the lads duly delivered. Nurse started after Folly’s recall to Plymouth, but as in the previous two games we conceded an early goal, Lee Grant sliding home as the defence screamed for an offside flag which never came. The visitors’ lead was short-lived though and Benson put an end to a 7-game barren run when he guided home from Green’s long throw. Just before the break, Nurse done well to keep possession before slipping to Gain who fired the ball across visiting keeper Dunbavin and into the net.

The second half was all Dagenham as Green added an early free-kick which Dunbavin let through his grasp, and chance after chance went begging to put the gloss on the scoreline. Nurse’s well-worked move with Green really should’ve ended in a goal but flashed across the face, and both Benson and Scott would’ve been disappointed with at least two spurned chances each. There was a sour note to the win however with injuries to Arber and Doe which meant Uddin and Vincelot were both pressed into service. In fact, both performed superbly but with Vincelot a right-back by trade and Uddin having very little football this season, it isn’t ideal if both are needed on an extended basis.

The final game of this round-up was a trip to Port Vale and much like Accy, they themselves were hoping for a win to boost their playoff bid. Unfortunately they got just what they wanted in a 3-1 win as both Uddin and Vincelot continued their new partnership. We took an early lead, Marlon Pack marking the final appearance of his loan spell with a headed goal after Benson’s excellent work on the right but just before the break we were pegged back as Haldane found it far too easy to turn home a left-wing cross. And with fifteen minutes left, Taylor slotted home to be almost immediately followed by a flicked Davies finish following a free-kick.

So overall quite a mixed bag with 2 superb home performances offset by disappointing results at Lincoln and Vale. With Folly and now Pack both heading back to their parent clubs, we look short in midfield to keep pace with the playoff pack in coming weeks. Nurse has come to the fore as a surprise star performer to help us over the loss of Folly, but Pack’s return is likely to require either Bingham or Tejan-Sie to find their feet immediately. If Arber and Doe both find themselves out of action for very long, this will leave the squad incredibly stretched and surely put paid to our chances once and for all.

Benson added another goal to his tally but really he needs to find a period of form. After 18 games he had 10 goals to his name but since then he has added just 6 in 25 games, and only actually scored in 4 of those matches. With Josh’s first season showing buckets of promise but probably a few too many misses, the onus has to be on the more senior man to take a few more of his chances. Chesterfield’s unexpected win over Rochdale has put them in a better position than we could have expected and so now our visit to Saltergate on Saturday really is make-or-break time.

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