Four league games gone, and plenty to reflect on for the Daggers. An opening day win at Crewe was followed by two crushing home wins, but a defeat at Notts County means the Daggers lie in 2nd place. There was also the small matter of a League Cup defeat at Cardiff City. Rather than get into the monotony of regular match reports, we intend to offer periodic examinations of the team’s fortunes.
In our pre-season predictions we put Crewe up in 7th so it was always going to be a tricky place to go on the opening day. After navigating the typically Northern town and pubs, we witnessed a classic piece of smash-and-grab Dagenham, taking three points in a 2-1 win in an even match.
Pantomime villain Anthony Elding lined up for the hosts and was in fine form, responding to questions about his sexuality with good humour and plenty of arse-grabbing. Unfortunately for him, he was in pretty dire form in front of goal, missing 2 good chances. The Daggers’ first goal was a well-documented 30-yarder from the normally woeful Jon Nurse, and just this piece of inspiration told you it was going to be our day. Crewe equalised in the second half with a wonderful curler but just minutes later, Benson bundled through 2 defenders and a goalkeeper somehow with the ball still at his feet to slot home and win the game.
The new-look midfield with Peter Gain on the left passed its first test in some style – Stuart Thurgood and Taiwo made quite a team in the middle of the pitch and Gain was able to get forwards and use his neat footwork to pick holes in the defence. 
At the back, Will Antwi carried on where Magnus left off and the only minor cause for concern was the ease with which giant Calvin Zola was able to bring the ball down and lay it off. It is hardly surprising that Arbs was unable to compete physically with this, but the work rate of the yellow-clad lads meant most chances were quickly snuffed out.
A midweek visit to Championship Cardiff was probably not the best way to follow up a hard-fought victory but the Daggers acquitted themselves well. The Bluebirds fielded a strong side and were probably just about worth a 2-0 lead at the break, even if the penalty and subsequent re-take were slightly unfortunate. A debut goal from substitute Josh Scott gave us hope, but Whittingham scored a lovely third on break in the dying minutes.
Back on home ground, two 5-goal hauls and two more wins put the Daggers at the top of the league. Against Torquay, Peter Gain continued to show how much he can offer from the left side, drifting into the box to guide a lovely volley into the net from Josh Scott’s lay-off. New right-winger Danny Green, basically a slightly stretched version of predecessor Sam Saunders complete with equally high-pitched voice, weighed in with two good strikes in the second half to seemingly seal the points. The referee did his best to give Torquay a way back with a ludicrous penalty decision against Arber, but Josh Scott scored with a wonderful near-post flick from a Green corner to cap a rather brilliant home debut. His constant running, quick feet and bison-like strength meant a very hard day for the Gulls’ defence.
Torquay still weren’t finished, scoring a flick of their own and a fierce dipping, swerving effort from Carayol but sub Wes Thomas sold Chris Todd a dummy before slotting home for number five. Todd almost had to pay to get back in and he probably didn’t want to bother after the going-over he’d been given during ninety minutes.
Three days later and Shrewsbury were the visitors to Victoria Road. After the last-day heartache the Shrews caused, pushing the Daggers out of the playoff places, everybody in the home crowd would have been desperate to see us send them home with a pasting. They got their wish – a 5-0 drubbing went some way towards revenge. Shorn of Grant Holt and Humphreys, they were a completely different proposition and had no answer to the absolute beasting the likes of Taiwo gave them in the middle of the field. One time, he stubbed his toe on a Shrewsbury player and the Shrewsbury player shattered into 5327 pieces. After the game he didn’t have a shower, he simply forced Shrewsbury players to cry on him.
Paul Benson was the hero with a 4-goal haul, the likes of which haven’t been seen in the league since David Pratt managed to kick the ball in the correct direction 4 times against some village team from Heybridge. Of course, the Shrews attempted to sign Benno over the summer so this was particularly sweet for the Daggers’ fans. As in the previous game, Josh Scott impressed, setting up Benno’s second goal and battering Kelvin Langmead into submission.
And so onto Notts County, who had lost in midweek but had won their first two games. Over the summer, Notts County seem to have gone from a fine old club with a rich history, to a rich man’s play thing. The takeover was embraced by the previous owners and the fans which is quite a worrying fact when you see how many clubs have been pushed to the brink of extinction when the money runs out. They have built something of a fantasy side, full of players who are willing to play below their level in order to pick up a fat pay packet. It isn’t just the playing side – appointing Sven Goran Eriksson as Director of Football at this level is a frankly ridiculous move. What signings can he possibly recommend aside from delving into his contact book from his days at Manchester City and picking players who will cost a stupid amount of money? He can probably help build the academy but don’t count on him bringing an increase in professionalism – shagging the secretary at the FA when England manager is about as unprofessional as it gets.
The signings of Lee Hughes and Kasper Schmeichel show up the farcical situation – Hughes rejected a new contract at his League One side Oldham and initially rejected County until the full details of their mega-money plan became clear. Kasper’s case is even worse – he was at a Premier League club and cost over £1m! Onto the match, and the Daggers were predictably well beaten. After a fairly even 40 minutes, County burst into life with two defensive mistakes handing them a 2-0 lead at the break. The second goal would have been more at home in a circus – Doe got the ball in his crown jewels, didn’t go down, and made a hash of attempting to put the ball out. He then walked away from Hughes, leaving him a free run into the box to set up Hawley.
The occasion was probably a bit too much for some of the younger lads – Danny Green and Josh Scott were unable to produce anything like their form over the first three games, and defensively Will Antwi and Scott Doe had absolute ‘mares. But there is no disgrace in losing this game – plenty of sides will go a similar way during the season. It’s just a shame that some of the moron contingent in the Kop couldn’t show a bit more humility. Then again, with an extra 2,000 glory-hunters through the gate this season, they probably don’t remember what it was like to get thumped by the Daggers.
