Having barely finished glugging the champagne after our famous League 2 play-off victory at Wembley two and a half weeks ago, we now know our opponents in the first round of the Carling Cup. The draw was made this morning and the Daggers face a tricky tie away to League 1 rivals (still sounds unbelievable!), MK Dons.
It’s perhaps not the blockbuster tie that many would have craved but there will be plenty of those to enjoy as league fixtures next term!
Statistically, the Daggers’ record against the Dons is pretty meek. Three games and three defeats have yielded only one goal to date; Josh Scott’s last minute consolation in a 3-1 Johnstone’s Paint Trophy reverse at Stadium:MK last season.
However, the euphoria engulfing Victoria Road at the moment as the Daggers prepare for their inaugural season as a League 1 outfit could prove to be a real leveller. The Dons were no great shakes last season and finished a mediocre 12th in England’s third tier, some 20 points shy of Huddersfield in the final play-off spot. So despite history not being on our side, this could well be a closer contest than we witnessed last season.
A campaign that began with much promise for MK Dons, especially with the return of Paul Ince for his second managerial spell, imploded spectacularly. The Dons’ last competitive victory arrived on March 9 and was followed by five draws and six defeats. However, in Jermaine Easter they have a proven goalscorer who is not averse to grabbing the headlines, especially in the Carling Cup. During the 2006/07 season Easter, then a Wycombe Wanderers player, scored in every round of the competition up to and including a semi-final showdown with Premier League heavyweights Chelsea. He ominously bagged two goals in last season’s encounter with the Daggers.
Our record in this competition has not been great. Three defeats in three attempts have been chalked up, albeit against tough opposition in Cardiff, Reading and Luton. The closest the Reds came to reaching the second round was two years ago when Reading’s blushes were spared by an 89th minute Noel Hunt goal.
So to the other ties, and due to Championship sides being seeded there are no all-Championship draws at this stage.
Perhaps the tie of the round, at least for the romantics out there, sees Conference champions Stevenage Borough take on 2008 FA Cup winners Portsmouth. Bradford will no doubt enjoy rubbing shoulders with the big boys again, even if it is just for 90 minutes, as they take on Nottingham Forest at Valley Parade.
A south coast derby sees Southampton host Bournemouth. Despite a hefty points deduction last season, the Saints had an impressive campaign and will surely be favourites to progress here, but the fixture should generate strong local interest. Another fixture worth keeping an eye on is Aldershot against Watford. The Hornets left it late to retain Championship status last season whereas the Shots had an outstanding run in League 2 to finish sixth. With home advantage there is certainly a shout of an upset (that’s if you have any faith left in our predictions!).
Daggers’ League Cup record
2009/10: Cardiff City 3-1 Daggers (Scott 81)
2008/09: Daggers 1-2 Reading (Taiwo 68)
2007/08: Daggers 1-2 Luton Town (Strevens 73)
