Way back at the end of January we finished up our review with a defeat to Notts County that left us in 9th place but within 2 points of a playoff place. Nine games on and we now find ourselves 2 places lower down in 11th and 4 points short as both Port Vale and Northampton have surged into the race.
We started February with a home game against Northampton, perhaps looking for some revenge for a 1-0 loss at Sixfields on Boxing Day. Northampton were a functional side at best and scarcely deserved all three points that day but, predictably, we didn’t learn our lesson and befell exactly the same fate this time around. The shake-up that followed the woeful display against Wagecap Allstars saw Thomas, Nurse and Currie recalled to the side, and McCrory make his debut at left-back. The experiment didn’t work. After a turgid first half, Nurse let John Johnson come inside him (ooh-err) and he curled a terrific effort into the top corner. The introduction of Josh Scott and Danny Green threatened to improve things but Chris Dunn made superb saves from Nurse and most notably Gain to earn his side the win.
A visit to high-flying Rotherham was probably not the best tonic after three straight defeats, and rather predictably three became four as the Daggers were brushed aside 2-0. Rotherham have stuttered at home this season, probably due to having the kind of pitch that would make Wigan’s look decent, but this wasn’t to be another blip on their record. An early Le Fondre goal and a further penalty from the same man sealed the points before the break. Arber was perhaps lucky to stay on the field for the offence that led to the penalty, but Ellison, Roberts, Fenton and Pope could still all have added gloss to the scoreline.
Yet another tough game followed when 2nd placed Bournemouth visited Victoria Road. Finally we were given some respite from Nurse as Graeme Montgomery was allowed to make the first League start of his career. We’ve already documented the partnership he almost immediately forged with Damien McCrory, and it was certainly key as we ran out 1-0 winners. It was richly deserved as the Daggers dominated most of the game and although we had to edge home courtesy of Mark Arber’s penalty, nobody could have complained had it been 2 or 3 given the chances spurned by Josh Scott, a terrific Benson effort which rebounded off the bar, and other unfortunate efforts from Montgomery and Gain. This game also saw the emergence of Marlon Pack as a dominant force; after a start to his Daggers career which made him marginally less popular than herpes, Marlon began to set the record straight with a rather quite excellent battling performance at the heart of the action.
We went to Rochdale with renewed optimism but it proved to be hollow as the league leaders showed why they are top with a 3-1 win. Rochdale took an ominous early lead as Obadeyi put away a loose ball after a Roberts save, but Josh Scott immediately hit back by slotting home from the recalled Nurse’s pass. Both side traded blows in a close-fought game but things turned Dale’s way in the last ten minutes. First Jones’ long-range effort bounced across Roberts and into the bottom corner and then O’Grady sealed the points with a goal on the break. It was harsh on Dagenham who had looked for all the world like grinding out a point.
There were only 3 days to wait for a chance to put things right with a trip to everybody’s favourite fluffy little club, Aldershot Town. Those scamps in the home end came armed with flags and banners this time around, one rather large effort gloating about the hammering dished out to us at Victoria Road earlier in the season. They had more to cheer about as Hudson squirmed one in that Roberts really should have saved and Donnelly added another just after the break. However, things started to look up for the Daggers when Benson bundled a Green corner home from about a yard. Ten minutes later and Benson scored a polar opposite goal to his first, picking the ball up on halfway before surging forwards and burying a low shot from 20 yards which Henderson decided to observe rather than attempt to stop. And with five minutes left, a remarkable turnaround was complete when Pack’s long pass sent Thomas careering through to set up Josh Scott for the winner. Maybe we can make a little banner to celebrate.
Grimsby was next up and we did the expected job with a 2-0 win despite a goalless first half. Montgomery was back in the side after being rested in midweek and he provided a perfect cross for Josh Scott to head home the first goal. Despite dominating territorially, the Daggers couldn’t conjure a 2nd goal with off-target shooting and good defending conspiring against them. Just when it threatened to get nervy, Green popped up with five minutes left to drill one across goal and into the far corner.
We backed this up with two goalless draws on the road against two sides with contrasting fortunes this season. Newly promoted Torquay were first and they are having a season of struggle towards the foot of the table as they try to re-establish themselves in the League. They had the best of this encounter with Mansell rattling the frame of the Daggers’ goal, but both sides were wasteful with the few chances that came their way and it was a good point to take back to Dagenham. Next was Bury and the Shakers find themselves once again challenging for promotion after being desperately unlucky last season to miss out on goal-difference. Montgomery had missed out in the Torquay game and although Nurse took his place at Plainmoor, this time Yoann Folly came in for his full debut. Both sides were denied by the offside flag before Benson spurned a glorious one-on-one chance, and Roberts made a good late save to ensure the points were shared.
Eight points from four games was an excellent return but unfortunately we are again ending with a defeat, and the second to Rotherham in this piece! Gain’s suspension meant Montgomery was in for the only change, but really it was a disjointed performance as Pack and Folly never really showed up against a quietly efficient Millers side. The game never really had anything in it until Le Fondre (yes, him again) bundled in the rebound after Roberts had made a great save. The Daggers tried to respond with Green coming to life on the right but it was too little too late.
This leaves the Daggers with a lot to do in order to trouble the promotion picture this season. We do have a game in hand over 7th-placed Northampton but Accrington in 12th will also fancy their chances given their 3 games in hand. The run of 2 wins and 2 draws will have improved confidence but, conversely, we have now gone 3 games without scoring and really should have done more against a Rotherham side clearly struggling for form themselves. A win tomorrow night would certainly liven the picture up though – come on you Daggers!
