Anybody who has watched the regular tight contests between the Daggers and Morecambe in recent years would have been expecting more of the same. Never before has more than 2 goals separated the sides. The predictable regularity with which the ball was pumped onto the heads of Artell and Bentley in either league encounter even led to many pessimistic pre-match predictions this time around. The Shrimps hold the worst defensive record in the top half of the division yet we never seem to break them down.
Therefore the outcome of this match was, quite frankly, ridiculous. This was the best performance that Dagenham have produced in quite some time, and one would wager the worst that Morecambe have mustered. From minute one we were switched on, tenacious, and up for the fight, denying the silky Drummond space in which to work his magic. Even Mullin, so often our tormentor, was subdued with his supply lines restricted and Arber showing remarkable aerial prowess against his taller opponent. It was just four minutes before the pressure told, Benson on hand for a tap-in after Roche had saved a Nurse header.
Within minutes Morecambe were on the attack themselves, and Roberts had to make a good save from an excellent Mullin chance. It served as a warning for how quickly football matches can change, especially when Roberts then kicked a clearance flat along the ground which luckily evaded the blue-clad visitors. The unbearable tension around Victoria Road was lifted with ten minutes remaining in the half, Josh Scott picking up a poor Roche goal kick and running clear of the defence to coolly slot into the bottom corner. We have witnessed Josh enjoy an auspicious debut season as a professional, but it is fair to say he has room for improvement in the finishing department. This was certainly a move in the right direction. The last ten minutes of the half saw Danny Green uncharacteristically spurn 2 chances, dragging wide from the edge of the box before whipping a ball inches wide of the far post.
A healthy scoreline at the break, but would those missed chances haunt us? How about the two penalty appeals which were rejected, a Parrish handball which could be seen from the other end of the ground and a challenge on Benson by Bentley which got nowhere near the ball but definitely took the man? The referee was finally swayed at the start of the second period, Green cleverly drawing a foul from Bentley who could only look at the ground in despair. Arber wrestled the ball from a clearly irritated Green and hit a weak spot-kick against Roche, but Josh was on hand again with his first shot hitting the post and his second hitting the back of the net. John will have to decide upon our penalty taker before matches in future.
This signalled the opening of the floodgates, Josh rising highest to complete his hat-trick from Green’s corner, and Benson then latching onto Parrish’s poor header to lift the ball into the top corner. Just in case there was any doubt over the destination of the man of the match award, Josh then done superbly to win the ball by the corner flag before running along the goal-line and clipping past Roche with his right-foot (yes, right-foot) for his fourth goal of the afternoon. He could have added to his tally, trying one spectacular volley from way outside the box which dropped harmlessly wide before hammering a bending effort into the top of the side-netting.
Whatever the destination of any individual awards, this was simply a brilliant team performance in a completely unexpected 6-0 win. On Thursday it will require more of the same – Morecambe don’t lie down for anybody and will be desperate to put on a show for their final match at Christie Park. As the eternally wise Mr Still has said, “We’ve got to be professional and do our job”, and you would surely trust him to bring the players down to earth and lead us to that place beginning with W.
Doesn’t come much better than that , what a way to spend your Sunday afternoon , knocking Morecambe for six. I’m still pinching myself.
We’re on our way to Wembley , LaLa La La!