Accrington Stanley 0-2 Daggers, Happy New Year!

Dagenham & Redbridge halted a run of three straight defeats thanks to a dominant 2-0 victory at The Crown Ground on Saturday afternoon against a poor Accrington Stanley side. The Daggers were in control throughout the game and goals from Matt Saunders and Luke Howell either side of the half time break sealed the win. The victory lifts the Victoria Road outfit up to 14th in the table, whilst their hosts sink to a worryingly low 18th. 

The journey to Accrington is rarely a joyous one, purely because you know you're going to end up in Accrington. Nevertheless we endeavoured to make the trip, hoping for a better result than the one that greeted us on New Year’s Day at Northampton. A good result would also allow for my incessant moaning and storytelling of last year’s defeat to Stanley to come to an end as well - something which would please everyone.

After meeting Bill & Chaz at Chadwell Heath, we began the daunting journey to deepest darkest Lancashire. Following a quick change at Liverpool Street we arrived at Kings Cross with just enough time to board our Grand Central Train where we'd change at Halifax. The journey passed in a flash, a long, two and a half hour flash. After surveying the mammoth rolling hills and the wonderful Flour Factory at Halifax, our train arrived just in time for us to survive death by boredom.

Upon arrival in Accrington, we encountered something strange. It wasn't raining and there was a rare glimpse of the Sun – unbelievable! In previous trips to Lancashire the weather has been awful so this was a welcome turn up for the books. After navigating the treacherous streets of Accrington with no green man on the traffic lights to help us, we arrived at The Crown Ground just before 14:30. 

After encountering many pot holes, we paid our money and entered into the ground itself. I like Accrington as they're a club similar to our own in stature, so the greeting and thanks for our support printed on an A4 piece of paper behind the stand was a nice touch from the club. After having a reasonably priced £2.50 hot dog, we headed up to the stand itself to reacquaint ourselves with the ground just over a year since our last visit.

The Crown Ground is quite a low stadium in stature and with three sides containing small sections of seating it has an odd feel. The metal structures on top of the main stand are also odd but add to give the ground a bit of character. As always we were located in the open terrace, furthermore we weren't even given the option of standing under cover this year! Something that brought marks off however, was that there wasn't a Saturday game available to watch on the field behind the stand.

As the ground began to fill up in the slowest way possible, the teams were announced as follows...

Accrington Stanley: Belford, Wilson, Winnard, Murphy, Molyneux, Lindfield, Miller, Joyce, Boco, Beattie, Amond. Subs: Dawber, Clark, Dixon, Gray, Liddle, Hatfield, Mingoia.

Stanley gaffer Leam Richardson was forced into a single change from the side that defeated Chesterfield 1-0 on New Year’s Day. Laurence Wilson, previously of Everton was brought into the side for Nicky Hunt who picked up an injury in training. The front three of Boco, Beattie & Amond were sure to cause threats as Stanley looked about increasing their winning run following a torrid winless run at the back end of 2012.

Dagenham & Redbridge: Lewington, Hoyte, Doe, Wilkinson, Femi, Howell, Saunders, Ogogo, Elito, Woodall, Williams. Subs: Seabright, Scott, Gracco, Spillane, Caprice, Maher, Bingham.

Despite having a fully fit squad to choose from, John Still made two changes to his side as Daggers looked to arrest a three game losing streak. Mickey Spillane was dropped to the bench which allowed Abu Ogogo to push up into centre midfield and Gavin Hoyte to come in at right back. Elsewhere Brian Woodall replaced Jake Reed to partner Sam Williams up top in an expected change. Gianluca Gracco was also giving a place on the bench for the first time.

Daggers Fans (@big_g1978)

Despite there being a seemingly low number of spectators inside the stadium, the teams were paraded onto the pitch. At this point I counted 27 Daggers on the terrace although a few more were coming in all the time. Rather annoyingly the teams decided to swap ends which meant the Daggers would be attacking us in the first half, whilst Stanley would be facing their own fans.

From the word go you wouldn't begrudge Leam Richardson for berating his Stanley side. Pockets of space were constantly appearing on the left which allowed Medy Elito to take full advantage and really cause problems for debutant full back Laurie Wilson. Despite the positive start it was the hosts who registered the first attempt. Some clever play between Boco & Padraig Amond down the left allowed the latter to advance into the box before skewing his fierce strike over Chris Lewington's bar.

As the game reached the 15 minute mark the visitors took advantage of poor Stanley play. Medy Elito caused real problems after breaking past one and then past two defenders before putting a cross into the box that evaded everyone. Seconds later Medy put another ball into the box, this time it was deflected behind for a corner. From the resultant Matt Saunders corner, Cameron Belford was tested for the first time by a tame Brian Woodall header.

After a largely uninspiring start to the season Elito was now coming into his own. The confidence of the winger was clear, so much so that when Daggers won a free kick on the edge of the box he forwarded himself to take it. Despite a confident run up, he fired it just over the bar to test Stanley's steel.

Magic Medy Elito

Following constant pressure on the left hand side from Medy Elito, Daggers finally got their reward. Elito beat makeshift full back Craig Lindfield before firing a deadly ball into the box that was glanced home by Matt Saunders after the winger had edged in front of his man. The 37 Daggers in attendance celebrated amongst themselves whilst Matt Saunders and Medy Elito wheeled off in delight. 

Still's men responded well to the minimal pressure exerted by Stanley as they attempted to get back into the game. Gavin Hoyte was justifying his selection whilst the centre half pairing of Scott Doe & Luke Wilkinson was looking as solid as ever. Just after the half hour mark Daggers nearly added another as Sam Williams speculative effort flew wide of the post and ended up with me in the terrace.

Romauld Boco who was looking like Stanley's only goal threat then saw his strike deflected into Lewington's path allowing for an easy save. Laurie Wilson was continuing to have a torrid half at right back with Elito & Femi giving the debutant very little respite from constant pressure. Good combination play from Howell, Williams and Elito saw the ball end up with Matt Saunders whose goalbound shot was blocked by a Stanley defender.

The front pairing of Sam Williams and Brian Woodall was also causing problems. Despite getting few shots away Woodall was looking more adept at partnering Williams than Jake Reed who had been dropped from the 18 altogether. Williams himself almost doubled the lead before half time when his 20 yard drive towards the bottom corner was palmed away by Cameron Belford. 

Happy Daggers! (@baldy984)

Padraid Amond was then forced off through injury which allowed Michael Liddle to replace the frontman. As the first half ended with Daggers in full control, Laurie Wilson nearly equalised for Stanley but his effort was stopped well by Lewington at the near post. The half time whistle blew and the 37 Daggers in attendance couldn't believe how well we were playing. Whilst the obvious ball over the top was still making an appearance, there was far more passing on the floor and our threat down the left hand side was becoming increasingly apparent.

In recent weeks half time has been a period of wondering if we can get back into the game, this week it was a period of wondering if we can build on our lead. Not many times have I been able to go away from home and say that this season! As the clouds conversed and darkness fell, the teams re-emerged for the second half. At this point we also learned that Chris Lewington's karaoke tune is "Teenage Dirtbag" by Wheatus. Fascinating stuff I’m sure you’ll agree.

The Daggers continued the second half in the ascendancy as they looked to build on their goal lead. A break forward allowed Abu Ogogo to get a shot away that was ultimately blocked, whilst Femi fired the rebound high over the bar. One day Femi will score and that day will be tremendous. Craig Lindfield then attempted to feed a ball into the box, but his attempts were thwarted by the safe hands of Chris Lewington.

The famous "Woodall at Accrington" snap makes a
welcome return.

With 7 minutes played in the second half, the visitors effectively killed the game off. Matt Saunders advanced before playing in Brian Woodall on the right hand side who crossed for Luke Howell to prod home a delicate left footed finish that went in off the far post. We celebrated once more as unbelievably we found ourselves deservedly two goals to the good away from home.

The game then became somewhat subdued as both sides almost accepted the fate of the match. Stanley were now looking far more dangerous down the right hand side, unfortunately for them though Femi was in superb form and quelled the danger immediately. After a double change by Richardson, Accrington came close to pulling one back. Lee Molyneux was allowed time and space before curling a shot goalwards that Lewington was equal to once again.

A poor training ground routine was then messed up by Stanley as a free kick in a dangerous looking position was cleared away by Luke Howell. Daggers were still having an odd break down the wings but it was all Stanley going forward at this point. Luke Howell was then put into the referee's book for making one cynical foul to many - although some would say he should have been booked earlier!

With 84 minutes played Stanley came incredibly close to nabbing one back. Craig Lindfield's dangerous strike was parried once more by Lewington but as Hoyte attempted to clear he could only manage to pass the ball back into the side netting. It was a moment that had everyone on edge as it looked extremely close to going in the back of the net. From the resulting corner the ball was cleared once more as the Daggers defence remained resilient.

Daggers continued to push forward in search of a third goal but it came at a cost with Sam Williams booked for an apparent dive late on. Forward Williams was seemingly brought down in the box but ultimately the referee decided against it and gave Williams a yellow card. There did appear to be a challenge so a look at a replay would be beneficial in making a stonewall judgement.

There was one final chance for Stanley in the closing moments when Molyneux's treacherous cross was volleyed goalwards by Beattie, but the referee decided Chris Lewington was fouled when attempting to gather the ball and a free kick was given. Just enough time remained for Medy Elito to complete his best performance of the season by breaking into the box and firing his low shot into the side netting.

My second half description may sound as though Daggers were hanging on for dear life at some points – but it wasn’t like that at all. Whilst Accrington exerted a degree of pressure it remained comfortable for the visitors. The backline snuffed out the majority of attacks and the commanding presence of Scott Doe really shone through.

The referee then blew his whistle to signal the end of the game. I’ll give credit to Stanley supporters as well because they didn't boo at the final whistle like some sets of supporters would have done. I very much like Stanley and wish them well for the rest of the season in their battle against the drop.

So, our first victory or 2013 and it came away from home! Not only that, it was my first away victory following the team this season - so I'm no longer a jinx! The players came over and applauded the 37 on the terrace who made the trip before huddling for a team talk. 

I have to say it was a delightful performance. From start to finish we were in complete control and never really looked like conceding. The main threat came down the left hand side where Femi and Medy in particular were dangerous all afternoon. This was by far Medy's best performance of the season; furthermore his remit as "winger" finally came to be as he tested the full back numerous times whilst also getting in his fair share of crosses.

Scott Doe & Luke Wilkinson were solid all afternoon, not giving the Stanley forwards an inch of space to work with. They were both dominant in the air and commanding on the ground, making important challenges when they were needed. Gavin Hoyte also asserted himself well and continued the good form of Ogogo in the right back position. Femi also put in a good shift, managing to balance both his attacking and defensive side of the game admirably.

In the midfield we can have no complaints really. The vastly underrated Matt Saunders was sensational once more. As I constantly say he was the creative spark on the right side and troubled the Stanley defenders with some terrific through balls and marvellous crosses. Luke Howell played his part and made some important challenges whilst Abu continued his consistency into the midfield, playing the ball and getting around the park.

Sam Williams & Brian Woodall - this partnership needs to remain. They complimented eachother superbly well and created numerous opportunities thanks to their camaraderie. Jake Reed has bundles of energy, but Brian Woodall has that little bit more that gets the supporters excited and the players motivated. Medy was just superb, he caused many problems down the left hand side as well as enjoying a great bond with Femi.

Something that shouldn't be ignored however is the performance of Chris Lewington. He's come under some criticism in recent weeks but he barely put a foot wrong yesterday afternoon. He commanded the game from the goalmouth and really asserted his authority on the game. Anyone who says he doesn't talk either needs their hearing checked or really needs to listen harder! Well done Lewy, I salute you!

What's more is that we played well as a unit. Everyone seemed to know what was going on, when it was going on and how it was going on. The slick triangles of passing made a reappearance with neat one two's predominantly down the left. It allowed the forwards and Elito especially to get down the wing and advance into the box causing substantial problems for the Stanley back line. If we can play the ball like that against Accrington, I’d like to think we can do it against other sides in this league as well.

To put it simply - it was a combination of one of Daggers' best performances of the season and one of Stanley's worst. The complete away performance I guess you could say. As for Stanley, I fear for them. They're currently experiencing "The Macclesfield effect", whereby a team goes from mid table into freefall. Unless they can get their defence up to scratch and look more threatening going forward they could be in trouble.

Saying that however, I think they have the players that can get them out of it. Whilst James Beattie wasn't effective yesterday afternoon, he's the kind of character that has the spark to ignite the team. Boco can also inspire the supporters I feel, moreover they need some steel in the middle of the park because that's where Daggers dominated. If you dominate in the midfield, that's 2/3 of the game won for me.

I also salute me fellow 36 Daggers on the terrace and the apparent 8 who were in the seats. You did the team proud yesterday and hopefully some of you will be able to make it to Morecambe on Tuesday night! 

We return to Lancashire on Tuesday night in the rearranged fixture at The Globe Arena against Morecambe. This game also has FREE ENTRY for all supporters, so if you can, make sure you get yourself to that one! My next report will be against Rochdale next Saturday, meanwhile the jury's still out if I can make Wycombe away the following week.

As always, many thanks for reading and remember to follow me on Twitter - @NickdrfcMurphy.

Northampton Town 3-1 Daggers, Cursed.

Dagenham & Redbridge began 2013 with a whimper following yet another disappointing defeat to Northampton Town at Sixfields. Despite a late Scott Doe consolation strike, the damage had already been done with Cobblers goals coming courtesy of Kelvin Langmead, Chris Hackett and Abu Ogogo who contrived to put the ball into his own net. The victory for the hosts also continues their remarkable record over Still's men, having won every single game in which they've faced the Essex side.

Wary of our record against Northampton, it was perhaps foolish to even expect anything from this game. But with a new year, there was new hope - or at least there was for the 5 hours preceding kick off. With an early start, we went from Barking to Euston, via Fenchurch Street, Tower Hill & Bank. The not so plush London Midlands Service awaited us and after a quick stop in Bushey along with several other not so funny place names, we arrived at Northampton Station just a shade after 13:00.

Then yet more bad news greeted us. As New Years Day is a bank holiday, it was my worst fear...the cabbies were charging double fares! After stomaching the sickening blow, we arrived at Sixfields not too far short of 14:00. Instead of parading the team coach which had just arrived, we headed up a grassy knoll to the holy grail of fast food - KFC. After enduring a tricky time with the local accent which is indescribable, we headed towards the turnstiles (I’m only joking Cobblers fans.)

I've been to Sixfields before and the surrounding area is a novelty at first. With steep hills surrounding the stadium it's extremely unique. What does drag it down however is the fact that whilst there's a large leisure park around the ground, there's a severe lack of drinking facilities. Coming from Dagenham I'm hardly one to talk, but it felt extremely drab. After paying for my ticket and nearly walking away without it, we entered the freezing cold stadium for an afternoon of misery.

Sixfields hasn't changed much since my last visit, why would it have done? It retains the generic feel of four cold metal stands, all of which aren't attached to eachother. If you fancy freeloading, why not watch the entire game by sitting on top of the bus stop positioned on top of the hill behind the Dave Bowen Stand. The West Stand is the largest of the four and contains the majority of the noise with about 20 teenagers attempting to create an atmosphere.

As the announcer wasn't really up to much all afternoon, it was up to social networking to tell us the teams. They were as follows...

Northampton Town: Nicholls, Widdowson, Langmead, Charles, Tozer, Harding, Hackett, Hornby, Platt, Akinfenwa, Robinson. Subs: Snedker, Guttridge, Demontagnac, Turnbull, Dias, Moyo, Moult.

Following back to back postponements to end 2012, Cobblers chief Aidy Boothroyd rang the changes for the visit of Dagenham & Redbridge. The self accredited beast Adebayo Akinfenwa returned from suspension, as did Joe Widdowson who had recovered from injury. Jake Robinson also filled in for Emyr Huws, whilst with Clarke Carlisle absent it enabled Anthony Charles to partner Kelvin Langmead in the centre of defence. Another positive for the Cobblers faithful was the return of Luke Guttridge after injury; he had to be content with a spot on the bench.

Dagenham & Redbridge: Lewington, Femi, Doe, Wilkinson, Ogogo, Saunders, Howell, Spillane, Elito, Williams, Reed. Subs: Seabright, Maher, Caprice, Bingham, Woodall, Scott, Hoyte.

Having failed miserably in the two home fixtures over Christmas, John Still was always likely to change his team around. It came as a surprise however, that Daggers supremo Still opted to revert to the seemingly default XI that faced Southend United on Boxing Day. Matt Saunders replaced Kevin Maher in midfield, meanwhile Josh Scott dropped to the bench which allowed Jake Reed to partner Sam Williams up front once again.

West Stand, Main Stand

As the supporters came flocking through the turnstiles in their tens of thousands, the Daggers were practicing their shooting. One of Sam Williams' strikes went through the gap in the stand, whilst Kevin Maher managed to sky one over the stand itself. You could tell this was going to be a long afternoon. 

As the clock approached 15:00, several dance tunes played repetitively to ignite the football in the 2013 calendar year. The teams were paraded onto the pitch as, "The Liquidator", played in the background, which doesn't really work when there are only 4,000 fans singing along to it. The rituals continued until the teams were lined up and ready to go. Just as the random Northampton dragon mascot came out of the tunnel, the referee blew his whistle to signal the start of the match. 

Almost instantly Northampton was on the attack and if it were not for Luke Wilkinson's goal line clearance following Chris Lewington's flap at the ball - Jake Robinson may have put the Cobblers ahead. Despite the opening 15 minutes being extremely scrappy, the hosts looked the more likely to break the deadlock. Chris Hackett, Kelvin Langmead and Jake Robinson all had shots blocked as the Daggers back line came under siege.

Despite constant attacking threats down the left hand side via the medium of Femi, it took the visitors 27 minutes to register an attempt at the goal. Some poor defending allowed Jake Reed to capitalise on a ball chipped in behind, unfortunately though Reed lacked conviction and blazed his uncontrolled effort over the crossbar. Matt Saunders' corner was later cleared whilst up the other end Ben Tozer’s speculative long range effort flew over the bar.

Abu Ogogo

Just as it looked as though the half was fizzling out, disaster struck. A menacing ball into the Daggers box changed direction thanks to a Clive Platt flick on before striking Abu Ogogo's stomach and rolling agonisingly into the corner of the net. Despite both Abu & Chris Lewington's best efforts; it rolled over the line much to the disappointment of dejected players and fans alike. Northampton didn't mind though and I'm sure they weren't complaining over the 1-0 lead. Quite how the announcer had the cheek to award it to Chris Hackett however, I don't know.

Sam Williams then had a great chance to put Daggers back on level terms with their hosts. Femi’s fantastic run down the left hand side saw him deliver a pin point ball onto the head of the unmarked Sam Williams. Unfortunately, Williams was unable to jump high enough and contrived to head the ball over the bar from a fantastic position. We couldn't believe how he'd missed, although I imagine it was harder than it looked.

Straight from the goal kick, Daggers and in particular Sam Williams were made to rue that miss. Chris Hackett caught Femi out of position before sprinting down the right hand side and drilling a low shot past Chris Lewington that clipped the post and nestled in the back of the net. It was now 2-0 Northampton and that jinx we have against the Cobblers was rearing its ugly head once again.

From being completely in the game at the 30 minute mark, we had somehow managed to throw it all away. Not only that but for the third successive game we had conceded two before the break which simply isn't good enough. The first goal was simply unlucky on Ogogo's part, but you feel Femi could have done more for the second. I haven't seen the replays yet so perhaps my comments are a little harsh.

On the bright side the Northampton Town mascot wasn't enjoying the performance despite his side being two goals to the good. The dragon stood there with his arms folded for the entire half - at least he was warmer than we were! Half time passed in a frenzy of, "I don't have a bloody clue what is going on", as a supporter attempted to win money on the pitch. Despite not knowing what he had to do, it's safe to say he failed miserably.

Brian Woodall was introduced for the lagging Jake Reed as we entered the second half. John Still's team talk looked to have rustled a few feathers as the visitors were dominant from the off. Sam Williams' shot was blocked, whilst Medy Elito missed a fantastic opportunity after being put through on the left by Luke Howell. Daggers nearly pulled one back on 50 minutes as Elito's cross was met by Matt Saunders whose header cannoned back off of the post to our despair.

Not so magic Medy

You just knew that having wasted three extremely good chances, Northampton would go up the other end and extend the lead. And so they did seconds later. Ben Harding's corner caused confusion in the Daggers box before eventually being turned in by Kelvin Langmead. The roar of 4,000 Cobblers was heard once more as the Sixfields outfit now seemingly had an unassailable lead.

With a despondent set of fans, the team set about making amends and continued to push forward in search of a goal. With Medy Elito not causing any problems, it was down to Matt Saunders to try and find that creative spark down the right hand side. On 60 minutes he nearly did just that as his delivery was met by Scott Doe at the back post who could only manage to glance the ball wide of the post. Angst was the expression of the day as Daggers continued to waste good chances.

Luke Guttridge then replaced Lewis Hornby which received a warm round of applause from all Cobblers alike. Luke Howell later had an effort that only troubled the advertising hoardings, whilst Matt Saunders' crossing was causing serious problems for the Northampton centre halves. 

With 70 minutes played, Scott Doe made amends for his earlier miss by firing in a wonderful 20 yard strike from the edge of the area. That was also Doey's second goal in two games which prompted cries of "Put him up front Stilly", from the travelling supporters. Now we had an ounce of belief that we could do this, maybe, just maybe, we could perform a miracle. Sam Williams was doing his bit, after being put through by Spillane he could only fire his shot straight at Nicholls much to our frustration.

Jake Caprice was then introduced for Matt Saunders as Daggers opted for pace down the right hand side. Almost instantly he was involved, but unfortunately his cross went miles over the bar and out of play for a goal kick. Despite the attacking change, it was Northampton who pushed forward in the closing stages. Jake Robinson saw his shot go narrowly over the bar whilst Hackett's late ball into the box caused few problems.

Daggers Fans. (@romseycobbler on Twitter)

There was just enough time for Mickey Spillane to try his luck from the half way line before the referee finally signalled the end of the match. 172 Daggers were left despondent and disappointed as we suffered yet another defeat at Sixfields to the hands of Northampton Town. 

The two goals before half time really killed us, up until then it was largely equal. We didn't defend well enough and the victory was sealed with the goal early in the second half. Ultimately we failed to take our chances once more against a surprisingly direct side. Then again, with Akinfenwa in your team, who wouldn't be? The sheer strength of the man is enough to shift any central defender and whilst he didn't cause many problems, his presence was always felt.

Medy Elito for the large part had a nightmare. He doesn't deliver the goods consistently enough and several times in the second half he should have done better with the positions he was in. The fans eventually got on his back and if he remains in the side for Saturday's trip to Accrington Stanley I will be very surprised. A winger's remit is to provide balls into the box and Jake Caprice done that more in 15 minutes than Medy did for the entire 90.

Many also think it's about time we gave Brian Woodall his starting berth up front this season. He's been knocking on the door with his substitute appearances and following the poor display of Jake Reed surely it's only a matter of time. When he was introduced we looked like a different side and with some game time and a little confidence, Brian could strike up a fruitful partnership with Sam Williams.

The midfield I can't have that many complaints about yesterday afternoon. Mickey Spillane put in a good shift, whilst Matt Saunders provided the creative spark that we so dearly lack. Luke Howell was slightly underwhelming but with the way he's played this season that can be forgiven. Chris Lewington just needs to work on his decision making and his kicking, other than that he didn't have much to do all afternoon.

There wasn't much in the game but with a slice of luck and some precise finishing, Northampton took all three points. I didn't want to say this, but if we had a proven goalscorer like Dwight Gayle I wonder if the score would have been different. Probably, but I shouldn't dwell on it. 

The Cobblers will more than likely end up in a mid table position, mind you a push for the Play Offs is well within their reach. I'm sure there fans would also agree that it was by far not their best performance yesterday afternoon and improvements can be made. Good luck to them though, if they manage to keep their impressive home record up then there's no reason why they can't push on. At least we don't have to play them again for another seven months at the very least!

As for us, we now move on to the glamorous away fixture with Accrington Stanley at the weekend before travelling to Morecambe the Tuesday after. Our players will hopefully be in love with Lancashire by that point. I'll be travelling up for the Saturday fixture so let’s hope we can get back to winning ways and take 3 points from the Crown Ground!

Thanks for reading and remember to follow me on Twitter, @NickdrfcMurphy

Daggers 2-3 Port Vale, Feed The Pope

Dagenham & Redbridge succumbed to a disappointing 3-2 defeat at home to Port Vale on Saturday afternoon to end 2012 on a two game losing streak. Despite efforts from Sam Williams in the first half and Scott Doe late on, Daggers never really managed to get going. Micky Adams’ men were simply clinical, with a fantastic volley from Louis Dodds following up strikes from Tom Pope and Jennison Myrie-Williams. 

Before the match I wasn't particularly optimistic. We've never beaten Vale at home; moreover they were 2nd in the league which obviously brings its own problems. After the way we were dismantled by Southend on Boxing Day I feared for us against the even more clinical Tom Pope and co. Saying that however, we always tend to end the year well and were unbeaten against the Burslem outfit in our last two matches.

An overcast sky greeted us at Victoria Road where a significantly fewer number of people had turned out for the second of the two Christmas home games. The teams were swiftly announced with a couple of changes in store...

Dagenham & Redbridge: Lewington, Femi, Doe, Wilkinson, Ogogo, Spillane, Maher, Howell, Elito, Williams, Scott. Subs: Seabright, Hoyte, Bingham, Wakefield, Caprice, Woodall, Reed.

John Still wielded the metaphorical axe following a lacklustre display against Southend on Boxing Day. The most significant change was that of Josh Scott replacing Jake Reed alongside Sam Williams. Kevin Maher was also recalled for the first time since his appearance against Oxford, he came in for Matt Saunders who had picked up a knock in the warm up. Dominic Green continues to be deployed as Paul Daniels' new assistant and as a result, is still missing, presumed vanished.

Port Vale: Neal, Yates, McCombe, Duffy, Chilvers, Myrie-Williams, Morsy, Burge, Dodds, Pope, Andrew. Subs: Johnson, McDonald, Taylor, Shuker, James, Lloyd, Williamson. 

With the chance to go top with a win due to Gillingham not playing, Micky Adams would have been looking to keep the same team that defeated Rotherham United on Boxing Day. Unfortunately though the Valiants were forced into a single change, captain and former Dagger Doug Loft was missing through a suspected stomach bug which allowed Calvin Andrew to replace him. Ashley Vincent was also missing once again.

As the 256 Vale fans took their place in the Traditional Builders Stand, the referee blew his whistle to signal kick off. It was the home side who were quickest out of the blocks with Kevin Maher forcing Chris Neal into a low save following a partially cleared corner. It was déjà-vu soon after though as Daggers conceded an early goal. Chris Lewington once again made a rash judgement to collect the ball when he wasn't entitled to which allowed Adam Yates to cross for Tom Pope to nod home with 4 minutes played. Terrible defensive mistakes were punished once again.

Just as John Still's men had regrouped, they were hit with a sucker punch in the 9th minute. Myrie-Williams bypassed the Daggers defence before latching onto a beautifully weighted through ball and finished coolly past the onrushing Lewington to make it 2-0. With less than 10 minutes played it was looking like an impossible task for the Daggers, who were staring down the barrel of a second successive home defeat,

The game then took a more relaxed tone for the ensuing five minutes with Vale looking more than content with their lead. With 17 minutes played - controversy. Sam Williams burst into the box on the right hand side before being upended by Liam Chilvers. To everyone inside the ground it looked like a perfectly time challenged, the direction of the ball had clearly changed and barely anyone claimed for a penalty. The referee though had others ideas, after consultation with his official, he pointed to the spot.

Everyone looked in disbelief; even the Daggers players looked a bit embarrassed. As Ryan Burge limped off for treatment up one end, Sam Williams sent Chris Neal the wrong way at the other to reduce the deficit to 2-1. Whilst it was completely undeserved, some credit should go to Medy Elito for two crunching tackles to set up Williams' run down the right hand side. They were superb and really got the crowd going.

Both sides became more frantic in their approach. Liam Chilvers and Myrie-Williams both had shots blocked; meanwhile Tom Pope somehow squandered a marvellous headed chance by hitting it into the ground. Calvin Andrew also headed over from a corner before a period of Daggers pressure where Luke Howell saw his shot from outside the box deflected wide for a corner. Also, have you ever wondered what life would be like if Josh Scott had a right foot? Me too.

Then came Port Vale's third that was the knife in the Daggers coffin. Micky Spillane gave the ball away after being crowded out on the edge of the Vale box allowing the Valiants to spring a breakaway. Calvin Andrew played in Louis Dodds who rather than having a foot race against Femi, fired home an unstoppable volley from outside the box that flew past Lewington and into the back of the net. The strike drew applause from the Sieve as it was of genuine quality. The real question though, was why there were only two defenders in our own half - not good enough.

The Daggers ended the half in the ascendancy but were unable to make it 3-2. Luke Howell saw another shot blocked; meanwhile Chris Neal was on hand to prevent Micky Spillane finding the net from a tight angle. Despite a rather dodgy defensive display, Daggers weren't playing that bad like some of our supporters made out. If we could nick an early goal in the second half, I was confident we could make a game of it and maybe even push on for the draw.

As a reduced number of Daggerettes performed at half time, the Vale players wearing their Fulham replica kits returned to the pitch. To dampen spirits further, the rain also began to lash down causing tricky conditions as we started the second half. The hosts nearly pulled one back instantaneously. John McCombe's challenge brought down Sam Williams which allowed Medy Elito to swing in a wonderful free kick that went through everyone before clipping the outside of the post.

Chances were now coming thick and fast with Luke Wilkinson narrowly missing the target from outside the box. Then it was Vale's turn to attack once more and they would have gone 4-1 ahead had it not been for a last gasp goal-line clearance from Scott Doe. Nevertheless Vale continued to push forward with Louis Dodds' thunderous volley flashing just wide of the target. Tom Pope who saw a header blocked a few minutes earlier then tried his luck again, this time however he failed to hit the target.

Daggers though weren't giving up and had it not been for a back peddling Chris Neal tipping Micky Spillane's wondrous chip over the bar, they may have had their equaliser. Josh Scott who was lagging with his fitness was then replaced by Brian Woodall which received a large roar of approval from the Sieve. We then had a mini break in play for treatment to Chris Lewington after he dived at Myrie-Williams' feet to collect a loose ball, only to get a face full of leather in the process.

Kevin Maher hadn't really lived up to his pre match billing upon his return and was duly replaced by tricky winger Jake Caprice on 73 minutes. Maher has the ability to control the midfield and influence a game with his vast experience, unfortunately on Saturday afternoon too many mistakes cost the former Southend captain. Vale were continuing to soak up Daggers pressure as Caprice was involved straight away, firing in a well weighted cross into the box that was cleared.

Caprice was continuing to cause problems on the right hand side as his pin point cross was met by Woodall whose header was pushed wide thanks to a superb stop from Neal. Port Vale were still looking dangerous on the breakaway and may have extended the lead if not for superb tracking back from Luke Wilkinson. 

With 83 minutes played, it was looking like a lost cause for Daggers unless they got a goal back sharpish. As luck would have it, they did. Luke Howell's free kick was knocked on by Brian Woodall into the path of centre half Scott Doe who controlled the ball and executed the finish in superb fashion. Chris Neal was left with no chance as the score was reduced to 3-2. The Sieve was now rocking in hope of a possible 3-3 draw.

Try as they might, the hosts couldn't find that elusive equalising goal. Brian Woodall nearly dragged the ball around Chris Neal, but the 'keeper acted superbly to deny the substitute. The visitors rode both the literal and metaphorical storm to see out what you would probably credit to them as a deserved victory. Despite dominating possession in the second half, Daggers couldn't make it count and as a result the sheer clinical finishing of Vale shone through.

John Still will be disappointed by the fashion in which the first was conceded, but unfortunately it was down to individual error. Chris Lewington's judgement was poor and hopefully it's something that he's learning from and addressing. The third goal wasn't good enough defensively, the ease at which Dodds was allowed into the Daggers half was poor. Usually we’re pretty sound in those sort of situations, but today for whatever reason it wasn’t there. Then again, that's what we get for pushing men forward at that stage in the game.

One massive plus point this afternoon was the performance of Medy Elito. He showed real grit and determination, the like of which we've very rarely seen from him in a Daggers shirt. One passage of play where he won the ball, gave it away, then won it again and ultimately gave it away again seemed to sum up his season up to this point. Luke Howell was also impressive as ever, whilst Scott Doe didn't have a bad game either. 

As for Port Vale, the main point I'm getting across here is that they were extremely clinical. Any error that we made, they punished. Their defence was sturdy for the large part and if they manage to keeps their attack together I can definitely see them getting promoted. You can see how much they missed Doug Loft however, as they were left extremely exposed at left back when Jake Caprice was introduced.

We now move on to Northampton Town on New Year’s Day, a team against which the Daggers have never won - so hopefully we'll change that stat. I'd also love to see Jake Caprice given a starting berth on NYD as he really seems to trouble the full backs. On the other hand, Akinfenwa will more than likely score a hat trick against us and we'll trudge home despondent and wondering what went wrong. 

Until then, have a good New Year! Remember to follow me on Twitter, @NickdrfcMurphy

Daggers 0-3 Southend United, Cold Turkey

Dagenham & Redbridge crashed to a first home defeat since mid September as Southend United dismantled the hosts in this disappointing Essex Derby. The villain of the show was once again Gavin Tomlin who despite only scoring twice in 35 appearances for Daggers, managed two in 15 minutes for the Shrimpers to effectively kill the game off. Kevan Hurst added gloss early in the second half with an emphatic strike, but in truth John Still's men never got going.

Taking everything into account, this fixture looked like it would be a tight affair on paper. As previously alluded to the Daggers were unbeaten at home in 7 games and had won 5 of their last 7 overall. Southend on the other hand were on an impressive 13 game unbeaten streak, the longest in the division and hadn't lost to the hosts in 2012. Stats of course are completely meaningless depending what team turns up on the day.

Victoria Road was looking very much packed as I strolled in close to 12:45, and with all seats supposedly sold out it was looking like a terrific atmosphere as well. Just before the teams emerged, the line ups were announced...

Dagenham & Redbridge: Lewington, Ogogo, Wilkinson, Doe, Femi, Howell, Saunders, Spillane, Elito, Williams, Reed. Subs: Seabright, Maher, Caprice, Scott, Hoyte, Woodall, Bingham.

Unsurprisingly John Still kept with the same team that defeated Barnet over a week ago which meant the partnership of Sam Williams & Jake Reed was maintained. New striker Gianluca Gracco wasn't included in the 18, whilst Dwight Gayle had completed a £470,000 deal to join Peterborough United in the week. 

Southend United: Smith, Clohessy, Cresswell, Prosser, Barker, Mkandawire, Tomlin, Hurst, Laird, Assombalonga, Tomlin. Subs: Bentley, Straker, Phillips, Martin, Donnelly, Eastwood, Corr.

Paul Sturrock also opted for consistency which allowed the same 18 that defeated Chesterfield on Friday night to be named once more. The deadly pairing of Assombalonga and Tomlin remained meanwhile former O's star Tamika Mkandawire was set to marshal the midfield. Complete with the league's best defender in Ryan Cresswell, this was going to prove to be a stern test for Still's men.

Dagenham & Redbridge were immediately on the back foot as Southend piled on early pressure. Spurred on by 1300 vibrant visiting supporters, the Shrimpers took the lead within a minute. Luke Wilkinson misjudged a bouncing ball on the half way line which allowed Gavin Tomlin to advance forward into the box before lashing a finish that somehow found its way past Chris Lewington. 

The game took a more leisurely approach for the ensuing ten minutes or so as both sides found their feet in the contest. The hosts who were recovering from the early setback nearly found a way back into the game just before the 10 minute mark. Timlin gave the ball away in the centre circle allowing Luke Howell to pick up and dart forward before shooting wide with his left foot.

With 15 minutes played Southend extended their lead. Assombalonga played a neat one two with Laird at the expense of Scott Doe before the former squared for Tomlin to once more fire home into the net. You could argue that Chris Lewington shouldn't have been so rash in closing Assombalonga down, but in truth it was a wonderful flowing move from the Blues who thoroughly deserved their 2-0 lead.

At this point it already looked like an impossible job for Daggers as Southend have proved to be astute in holding their lead this season. The home side never looked like scoring in the first half. A Matt Saunders free kick caused some panic but was eventually cleared; meanwhile Sam Williams' header didn't trouble Paul Smith in the slightest. Captain Chris Barker than flashed an effort wide of the upright as the Shrimpers looked intent on adding to their lead.

Just before half time Still's men nearly pulled one back. A wonderful flowing move on the left hand side culminated in Medy Elito tamely shooting at Smith which as you can guess caused no problems. It was an extremely disappointing half from Dagenham who looked as though they were still feeling the effects of the Christmas day sherry. 

John Still's feathers were clearly ruffled as we approached the second half as the boss of 8 years made an uncharacteristic double change at half time. Brian Woodall was introduced for Jake Reed, whilst an unknown quantity in Jake Caprice replaced Mickey Spillane who had seemingly picked up a knock.

Before the Daggers were allowed to get going, Southend continued to knock on the door. The ball fell wonderfully for Tomlin 40 yards out and looking for his hat trick, volleyed a sporadic shot goalwards that forced a top draw save from the back peddling Lewington. Why couldn't you ever do that for us Gavin? 

Almost 50 minutes after the game had begun; the Daggers finally looked dangerous going forward. Caprice was causing problems down the right hand side, whilst Luke Howell saw his volleyed effort rebound off of Prosser's backside. Nevertheless, Southend continued to look dangerous and added a third soon after. Kevan Hurst was set up by Tomlin and with a lack of pressure Hurst fired a wonderful strike into the top corner leaving Lewington with no chance whatsoever. 54 minutes played and you'd wager - game over. 

From that point on Southend sat back as you would expect and allowed the home side to dominate. Unfortunately though, the Daggers were blunt and couldn't even muster a consolation. Luke Howell soon flashed another dipping volley wide of the upright, whilst left back Femi saw his looping header fall onto the roof of the net.

Josh Scott was later brought on for Medy Elito as the Daggers made their final change. And with that the hosts finally looked as though they'd managed to get going. Josh held up the ball well, dragged players away from their man and generally caused some degree of havoc. Alas it was too late, despite his impact there would be no chance of Daggers rescuing anything from this match.

In the final 80 minutes the 3500 strong crowd were nearly treated to a goal, but Sam Williams' header back across goal bounced off the bar and over for a goal kick. Michael Timlin continued to look menacing, first testing Chris Lewington with a strong right footed strike, and then flashing one wide of the post. Jake Caprice who looked lively after coming on squandered two late chances when really he should have found the target at the very least, which basically summed up the afternoon.

A real lack of urgency and just an off day in general for Daggers who were outclassed from start to finish by one of the main promotion candidates. Femi, Abu & Josh deserve some credit for at least creating some chances and remaining consistent - although it's becoming slightly worrying how Femi is our only source of creativity down the wings.

We move on to Port Vale on Saturday hoping to return to winning ways before the year is out. I'd quite like to see Josh Scott come in for Jake Reed, moreover Jake Caprice for Medy Elito who isn't providing many, if any crosses for the front pairing. 

Thanks for reading and I'll be back with a more detailed report following the Port Vale match. 

Wigan 0-1 Arsenal - An Unexpected Journey

As far as a footballing nightmare goes, Saturday afternoon was it. The original plan was to go to Morecambe vs Dagenham & Redbridge - and enjoy our final away game (and victory) of the season. But oh no. Mother Nature had other ideas in store and as the clock struck 11:20am, about 40 minutes from Warrington, Morecambe called the fixture off. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but with the predicted weather patterns you'd have thought the fixture would have bitten the dust earlier.

Our Train to Glasgow was packed.
www.blogspot.com

This ultimately left us in a conundrum. Do we waste £30 and just turn around, or do we find another match in the North to go to. The choices were Blackburn vs Brighton, or Wigan vs Arsenal. Having been awake since 7am I was determined to see some kind of football somewhere. At this point I should also point out the awful service given by Virgin Trains. Paying £30 for tickets and being forced to sit on the floor is unacceptable, so much for the "higher prices are improving our train system" rubbish.

With a mass of Arsenal fans around us, the option was simple - Wigan vs Arsenal it was. Off we got at Wigan North Western station to be greeted by; yep you guess it, yet more persistent drizzle. No disrespect to the people of the town, but Wigan didn't look like a particularly enticing place. There were several boarded up buildings, a flooded car park and a man in a hoodie that didn't appear to be the most savoury of characters. After a 20 minute walk we arrived at the DW Stadium.

We were now faced with another problem. Over Twitter it was alluded to that to purchase tickets at Wigan on the day, you need to have a history of buying tickets. This seemed quite odd as Wigan don’t usually fill up their ground, and like a fat bird at a bar you’d have thought they’d be grateful for the attention.

Luckily, thanks to my long list of contacts I knew a Wigan/Bolton supporter who managed to help us out (@JoeBillGibbo.) At a discounted rate of £5 per person, it actually worked out cheaper than what Morecambe would have charged – and somehow our accents didn’t give us away! Who said football wasn't affordable?

Dreary Looking DW.

The ground itself is situated on the outskirts of the town, meaning you have to walk past an Asda and through a car park to get there. With little fuss we progressed through the turnstiles and into the stadium concourse which was pretty rammed. With news that the Supporters Coach were also taking in this game, Wigan's attendance almost doubled (I like Wigan really.) 

The DW is effectively your generic modern build almost, furnished with modern seats and catering facilities. The main stand is extremely similar to Leyton Orient's in shape and stature, whilst the East Stand we were in created the majority of the home noise and was the largest in size. The Arsenal fans were housed in the North Stand which accommodates a shade under 5500 supporters and for the large part was full. 

The ground began to expectantly fill up as Wigan were looking as though they would garner their biggest attendance of the season. Meanwhile down the road, Accrington Stanley vs Plymouth was still on and their attendance was aided by around 1000 stranded Brighton fans. Who says us football lot aren't a welcoming and generous bunch? With the time approaching 12:45, the unfamiliar faces of Cazorla et al entered the field of play.

From an afternoon of watching Femi, Kevin Ellison and Izak Reid, we had been promoted to Cazorla, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Kieran Gibbs. I was especially looking forward to seeing Oxlade-Chamberlain first hand once more, at least two years after we were first acquainted with him. With the Premiership music playing overhead, the Arsenal supporters were in full voice and the game began.

As you may expect in poor conditions with sweeping rain overhead, the match took a while to get going. Both sides were attempting to knock the ball around on the slippery surface, whilst chants were exchanged between the two sets of supporters. Despite the loss of Gary Caldwell & Alcaraz through injury, Wigan were looking surprisingly dominant during the opening stages. 

Despite the home side’s possession, it was Arsenal who registered the first shot on target. Mikel Arteta was allowed time on the ball and the midfielder crafted a wonderful ball through to the on-rushing Oxlade-Chamberlain who saw his shot parried wide by unorthodox goalkeeper Al-Habsi. Lukas Podolski then worked some space and also tested Al-Habsi who was once again equal to the effort. Inbetween that however, Arouna Kone forced a good stop from Szczesny as both sides looked to assert their dominance in the opening quarter of an hour.

The Superb Arsenal Fans

Just before the 25 minute mark Wigan should have taken the lead. Kone beat the offside trap with ease and outpaced the lagging Mertesacker, unfortunately though he dragged his shot agonisingly wide of the post when it would have been easier to score. It was an excellent piece of play by the Latics who had Arsenal on the ropes for a period. If their wingers were more adept at crossing the ball, they may well have taken the lead.

Theo Walcott who has pleaded with Arsene Wenger to make him a striker was enjoying a torrid afternoon. The converted forward was seeing all of his efforts blocked by a stern Wigan back line. The main incident of the first half came just before half time. Jack Wilshere made a perfectly timed challenge on the tricky Shaun Maloney; Jon Moss however took an indifferent view and opted to book the midfielder to the delight of the Wigan support.

There was just enough time for Franco Di Santo to fire over before Moss blew his whistle to signal the half time interval. A very even first half saw few chances hit the target, whilst the hosts were enjoying the majority of the possession. As Slade blurted out over the tannoy for the second time in the afternoon, the teams remerged for a second half of football at the DW.

The teams line up.
(Ok, it was the 1st half)

It was Arsenal who began the second half the better and Oxlade-Chamberlain brought the game to life. The Southampton academy graduate shot down the right before crossing in for Walcott to fire against the arms of Al-Habsi when he really should have found the net. This was not the sort of display that was going to convince Wenger that he was the number 9. Arsenal are looking for.

Despite a long range effort from Figueroa, Arsenal was the more dominant side in the second period. A neat interchange in the middle of the park between Cazorla & Wilshere released The Ox down the right once more, this time however the ball in was cleared by the resilient Wigan defence. 

With half an hour to go, the visitors got the break they were looking for. A clever one two released Walcott into the Wigan box where he was brought down under a clumsy challenge from Beausejour. My first instinct was penalty, the Gunners supporter’s first instinct was penalty, and Jon Moss agreed - awarding a penalty. Mikel Arteta took the spot kick with supreme confidence and sent Al-Habsi the wrong way to give Arsenal a 1-0 advantage.

The Latics thought they had been unfairly treated, and with that they set about levelling the scoreline. Figueroa was the first man to force Szczesny into a save following a speculative effort from outside the area. It was Kone minutes later that had hearts in mouth as he was released down the right before drawing a wonderful stop from the Polish 'keeper at his near post.

With 75 minutes played, the Wigan fans reverberated a noise around the DW like no other. Franco Di Santo was seemingly forced off to take a piercing out; however referee Jon Moss didn't allow him back onto the field of play. Latics supporters became more and more irate, much to the enjoyment of their Arsenal counterparts who loved every minute of it. After several minutes had passed he was allowed back on which was greeted with ironic cheers from the home support.

Despite Oxlade-Chamberlain turning in a man of the match performance, he was replaced by current cult villain Aaron Ramsey with 15 minutes left. Almost immediately Arsenal lost that level of invention that they had previously had, furthermore with the introduction of Francis Coquelin, it was clear what Wenger's intentions were. 

True to form, Wigan bombarded the Arsenal penalty area. David Jones saw his strike from outside the box whistle inches wide of the post, whilst Mertesacker had to be alert to clear a low ball across the six yard box from Beausejour. Despite fervent pressure, Wigan was unable to find that elusive equaliser as the referee blew for full time, meaning Arsenal have still only lost once at the DW.

On the balance of play Arsenal could say they deserved the victory, however I'd be inclined to say a draw would have been the fair result. Ultimately though that doesn't matter, it's the three points that do and they went to the Gunners which lifts them up to 3rd, if only for a limited time. Even with all of the rumours surrounding Wenger, he's still the right man for the job in my opinion and if Arsenal continue to do well away from home and pick up at the Emirates they should have no problem finishing 4th.

Wigan on the other hand suffered from not being good enough with their crossing. There were so many wasted opportunities and poor decisions which cost them in the end. What was admirable though was the way they play football, much their London counterparts. Both sides attempted to knock the ball around in difficult conditions and did so to the best of their abilities. Had they exploited Vermaelen a bit more who was having something of an off day, the scoreline may have been different.

With that, we headed off home. The train back to Euston was far less busy on the journey down which allowed for a comfortable trip. The only two downsides from then on was being conned £10 by TFL and falling down the metal steps at Euston Square. I'm not a safety expert, but surely metal + rain = slippery. In the traditional British way, I feel like putting in a complaint to both Virgin & TFL for the way I was treated on Saturday afternoon. I'd encourage anyone else who had to endure the awful Virgin service to do so as well!

As far as clichés go, it was "one of those days." Thank you for any Arsenal/Wigan fans reading this, I hope you've enjoyed a different account of events for a change! For any Daggers giving this a glance, normal service will be resumed at home to Southend & Port Vale, whilst should Northampton not fall foul to the weather on New Year’s Day, there'll be a report for that too.

Thanks for reading and remember to follow me on Twitter, @NickDRFCMurphy.

Daggers 1-0 Barnet, Matt Puts The Gloss On It.

Dagenham & Redbridge vs Barnet

Not many people will be aware of this, but Dagenham & Redbridge's 1-0 victory over Barnet on Saturday bore a minor significance. Matt Saunders' strike ensured all three points, but it also means we eclipse the Football League point’s tally of Boston United in the same year we destroyed a team managed by Steve Evans. The victory itself lifts the Daggers to a season high 12th position in League Two, with just three games of 2012 remaining.

Traditionally the Daggers usually do well at home to Barnet. It's the fixture every year that usually provides a victory for the hosts. This year was looking like no different. We were unbeaten since mid September on our own patch, whilst Barnet were coming into this on the back of a five match winless streak. Just to stoke the already burning fire, former Daggers legend Jon Nurse would also be returning along with Ollie Lee.

After a brief stay in the clubhouse and with all bets placed, we headed inside the ground for what was sure to be a dull and frivolous encounter. The Sieve felt unusually packed, but not that packed. Barnet who may as well just give up playing away from home were only given a quarter of the Traditional Builders Stand and in all honestly they struggled to fill that. Just as the festive Christmas lights began to flicker at the teabar, the teams were announced...

Dagenham & Redbridge: Lewington, Femi, Doe, Wilkinson, Ogogo, Saunders, Howell, Spillane, Elito, Williams, Reed. Subs: Seabright, Hoyte, Bingham, Wakefield, Scott, Maher, Woodall.

John Still named an unchanged side for the umpteenth game in succession which meant the in form Sam Williams would once again start alongside Jake Reed. Dominic Green is still in hibernation which allowed Medy Elito to continue in a role somewhere between the midfielder and the forwards. 

Barnet: Stack, Fuller, Kamdjo, Johnson, Stephens, Pearce, Yiadom, Davids, Nurse, Holmes, Hyde. Subs: Cowler, Fortune, Iro, Lee, Abdulla, Edgar, Weston.

The Daggers 'B' side had three former players in their ranks, only one of which started. Jon Nurse who has legendary status at Victoria Road began the match, whilst the midfield pairing of Ollie Lee & Ahmed Abdulla would have to be content with a spot on the bench. Former Champions League winner Edgar Davids also started, meanwhile Clovis Kamdjo & Andrew Yiadom were also brought in following last week’s defeat.

After the pre match pleasantries and a rousing reception for Jon Nurse, we began. To some surprise, it was the Bees who started on the front foot. Almost immediately Nurse drove down the right hand side before crossing for an unmarked Kamdjo who fired his header over the bar. Jake Hyde and Andrew Yiadom both had efforts that forced Chris Lewington into action as the visitors started the match positively.

With the Daggers' first real attack of the game, they were ahead. Femi fed the ball into Sam Williams who laid it back perfectly for Matt Saunders to curl a first time strike into the top corner. A wonderfully flowing move that saw three of the Daggers key men this season involved to give the home side a perhaps undeserved lead. The finesse of which Saunders had stroked the ball home was truly something to behold.

From there, the hosts didn't look back. Michael Spillane wasted a good chance by heading over from close range, meanwhile tricky forward Jake Reed was also causing problems for a fragile Barnet defence. Soon after and Luke Wilkinson nearly doubled the lead as he saw his header rattle off of the crossbar following Matt Saunders' pin point delivery. The Daggers were in the ascendancy and Spillane came close once more before the half time whistle, however his strike went wide of the post. 

Barnet fans (Pre Match)

Upon reflection at half time, I think most would agree we deserved our lead. Apart from a spell of Barnet pressure at the beginning of the half where they probably should have scored, we had dominated. Edgar Davids wasn't as yet making much of an impact, and as alluded to by several others, Jon Nurse was playing a fine 12th man role for the hosts. Meanwhile in other scores, it was looking as though Mark McGhee's time as Bristol Rovers boss was over as his side trailed 4-1 at Bootham Crescent against York City.

As we began the second half, Medy Elito made his sole contribution to the game by crossing straight into the arms of Graham Stack. Matt Saunders was enjoying a terrific game and such was his confidence he attempted to add a second. The midfielder progressed forward before firing a shot over that didn't trouble Stack in the slightest. 

John Still's men continued to dominate despite there being very few chances in the contest. Jake Reed fired a terrific ball into the box from a difficult position that met Sam Williams whose looping header crashed against the crossbar to deny the Daggers once more. 

Barnet and Davids himself then briefly woke up. The Dutch maestro slalomed inbetween the Daggers defensive line before fizzing a wonderful ball across the six yard box that Lewington dealt with at the back post. Minutes later after a period of possession, Davids was released once again. This time however, his goal-bound strike was blocked by the backside of Luke Wilkinson.

The seemingly annual substitution of Brian Woodall on for Jake Reed then commenced as the Daggers began to sit back. The hosts were later denied a half hearted penalty appeal as Kamdjo appeared to handle inside the box - however the referee waved it away. Mark Robson then introduced Curtis Weston for Barry Fuller as the Bees looked to capitalise in the later stages. Minutes later Abu Ogogo spurned a fantastic opportunity as he went for power rather than placement, with his shot ultimately going narrowly over the bar. 

As Dagenham sat back, Barnet began to pour forward in search of an equaliser. Jon Nurse wasted a golden opportunity at the back post from Holmes' ball in, whilst a late free kick was fired directly into the wall. Try as they might, the visitors couldn't find that elusive goal to draw the scores level, despite the home side resting on their laurels somewhat. Following some late pressure from Still's men, the referee blew his whistle to signal the end of the encounter.

The victory extended the home unbeaten run to seven games since the mid September defeat to Northampton Town. It's also the third straight 1-0 home victory; moreover it's now been just over 6 & a half hours since the Daggers have conceded a home goal. That's a vital quality for a side that's pushing towards the Play Off places like us - defensive sturdiness and the ability to grind out results. 

As for the performance, apart from the opening 15 minutes and the final 5, we pretty much dominated a poor Barnet side. It wasn't a vintage display, but it was enough and that's what counts at the end of the day. Matt Saunders orchestrated it perfectly from the midfield, whilst the defensive line was resolute. Jake Reed also deserves some credit following his constant pestering, one moment in particular in the first half where he got down the left and kept the ball in sticks in my mind.

Barnet on the other hand, were largely poor. Despite attempting to knock the ball around, there was no real purpose to it. The strikers were blunt, with no real service going up to dangerman Ricky Holmes in particular. The defence was fragile and backed off far too much on many occasions. The midfield often went missing, however when they had prolonged periods of possession they felt dangerous, as though they could cause something. Unfortunately for them though, they lacked a killer ball.

Next week we travel to Morecambe for a 2pm kick off at the Globe Arena in our final away game of 2012. We started the year with a point at Southend, so hopefully we can do just as well, if not better in Lancashire. For the first time in some while I'll be travelling, so hopefully I'll have something to write home about!