August 1997

16th August 1997    Ryman Prem.

Final Score:    Daggers  2    Carshalton    0 

On a day that the strength was sapped from me (and I was standing in the shade) the lads played well.  there were times when the team lacked any direction but fortunately so did Carshalton's.  In the first half an impressive looking Paul Cobb, with a few nice touches created a great chance, when the oppositions keeper managed to parry his shot, but it fell behind the advancing Danny Hazle.

In the second half there was a little more urgency in the Daggers game, and after Courtney Naylor was brought on for Tolo Mas. he put a great far post cross in for Matty Bird to head into the back of the net.  A couple of minutes later he was sent off.  This brought the crowd to life.  Carshalton then put Dagenham under a fair bit of pressure around the penalty area but never looked like scoring.  Shortly after Cobb spotted the keeper off his line and produced a great shot that hit the face of the bar. In the 95th minute (when all I wanted to do was go home and have a drink) Vinnie John who had been brought on for Hazle, put away goal number two, much to the relief of myself and about 700 other supporters.

Gothard, Mas (Naylor), Culverhouse, Creaser, Conner, Double, Parrot (Broom), Howard, Hazle (John[1]), Cobb, Bird[1]


30th August  1997    Ryman Prem.

Final  Score      Daggers 1    Harrow Borough 2

Harrow using a footballing technique (not used by the home side at the Victoria Road ground to-day) called passing the ball to your team mates.  To be honest The Daggers were outplayed in all areas of the game.  The opening goal for D&R came half way through the first half and a well worked goal it was, the ball being moved around Harrows penalty area before being well struck by Broom to hit the far corner of the net.. Unfortunately there was little else to get excited about other than watching the Harrow midfield and attack passing the ball around what appeared to be a non-existent D&R team.

Harrow started the second half while the home team were still in the dressing room thinking how easy this season is going to be, and within 45 seconds were on level terms, a good move down the left of the playing field with a great low cross.  The next 45 minutes as a Dagenham supporter were hell, watching your team give up one by one.  Jason Broom tried to stem the tide with a gutsy performance along with Tolo Mas and Gary Howard but there are 11 players in a team and they need to work together.  Harrow worked hard and played with some great style, got a deserved penalty and went home with the points.


Well done to them


Gothard, Culverhouse, Mas, Howard(John), Cole, Creaser, Parratt(Mansfield), Cobb, Hazle, Pratt(Naylor)Broom[1]


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