November
1st Ryman Prem.
Final
Score Daggers 7 Oxford City 0
A fine performance early
in the game, being 2-0 up within 2 minutes and 10 seconds. Jamie
Wallace heading a cross from Courtney Naylor. 45 seconds later, a
defensive error let Paul Cobb through to slot passed the keeper. The
game then settled down into some sort or routine, Dagenham looked
good at times and started to pass the ball around well on the ground Tim
Cole and Gary Howard being instrumental in the centre of midfield. But,
(and I don't think I'm going to make many friends now) there were times
when we looked pretty average and were made to look good by a team that
had no defence or attack. Wallace, Pratt and an own goal made it 5-0
at half time.
The second half performance was on par for this season, the team playing
well but again the final ball went astray on too many occasions.
Oxford City at times played some very good one touch football but were
unable to profit from it because they were being closed down quickly by
the whole Dagenham team whose work rate was out of this world. Gary
Howard scored a great goal from outside the box, and Steve Conner made it
7 with a close range header from a corner. Gothard was involved in
the game at times and did have to make a couple of saves.
A word about the referee, Mr P.
Vosper who had a good game, letting it flow well and also not sending
Culverhouse off for a second yellow card offence, in what was almost the
last kick of the game.
Gothard,Pratt 1,Culverhouse,Howard 1,Conner
1,Creaser,Parratt,Cobb 1(Stimson),Wallace 2 (Hazle),Naylor,Cole(Mas)
November
24th Ryman Prem.
Final
Score Daggers 6 Heybridge Swifts 2
An almost complete performance,
this report being written nearly 24 hours after the game, so that the
information would not be influenced from the way I felt immediately after
the match. I am a sceptic, which can be seen from other match
reports, but if we continue to play like last night then we will most
definitely be promoted. The whole team played brilliantly, Cole and
Howard spreading the ball to Broom and Pratt on both wings. Pratt
scored the first goal after 11 minutes, Parratt winning the ball in
midfield and putting it through to Cobb, who in turn made a far post cross
for Pratt to fumble the ball over the line. Not a classic goal, but
they all count. The classic goals were to follow. Heybridge pulled
one back from one of the two defensive errors of the evening, but Dagenham
were soon back in the lead with a fine shot from Cobb, Pratt's
second was a volley from outside the box, now nothing on earth was going
to stop him getting his hat-trick. There was a chance missed by
Jamie Wallace when Cobb put an inch perfect ball through that split the
defence, only for the resulting shot to be saved comfortably by the
'keeper.
Pratt got his hat-trick with a perfect shot from a free kick in the second
half, shortly after this he obviously felt that 3 was not going to be
enough to satisfy him and continued to make good attacking runs down the
right of the field. On one of these occasions he took a shot (that
wasn't very good) that was deflected by a defender into the net to make
the score 5-1.
The Daggers continued to push the ball around. Parratt having shots
from outside the box, none of which were wasted, especially as the
goalkeeper was having trouble keeping hold of them. Flanagan came on
for Creaser but before the defence had a chance to re-group Heybridge had
pulled one back, perhaps just a little lack of concentration.
Tim Cole finish off with a volley from a corner from just outside the six
yard box to make the final tally 6 for the home team.
The team is flying high at the
moment and players like Mas, Naylor, Bird, Stimson, Double, Hazle in the
squad waiting to play, they also have strength in depth......Barry Fry
Beware.
Gothard, Culverhouse, Pratt3, Howard, Conner,
Creaser (Flanagan), Parratt, Cobb1, Wallace, Cole1, Broom.
Saturday
November 15th 1997 FA Cup First Round
Farnborough
Town 0 Daggers 1
A
cup tie played at a cup tie pace with cup tie attitude. A hard
fought game where the conditions (drizzle throughout the game, causing a
greasy surface) dictated how the game had to be played. The Daggers
didn't get into the game for the first 15 minutes but having said that
neither goalkeeper had much to do in the first half other than Stuart
Mackenzie in the Farnborough goal making a fine save from a John Stimson
free kick. Gothard also made a save which put him out of position, but
Culverhouse cleared off the line from the follow up shot. Various
players from both teams were booked, not in my opinion the right players.
Usually, after Ted's half time chat the Daggers become a different side
in the second half but Ted must have been having a chat with the home
side, as they come out looking to put Dagenham & Redbridge out of the
FA Cup in a decisive way. Paul Gothard made great save after great
save, the defence also played well, as Farnborough put us under more
and more pressure, as the game went on the Daggers began to make some good
counter attacks and Stimson had a fine shot from outside the box pushed
over the bar. The Farnborough keeper seemed to be unable to hold on
to long shots and Stimson was able to capitalise on this, when Dean
Parratt made a dipping shot, that was followed up by the advancing
Stimson to put Dagenham 1-0 up with four minutes to go. The
next 8 minutes seem to go on and on, Farnborough not giving up and
in fact hit Dagenham's bar in time added on.
The game wasn't great in terms of skill, but both teams made it a great
cup tie with all the emotion that goes with it. One player from each side
was sent off, Gary Howard for spraying an opponent and the referee with
water.
Farnborough supporters will feel a little aggrieved at the final result
but at least they went home dry.
Gothard, Culverhouse, Pratt,
Howard, Conner, Creaser, Parratt, Cobb, Broom, Stimson1,
Naylor(Flanagan).
29th
November 1997 Ryman Prem.
Kingstonian
0 Daggers 2
Two first half goals from
David Pratt and Matty Bird and various missed chances by Wallace, Wallace
and Wallace in a game of two halves. Daggers could have been five up
at half time and, but for Paul Gothard in the second half we would have
needed those goals. Kingstonian played brilliantly well after the
interval, I lost count on how many corners they had, but it seemed like 15
to 20. Gothard made numerous important saves. Daggers did make
a couple of breaks in the second half but if they had scored it would have
been grossly unfair. Still we need a bit of luck sometimes.