I have to say that despite the defeat against high flying Oxford at the weekend, I took a lot of positives from the game. Although I was very disappointed that we came away with nothing from that game, when it looked as though the least we deserved was a point.
I thought that all over the pitch, the players put a shift in, Even my old mate Ashley Chambers. Although Chambers wasn’t brilliant, he did show me something of what he is capable of. I thought Dikamona and Nosworthy looked a lot better at the back, Passley had his best game in ages, Labadie and Dunne continued their impressive partnership in midfield and it also looked as if Vassell and Cureton are starting to forge a good understanding up front.
Although the positives where there for all to see, unfortunately thanks to a late winner from a set piece, we walked away with absolutely nothing.
The win at Morecambe in the cup obviously installed some much needed belief and confidence into the squad as that was more than evident on Saturday, we matched Oxford for the majority of the game. Sometimes however you don’t always get what you deserve as Wimbledon found out to their cost on Tuesday night.
I like many others thought we would take the battling qualities from Saturday into this game. It sounded as if the grit and determination that was so obvious at the weekend was somewhat lacking. Although some of the intensity from the Oxford game was missing, we still managed to keep a clean sheet and somehow knick a win. In the end we have managed to take 3 points from two games, where given the opponents we have played most of us would have been happy with just two. Not just that but in winning this game and thanks to a super six for Pompey against York, it meant that we were catapulted out of the bottom two. Having seen Cureton’s goal, he definitely meant it and it’s not his fault if the goalkeeper pushes the ball in his own net. It is about time we had a bit of luck and to be fair I don’t care how we win games as long as we get the result. We may have not been the better team on Tuesday but who cares!!
It’s another big game coming up on Saturday as we go up against Plymouth, who despite losing to Exeter last Saturday and dropping points at home to Orient on Tuesday night, still hold a two point advantage at the summit of league 2. The Daggers will have to be at their very best defensively, due to the threat in attack poised by Jake Jervis and Reuben Reid. Reid has been out injured though and may not be fit enough to start against us. His likely absence will be a boost as he always manages to do well against us. It is most likely that the Pilgrims will play a 4-2-3-1 formation on Saturday with Jervis up top supported by Greg Wylde, Graham Carey and Craig Tanner behind him.
No matter which players Derek Adams decides to go with it is going to be a big ask for Daggers. Hopefully we can replicate the performance against Oxford and pull off a result like we did against the Wombles.
Maybe, just maybe that bit of luck with Jamie’s goal the other night could be the boost that at last kick-starts our season.
Up the Daggers!!
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