FA Trophy.

When we finally realised our fate of relegation, last season, one of the few things that I could look forward to in non-League was the return of the FA Trophy.  A Cup competition I have never had the pleasure of seeing us win.

I was completely unaware of Dagenham as a football club, back in 1980 when we last won the Trophy.  I did however make the journey to the old Wembley in 1997 to see us fall short to Woking in the final.  I remember getting very drunk before the game, seeing Pele come out before the kick off and then shouting abuse at the officials as we were reduced to ten men after Tony Rogers saw red.  It would be great 20 years later to return to Wembley and win this old Trophy for the first time in 37 years.  What a day out that would be.

Hopefully the Daggers are going to take the Trophy seriously and I would be very surprised if we do not put out anything other than our strongest team available against Worthing on Saturday.

Some might say that given our circumstances, with injuries, that maybe we should rest players and play some of the kids.  I personally think that this is a real chance to win some silverware.  We haven’t had a midweek game of any importance, sure, the Essex Senior Cup game was played on Tuesday but that was always going to be a fringe side competing in that particular tie.  It would have been nice to progress in that for the younger players, but ultimately League football and the Trophy are obviously our main priorities this season.

The first team squad would have had a nice week off after a great win away to free scoring Dover, and with a few of the second string getting minutes in the week, I would say we are in good shape for this weekends showdown with the Isthmian League Premier Division side.

On paper this looks like a forgone conclusion and we will big favourites.  Worthing are currently sitting 16th in their league only 3 points above the drop zone.  The Rebels last game was at the weekend against Billericay, they came from behind twice at home to draw 2-2, thanks to a goal from substitute Lloyd Dawes and an 85th minute equaliser from another sub Zack Newton.  In the last round of the Trophy Worthing beat Hemel Hempstead Town after a replay.  Omar Bugiel is the clubs top scorer with 14 goals so far this term.

It seemed like on Saturday that John Still decided to go with a more conventional 4-4-2 formation at Dover, which in the main seemed to work well.  When a team is ravaged by injuries, sometimes you need to change the way you play.  although the 4-3-3 setup has been very successful this season, if you don’t have the personnel to get the best out of it you have to change.   I would expect us to start with pretty much the same 11 as last week with only on change,  Cousins coming in for Justham.  Even if Hawkins is fit, I wouldn’t take any chances on him and give him another weeks rest, maybe have him on the bench at a push.  Paul Benson will be full of confidence after his first goal of the season and I would tip him to add to his tally on Saturday if he continues to lead our attack.  I would also like to see Barnwell make an appearance from the bench at some point, by all accounts the youngster didn’t have the best of games against Heybridge on Tuesday, but did however manage to net our only goal of the game.

I am really looking forward to this game and I wouldn’t be surprised if we absolutely dominate and come out as big winners.   A big win will give the boys more confidence going into the home game with Solihull Moors next week in the League, before we head into the busy festive period and our two games against Braintree.

The Trophy was always a nice distraction from the League during our Non-League days before, no reason why it can’t be again.  The last time we played a Trophy tie was almost 10 years ago as we were beaten by Redditch United in January 2007.  The season before that we had managed to get to the Quarters, finally succumbing to Grays after a replay.  Despite being the better team in the first game at the Rec they managed to drag us back to Victoria Road, where a Glenn Poole masterclass in wing-play was the difference in a 4-2 defeat.

At the start of the season I predicted we would make the playoffs and we would win the Trophy.  I am hoping on Saturday that come the final whistle this outcome is still a possibility, imagine 2 trips to wembley in one season.

Out of all our injuries this season so far, the worst news broke during the week that Matt Robinson has suffered a broken leg.  For me he is as valuable to the make up of this side as Boucaud, Doe or Hawkins.  I assume we won’t be seeing the midfielder until the back end of the season.  You never know he could make his return in the semi final of the Trophy and score the winning goal.

I predict a big win on Saturday, although I would take a 1-0.

5-0

Benson 2, Whitely, Assombalonga, Barnwell.

Up the Daggers!!