Home V Guiseley
Saturday 18th November
National League - Home V Guiseley
National League - Home V Guiseley
Guiseley, the
relegation strugglers, clashed with promotion hopefuls Dagenham at Victoria
Road on Saturday afternoon. The Lions got proceedings underway in Essex and it
was Fondop – Talom who was caught up in the first piece of action; as amid his
elbow on the Daggers defender the referee was surrounded. Luckily for him he
escaped with a booking within the first 6 seconds, he was on thin ice for the
next 90+ minutes now. Two fouls in quick succession conceded by the visitors
followed however nothing came of them; as Whitely’s delivery from the edge was
too close to the keeper.
The Daggers
were the quickest out the blocks in this match however, the conditions already
looked like they would have an impact on the game. As Ferrier looked to get the
better of Palmer and through on goal he was pulled up for a grappling with the
Guiseley defender. Ferrier was involved again as he won a corner, but the
defender did enough on the near post, the second cross from Ferrier had no
challenge. A poor Maxted kick went straight to Whitely; no doubt he’d have
blamed the conditions. A Guiseley corner was whipped in by Hurst, but that set
piece caused no threat whatsoever.
The Daggers
weren’t picking up the loose balls and as a result the Lions had a lengthy spell
of possession. Guiseley’s spell turned into a goal as Molyneux’s low cross
towards goal was helped in by a deflection, and it bobbled in as Cousins had
already gone down. It was a scrappy goal but nevertheless it put the visitors
on the front foot in the 18th minute of the game. It got more
frustrating for the Daggers as Cheek was clearly fouled in a dangerous position
however Alan Dale waved play on. Holden’s launch of a throw caused a threat to
Dagenham as Cousins was taken off his line to contest with Fondop -Talom; the
hosts keeper punched it away. However, it wasn’t enough as things went from bad
to worse for the home side; it was that man again Fondop -Talom who nodded down
and converted a cross.
This early
two- goal deficit certainly influenced Morgan Ferrier as he gave up on a ball
that he could have got to. Molyneux nearly put the visitors out of sight as he
broke through the Daggers defence and shot at the side netting. Dagenham began
to go direct from there on in and it paid off as Whitely’s clever ball to Cheek
triggered a move that ended with, Cheek squaring it to Ferrier who smashed it
home. That goal gave the home side momentum and confidence as they looked well
in control, Whitely’s free kick won a corner and from his delivery Ling’s header
into the ground bounced just over. As another shocking goal kick was taken by
Maxted the Dagenham attack that followed saw several shots blocked. Dagenham
continued to mount the pressure and despite being in front the visitors began
to look under the cosh. They made the most of it and drew level as Howell won a
corner in added time and Whitely drove it low at the near post for Doe to flick
home.
It was an
amazing comeback by the hosts as they somehow pulled it back from two down,
they would no doubt have been the happier side going into the break. Guiseley
would have been hoping to pick up some momentum and have more of that brief
spell where they netted twice. The hosts got the second half underway, but it
was Guiseley who began with most of the possession, despite not doing anything
with it. The Daggers began to find their feet however as Whitely’s effort went
just over after a well worked move by the home side. From there on in the hosts
looked the likelier to score with a few close chances including ling’s effort
that was cleared off the line.
After three
consecutive corners conceded by the visitors, one consisting of Maxted turning
it over the bar, the sides remained on level terms. Hurst led a counter which
unsurprisingly came to nothing, while Dagenham continued to dominate despite
finding no breakthrough in the process. Whitely’s deliveries were just not
being met as he put one in just too early for Cheek’s run into the box. The
Daggers finally got the beating of Maxted as Whitely’s shot was parried and
Luke Howell was in the right place at the right time to tap it home; it was a
well-deserved goal, what a comeback! They then had to sustain some light
pressure for the remaining ten minutes, this included Hurst’s effort which
looked like going in the roof of the net past Cousins however it went just
over. The promotion hopefuls continued their pursuit, with a well-deserved and hard-fought
win as they came from 2-0 down to beat Guiseley. John Still’s men have now
moved up to eighth in the table with the play- offs still very much in their
sights.
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