They'll Never Do It The Easy Way!
We talk about the highs and lows of
football. We were at the very depths of despair going into the break; fans
angered and disappointed – rightly so. 0-2 down and yet the performance didn’t
seem to really reflect that.
I, at best, thought of getting a
point – at that stage though – I even saw that as unrealistic! The half did it
grow on: the deficit remaining at 2. Then, Reynolds pulls one back, hope.
Eleftheriou from the touchline into the far corner - stunned, delighted.
Still time left on the clock, we kept
pushing, the referee points to the penalty spot. I celebrated it as if it were
a goal – we’d done it! Or, so we thought. The very depths of despair, we were there
again, a point gained would go to two points dropped.
The latter feeling would last a mere
7 seconds, the net was to ripple, Brundle would be the one to head it home. Ecstasy.
Dotted around East London, mini eruptions – scenes in living rooms!
The State Of Play
Let’s rewind… going into this one hope and expectations
were high. This was to be a building block to get us back on track and back to
winning ways – leaving our foot in the door for the play=offs.
The Linnets were defeated on penalties last
weekend in the FA Trophy by Hornchurch, though they did bounce back with a
victory over Eastleigh on Tuesday. The Daggers fancied themselves going into
this one, both sides level on points, but you felt with Dagenham’s ambition –
it was imperative for them to kick on with three points at home.
Ian Culverhouse returned to Victoria Road,
to face a Dagenham side whose formation and personnel on the pitch were yet
again altered. Robinson, Gordon and McQueen were dropped to the bench as
Johnson, Rance and Saunders came into the Starting XI.
The omissions of Robinson and Gordon I weren’t
keen on, however I was delighted by the inclusion of winger, George Saunders.
Raising questions of creativity in the last game, I was pleasantly surprised,
believing Saunders could be an answer – getting the ball into the box.
Elsewhere, there was an adoption of 4-2-3-1
by Daryl, looking to go back to the basics of four at the back and getting it out
wide to the attacking wingers - looking to them to do the damage.
My Take
So it was a great start from that 4-2-3-1
setup of Dagenham, who found gaps between the visitors’ midfield and defence in
pursuit of an early breakthrough. I was someone who tweeted ‘Good Start’ and
what impressed me was we getting shots off, not perhaps on target, but a vast
improvement on the whole from 4 days ago.
Though I held that view of ‘at least they’re
shots’ and they’ll get more accurate as they go on – the latter part of that
view wasn’t to become true. The shots being taken were a lot more than against
Stockport, but they weren’t on target, and as the half wore on I did get more
and more concerned.
This concern was soon to be backed up by a
goal, frustrated, it seemed the Linnets had had just a solitary shot on goal –
yet, they had taken their chance and were ahead. I saw the frustration from the
players too, using it as motivation, almost seeing an immediate response - Balanta
hitting the inside of the post!
That, in a minute, encapsulated the story
of the first half – one side took their chances – the other didn’t! The stats
were stacked up against the Daggers as they looked to break the unwanted run of
not registering a league goal at Victoria Road since October 10th.
The King’s Lynn goal-scorer, now gone off
injured, there was some light relief on the home side’s back line – Kiwomya caused
all sorts of issues in the first 35 minutes. However, being lulled into this false
sense of security, we were soon two goals behind after a good move on the
Linnets’ part and poor defending on ours.
Michael Gash was the player who turned in
the cross, on the stroke of half time, landing hammer blow on the Daggers –
leaving them rather blunt.
That’s a description of the players; us
supporters were deflated, disappointed and despaired. The ‘McMahon Out’
messages were prominent on Dagenham twitter; though I wasn’t one of the
authors. I was disheartened I’d say, the performance up until the final third
was improved on recent ones, yet we were 0-2 down!
Such a score-line is hard to recover, not
least because of the team’s record in front of goal this season – 11 goals in
15 games! The second half was to
commence in good time and the Daggers were running out of the tunnel –
determined, so it appeared on camera.
Though that determination seemed to fail to
transpire into anything material – a couple of good moves but still similar to
the first half. Though that was in the immediate minutes following the break,
George Saunders was to spearhead the Daggers offensive down the right flank –
winning several corners.
Those corners didn’t result in a goal, but
we were getting closer – you felt it was coming. As oppose to the end-to end
feel of the first half, the hosts had sustained attacking spells, the Linnets
camped in their own half. The furthest man back in red and blue in the centre
circle, we went full throttle.
So, the clock ticking down, I among others
were looking to the bench and urging Daryl to utilise it. But, when he did, I
was confused as to why he thought to bring on Liam Gordon as his first
substitute – as oppose to the likes of Darren McQueen and Scott Wilson.
The away side were looking to fight back,
yet time and again George Saunders was eager to go back on the offensive and get
the ball into the box – a talisman on Saturday was the young player. For all
his and others’ efforts, we still trailed by two, and that’s because the
crosses into the box were getting no reply.
So, Daryl looked to make changes as Scott
Wilson replaced Paul McCallum, hoping the end product would be produced – a goal.
That hope soon came to fruition, moments later, though it wasn’t Wilson who
scored – Dagenham had scored! Reynolds nodding home with help from the
crossbar, the Linnets lead was slashed, 18 minutes from time.
Momentum swinging fully behind the hosts,
there were shots fired at the goal in which ‘keeper, Mair, occupied. Though
these were, in keeping with the majority of the shots throughout the match,
fired wide of the mark.
However, just a few minutes after pulling
one back – the Daggers were level! Elated. Though, almost in disbelief. An
Eleftheriou cross shot from the touchline had sailed over the keeper and
nestled into the far corner – one of the best goals he’ll ever score – his first
for the club!
You felt we could, but then just thinking
of where we were at half-time – surely not! The game, all of a sudden, was
there for the taking – all three points. No longer in front, the away side had
a spell of possession, looking to restore their lead – McMahon’s men remained resolute
however at the back.
Daryl took one last throw of the dice,
looking to influence the game and find that allusive winner – George Saunders
(MOTM) was replaced by the rapid McQueen. The game remaining very open, right
to the last, but on 89 minutes the excitement reached a tipping point – the referee
pointed to the spot!
The one thing standing between Dagenham and
three points, was Mair, whom like his teammates looked to unnerve Brundle and delay
the spot kick for as long as possible. He’d succeeded. All of a sudden, a great
point salvaged felt like two points dropped.
The resultant corner though, came in, and
it was simply fairytale stuff at Victoria Road.
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These tweets were my reactions just seconds apart! |
That man, Mitch Brundle, headed home at the
front post! From zero to hero: in the space of a few seconds. He is often
criticised, Brundle, sometimes rightly for his below par performance – the mental
strength and determination there though was something special. He has form of stepping up in big moments does the midfielder.
That was two minutes before the referee
signalled full time. I mean… what a game! Never have I celebrated a goal at
home with such excitement; I’m sure I’m not alone in saying that! Neighbours
bemused as to just what was going on, on a Saturday night in January (during a
pandemic!).
What a GAME. What a COMEBACK. WHAT A WIN!
McMahon’s Take
The Daggers manager coming under fire at
half time, as you’d expect, high expectations and we were sitting seven points
off play-offs – fewer off relegation. 0-2 down to a side we’d be expected to
defeat, with little hope of a revival considering we couldn’t find the net.
McMahon Out was tweeted, with meaning. ‘Paul
Gwinn in the dugout for the second half?’ – one remarked. Though we managed to
do it; beyond everyone’s belief. So it seems, that whenever the Irishman is
under mounting pressure – the team step up and find a way to win.
‘The non-league Ole’ I think is the best description
– the Norwegian’s side always managing to come up with the goods when his job
is in jeopardy.
So, that’s the story of the fans’ view of
Daryl throughout the game; some still not impressed with how we only just
scraped a win against King’s Lynn. But, there’s no pleasing everyone! A win’s a
win in my eyes.
Now to what Daryl had to say about it, he
singled out Saunders for praise, just like us supporters – a real flair he has
the local lad – and he brought that to the pitch yesterday! On the fans, Daryl
spoke of how ‘he wished they were there’, saying those sorts of wins undoubtedly
give you the biggest buzz.
The Irishman, interestingly, spoke of what
he said at half time “keep doing what you’re doing” were his words – putting the
two goal deficit down to ruthlessness in both boxes – an issue we know about
only too well this season. And, I’ll agree on that, the score-line wasn’t down
to performance in my view – just small errors – which made it so frustrating.
Also, the criticisms I had of how we just
weren’t getting enough shots off were addressed yesterday by McMahon’s
instruction. Urging the players not to ‘look to score the perfect goal’ and
overplay in the final third; rather, just score!
On the change in formation, he put it down
to one player, George Saunders – speaking of how he was desperate to include
him in the team in his best role. This, following the winger’s absence from the
side due to track and trace regulations and injury.
On a closing remark, he was eager to
highlight the team’s fight, confidence and resilience following Saturday’s
remarkable comeback. Happy that everyone was able to see how much the players want
to win as Daryl himself sees it day in and day out – that comeback the perfect
backdrop to display that strength of character.
Player Ratings
Elliot
Justham – 6
Andy
Eleftheriou – 8
Aside from the goal, he looked good over
the course of the ninety minutes and did well supporting Saunders on that side.
Luke
Croll – 6
Callum
Reynolds – 7
Elliot
Johnson – 6
Mitch
Brundle – 8
Fantastic character in those final minutes and
a solid performance throughout.
Dean
Rance – 7
Sam
Deering – 8
Angelo
Balanta – 6
George
Saunders – 9
He was from start to finish when he was
replaced – fantastic. His frustration would have been beyond belief as he put
in quality cross after quality cross and have nobody on the end of them. But,
he persisted and had the better of the full back throughout.
Paul
McCallum – 5
A
game we won’t forget in a hurry! An outstanding individual display from Saunders
who grabbed his opportunity with both hands and the fight, determination and
resilience shown in the final 20 minutes was a joy to behold.
Now
we go onto Eastleigh as we very much remain in the hunt for the play-offs – providing
financial matters off the pitch ensure that’s the case.
For now, Stay Safe and COYD!
Keane
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