 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Dagenham in the 1st Round of the Cup |
|
|
|
|
Written by Administrator
|
|
Monday, 05 November 2007 |
| Once again this Saturday, the Daggers will take part in the 1st round proper of the World's most famous knock out football competition, the FA Cup. It will be the 9th occasion they have played in the 1st round proper of the competition. Click on Read more as we take a look back at those occasions |
This season the experience will be a little bit different from normal. It will be the first time that they have entered the competition as a Football League Club, and only the second time they have started the competition in the 1st round proper.
The first time the merged club reached the 1st round proper was in their first season, 1992/1993. The Daggers battled through the qualifying rounds of the competition, beating Hednesford Town in the 4th Qualifying Round, before being drawn at home to local rivals Leyton Orient in the 1st round proper. The game attracted massive interest both locally and nationally and was played in front of a sell out crowd of over 5,000. The game was also covered in an extended highlights package by BSkyB who had started their coverage of the newly formed Premier League in that season. The game turned out to be a thriller, and one of the best in the Daggers history. Leading 3-1 just before half time, Orient managed to get back into the game from a disputed corner and took control in the second half. They went into a 5-3 lead but the Daggers got one back only to be denied a replay as they fell to a 5-4 defeat.
It was a number of years before the club reached the 1st round proper again, and it was in the 1996/1997 season. Having battled through the qualifying rounds, the Daggers faced a tricky tie away at Ashford Town in Kent. A large following made the trip from Essex on what was a freezing cold afternoon. The Daggers led twice, but were twice pegged back and the game finished 2-2, meaning a replay back at Victoria Road. The Daggers took the lead very early, but as the game wore on Ashford got a deserved equaliser to take the tie into extra time. No further goals were scored and it was penalties to decide who would visit Watford in the next round. Ashford got the better of the shoot out and progressed to the 2nd round.
The Daggers of course reached the final of the FA Trophy in 1997, and the FA rules back then meant both finalists were given a bye to the 1st round proper of the FA Cup in next season's competition. The Daggers were handed a tie away at Farnborough Town. On a wet afternoon a tense game took place and remained goalless until late on. The home keeper then spilt a Dean Parrat shot and the rebound was swept home by John Stimson to give the Daggers a 1-0 victory. Many will remember the game for the fact that one of the Supporters Club coaches was shot (and had some windows broken in the process) by some local yobs on the way home. The Daggers reward was a tough away tie at Peterborough in the second round where despite leading 2-1 at one stage, they eventually lost 3-2.
The next time the Daggers made the 1st round proper was in the 2000/2001 season. Having eventually beaten Hendon in the 4th qualifying round (the game was postponed several times due to a wet pitch), the Daggers faced fellow Conference side Hayes at Victoria Road in the 1st round proper. Despite a tough game the Daggers eventually ran out 3-1 winners. The game was sealed thanks to a superb strike from left winger Matt Jones. Of course, everyone knows what happened next as the Daggers knocked out Lincoln City 1-0 before finally bowing out in a 3rd round replay against Charlton Athletic.
The following season the Daggers were back in the 1st round. However, they very nearly didn't make it. Trailing 2-1 in injury time at Basingstoke Town in the 4th qualifying round, keeper Tony Roberts saved the day with an equalising goal, the only goal scored from open play in the FA Cup's long history by a keeper!! Having beaten Town in the replay they faced fellow Conference side Southport in the 1st round proper. On a wet afternoon the Daggers had to battle all the way and the game was decided by two penalties. Mark Stein scored his for the Daggers, while the visitors spot kick was saved by Tony Roberts meaning the Daggers progressed to the second round. There they beat Exeter City 3-0 in a replay at Victoria Road having drawn 0-0 at St James' Park. The Essex side eventually departed at the 3rd round stage again, this time with a 4-1 home defeat to Premiership Ipswich Town.
In the 2002/2003 season the Daggers again made it to the 1st round proper, and beyond. The Daggers won their 4th qualifying round tie 4-0 at Aldershort Town, in a game marred by crowd trouble, before facing Havant and Waterloville at home in the 1st round proper. In a thrilling game the Daggers ran out 3-2 winners thanks to goals from Junior McDougald and two from Danny Shipp. Amazingly all 5 goals came in the first half hour of the game. In the second round the Daggers squeezed past Crawley Town before beating Plymouth Argyle in a 3rd round replay at Victoria Road. They were eventually put out of the competition in a 4th round tie away at Norwich City. The Daggers came close to forcing a replay but were denied by a late Zema Abbey goal.
Two seasons later and the Daggers were again in the 1st round proper. Crawley Town were beaten by a last minute goal in the 4th qualifying round, and this set up another local derby with Leyton Orient. Although the Daggers battled hard for 90 minutes they were never really in the game, and a Chris Moore penalty late on was no more than a consolation.
The following season the Daggers faced a very long trip North to face Hartlepool United in the 1st round. The Daggers had come back from 2-0 down to beat Forest Green in the final qualifying round. Despite the long journey, many Daggers fans made the journey North by car, train, coach and even plane. Tresor Kandol gave the visitors a deserved lead but Hartlepool go back into the game and got level. However, in the second half the Daggers more than matched their League opponents, and with some better finishing may have won the game. However, they paid for their poor finishing when Tom Butler struck in the 83rd minute to send the Daggers out of the competition.
1st Round Proper Record (including replays):
Played 9
Won 4
Drawn 2
Lost 3 |
|
|
|
|
Upminsterdaggers.co.uk is an independent website and the views expressed are not those of Dagenham & Redbridge FC
|
Who's Online
|
|
