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Written by Administrator
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Friday, 02 May 2008 |
So as the season entered 2008 the Daggers were nervously looking over their shoulders, despite the terrific result and performance at Bury. The next four months were to provide many highs and lows.
JANUARY
The Daggers biggest home crowd of the season so far, and the largest away following to visit for a league game, saw Brentford leave Victoria Road with the 3 points on New Years Day. Ben Strevens scored for the Daggers but two goals from ex Grays man Glen Poole gave the visitors the victory.
FA Cup 3rd round day was again an entertaining one for Daggers fans. More than 1,200 of them travelled to the Seaside to take them on League One Southend for the second time this season. Goals from John Nurse and Ben Strevens had put the underdogs ahead midway through the second half, but the late sending off of Tony Roberts and two very late goals gave the Blues a flattering 5-2 win. The Upminster Daggers did not let it stop them enjoying the sights and sounds of the South East's premier resort though!!!
Two days later the stupidity of the Essex FA was again in evidence. With a virus sweeping the camp the Daggers requested that their Essex Senior Cup tie with Chelmsford be put off. However, they insisted it be played, and a full Daggers youth side had to play the tie. They did not disgrace themselves though and a 6-1 defeat was a little harsh on them. The burgers were good though!!!
The following Saturday saw us make one of the longest trips of the season to old friends Morecambe, who at the time were pushing for the play offs. Only 4 Upminster Daggers took on the 10 hour round trip and it was one which ended in disappointment as a last minute goal (yet again) saw the Shrimpers snatch the victory.
The following week a large contingent of Upminster Daggers saw their struggling side do everything but score as they were somehow held 0-0 by visiting Grimsby Town.
The encouraging performance against Grimsby felt a long way a way as the Daggers travelled to Lincoln City. Despite excellent travelling support yet again, the Daggers put in a poor showing and were beaten 2-0.
With the Daggers now looking in real trouble the Upminster Daggers and their fellow fans travelled to Wycombe on a cold Tuesday night more in hope than expectation. However, with a new system and new signing Peter Gain in the side the Daggers did enough to gain a superb 1-0 victory, the goal coming from a Dave Rainford penalty. Thanks to the HLP for the lifts home!!!!
FEBRUARY
The good feel factor from the Wycombe game lasted about 6 minutes against Stockport County at Victoria Road before McSweeney put the visitors ahead. County boss Jim Gannon seemed to be getting a bit hot under the collar with the Upminster Daggers who were in the sponsors seats behind him for the day, but as so often happens when we sponsor the game, it ended in a 1-0 defeat for the home side.
A week later and one of the worst performances of the season, and a 4-1 defeat, at Hereford saw the Daggers drop into the bottom 2. A long long train journey for the Upminster Daggers was only brightened up by the Perfect Pizza delivered to their train seats on the way back.
3 days later and we entertained struggling Chester City on a cold Tuesday night. With many people wondering where the next win would come from John Still bought Mark Arber in on loan from Stevenage, and he went straight into the side. It turned into a wonderful night for the home side as Dagenham romped to a 6-2 victory to give everyone hope they could avoid the drop.
The confidence from the Chester game was evident at Grimsby Town a few days later. On a crisp afternoon 2 goals from Dave Rainford as well as strikes from Ben Strevens and Ross Smith gave the visitors a stunning 4-1 victory. It was also a great day out on the coast for the Upminster Daggers, especially when Fossie and Souths got the beers in on the train on the way home. A great day all round!!!
Old friends Morecambe were the next side to be swept aside by the resurgent Daggers. Shaun Jalwal, what a great keeper he is, managed to throw a Peter Gain long range effort into his own net, and then miss a back pass late on which enabled Ben Strevens to complete a fine 2-0 win.
The following Tuesday Hereford United came to town, to put the Daggers recent good form to the test. The strides taken by Dagenham in recent weeks were there to see as they shook off the 4-1 defeat at Edgar Street just 3 weeks ago to record an amazing 1-0 win, the goal coming from the unlikely source of Danny Foster's head!!!
MARCH
Four wins in a row had taken the Daggers away from the drop zone, but surely they would not win at Bradford City. 10 years before this match the Bantams had been playing in the Premiership while the Daggers were playing in the Ryman League. It didn't matter though as goals from Mark Arber and Ben Strevens gave the visitors a 2-0 win in front of nearly 14,000 at an impressive Valley Parade. It was a fine day out for the Upminster Daggers, even if they were chased out of town by the Bradford City Toddlers!!!
With several of the Upminster Daggers touring the West Indies, high-flying Peterborough United made their way to Victoria Road to face the in-form Daggers. Despite goals from Dave Rainford and Ryan Hall the Posh edged it 3-2.
A couple of days later and struggling Macclesfield and their new manager Keith Alexander were the next visitors for Dagenham. Dave Rainford missed a penalty while the game was still 0-0 and it proved costly as Green gave Macc the points in a dour affair.
Straight off the plane and into the limo, the Upminster Daggers were back at near full strength for the trip to MK Franchise. Despite a quick chat with West Indian hero John Nurse at the services, they may have wished they hadn't bothered going at all as a woeful first half performance led to a 4-0 thrashing.
Despite the recent five game winning run the Daggers were now back in trouble as they came to Easter weekend. A 1-1 home draw with Shrewsbury was a valuable point, and it set them up nicely for the Monday trip to bottom of the pile Wrexham. Despite taking a battering for most of the game the Daggers got out with a crucial 0-0 draw. The Upminster Daggers nearly failed to get home at all though as Winkle tried to drive in front of an on rushing articulated lorry on the way home!!!
With just 6 games to go, things were getting tight at the bottom. Wrexham and Mansfield had shown some signs of form in recent weeks but were still the bottom two. Chester and Shrewsbury had fallen into the pack while Dagenham, Notts County, Macclesfield and Accrington were all still struggling. The Daggers needed to get something from their next game with Chesterfield, but unfortunately they were again outclassed and slipped to a 3-0 defeat.
APRIL
Mansfield's midweek win over Wrexham meant that Wrexham were all but down, but Mansfield were now closing the gap on those above them. Dagenham travelled to Accrington on a Friday night for a genuine 6 pointer. Unfortunately the result and performance matched those of recent weeks and the 1-0 win meant the home side were all but safe. Dagenham were back in trouble, and plenty of beers and the 5.08am train home could not cheer up the Upminster Daggers. They may have cheered up on the Saturday afternoon though as none of the other struggling sides won, and Mansfield throw away a two goal lead at home to Barnet.
In form Rochdale came to Dagenham the following week and would have expected to pick up all 3 points. However, a stunning finish from Ben Strevens gave the Daggers a valuable point. It looked even more valuable as Mansfield were held at Macclesfield and Wrexham lost on the Sunday at Shrewsbury.
With just three full weeks of the season to go, Dagenham travelled to Rotherham 4 points clear of the drop zone. Wrexham looked doomed but Notts County and Chester were also in the mix. The Upminster Daggers had a few of the 5,000 Leicester fans travelling to Barnsley to keep them company on the train to Sheffield, and then even more of the 5,000 Hull fans travelling to Sheffield to keep them company in the pub!!! The game itself was an open one, but unfortunately the visitors left themselves to much to do in the second half and went down 2-1. Chris Moore had a seemingly legitimate last minute goal chalked off for no apparent reason. It all meant Mansfield were now within a point of the Essex side.
Wrexham's midweek defeat to Hereford meant they were now officially down. Dagenham knew that if they won at Darlington in their penultimate game and Mansfield lost at home to Rotherham they would be safe. A pretty unlikely scenario though!!! The Upminster Daggers made their way to the North East for the end of season Beano more in hope than expectation. After nearly an hour the Daggers were in trouble. They were 2-0 down and with Mansfield drawing it looked like the League new boys would need to win their last game of the season to stay up. What happened next is written about elsewhere on here and in many other places, so we won't go over it again!!! Suffice to say the end results meant we were safe, and that the end of season Beano became a survival party.
MAY
Well, we play Mansfield on the last day of the season..................and who cares what happens now as we are safe!!!!
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