Upminster Daggers - Dagenham and Redbridge FC Fan Site

Dagenham & Redbridge

2

Nationwide Conference
Victoria Road

Saturday 28th April 2007

Report

Dagenham and Redbridge finished the most succesful season in their history by notching up their 200th victory in the Conference.

It was a fitting way to end the season, and took the Daggers points tally to 95, and with Oxford losing at York, it meant the Daggers margin of victory over the Giants from the Kassam Stadium was 14 points!!!!  The result also meant that visitors Gravesend and Northfleet failed in their bid to reach the end of season play offs, although other results around the country meant this would have been the case, even if they had come out on top.

Anwar Uddin was rested for the Champions, and took his place on the bench.  Jake Leberl joined Mark Arber in the centre of defence, while Danny Foster took the captain's armband, a fitting reward for this efforts this season.

The Daggers started well in front of another large Victoria Road crowd, and Glen Southam soon tested the visiting keeper.  However, moments later from a Gravsend corner, referee Lewis awarded the Kent side a penalty kick.  Nobody in the ground knew what the award was for, even the visiting players!!! Gravesend's top scorer Charlie MacDonald stepped up, but realising the award of the kick was a joke, he did not hit his penalty as cleanly as he might have done, and Tony Roberts dived low to his right to save.

Minutes later and more crazy refereeing helped give the home side the lead.  Glen Southam and Sloma worked the ball forward on the left for Scott Griffthis.  However, at this point the assistant referee in front of us clearly raised his flag to indicate Griffthis was off side.  Most of the players and crowd saw this and stopped, but Griffthis crossed for Ben Strevens and he fired home from 8 yards, and the goal was awarded by the referee.  A clearly clueless Mr Lewis indicated the ball had come off the head of a Gravesend player, but he did not even talk to his assistant to see if Griffthis was off side from the initial pass!!!!

However, not long after Ross Smith outjumped the home defence to head home an inswinging corner from the impressive Stacy Long and the sides were back on level terms.  However, with thirty six minutes on the clock, the Champions went back in front.  A corner from Sloma was hit to the near post, where Strevens arrived with a flick header to notch his second of the afternoon.

The second half was a strange 45 mintues. Dagenham played some neat football and carved out several half chances, but Gravesend seemed a little subdued for a side who needed to win to keep their play off hopes alive.  Apart from a flurry of late corners and throw ins, Dagenham were under very little pressure, and it was the Champions who looked more likely to score again.  Tim Cole came on as a substitute in what was probably his last appearance for the club, and he nearly crowned it with a goal from Chris Moore's cross bu the ball was cleared.

All in all, it was a well deserved three points for the home side, and everyone was able to enjoy the celebrations after !!!!

Upminster Daggers Man of the Match: Ben Strevens

Dag & Red: Roberts, Foster , Griffiths, Leberl (Cole 56), Arber, Saunders, Sloma (Moore 59), Southam, Rainford, Benson (Uddin 67), Strevens.
Subs Not Used: Hogan, Jamie Taylor.

Gravesend: Cronin, Hawkins, McCarthy, Ross Smith, Slatter, Long (Coleman 60), Ricketts (Keeling 75), Moore (Sodje 66), Opinel, MacDonald, Eribenne.
Subs Not Used: Mott, Quinn.

Booked: Eribenne.

Att: 3,021

Ref: G Lewis (Cambridgeshire).