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Dagenham & Redbridge 1 Brentford 2 |
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Written by Administrator
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Tuesday, 01 January 2008 |
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| Dagenham & Redbrige
1
Strevens 49
| Football League 2
Victoria Road Tuesday 1st January 2008 | | Dagenham began 2008 in disappointing fashion as they went down to a 2-1 reverse to a now improving Brentford. Just to rub salt into the wounds, it was ex-Grays man Glenn Poole who sealed their fate with both goals.
The side remained unchanged from the one that had well so well at Bury the previous Saturday and started the game at a high tempo. Brentford knew what to expect from Dagenham and matched them all the way for effort. The first quarter of the game produced little in the way of quality with just a couple of long range but untroubling efforts from both sides to show.
However, the first time any space opened up, Brentford showed they had the players to exploit it and took the lead on 22 minutes. The Daggers back line got drawn across towards the ball in fornt of the home dug-out. As the ball came out of the sky, Connell controlled before volleying a great pass into the run of Poole on the left wing who took the ball into his stride before volleying across Roberts. A great finish, really had too much time and space though.
Daggers had their fair share of possession yet when in areas where they needed to hurt Brentford, the quality of the final pass was lacking. The Bees should really have doubled their lead before the half, first Gary Smith shot wide when well placed, then the impressive Connell almost caught out Roberts with a lob on the run which he did well to tip over.
Half-time gave the Daggers the chance to regroup and within 5 minutes they were back on level terms. Saunders corner was headed goalwards by Strevens and although his effort was blocked, the ball rebounded perfectly for him to smash home via the inside of the post. Dagenham were now in the ascendancy, playing the sort of pressurised game that the fans had become accustomed to. Saunders got in down the right and tried his luck with a volley that Hamer beat away before Southams cross into the 6 yard area eluded the on-rushing Huke. Hamer was begining to look increasing shaky under a series of Dagenham attacks and it looked like Sloma would score another of his trademark important goals when released well by Southam into the left channel. Unlike Poole from an identical position, he couldnt find the target and in fairness, his effort looked like he was caught in 2 minds being neither a shot or cross to trouble Hamer.
Dagenhams lack of cutting edge was to haunt them as Brentford delivered a sucker punch on 67 minutes. Okuonghae and Griffiths seemed to get caught to high up the pitch as Montague got in behind them. He looked up before squaring the ball into the path of an un-marked Poole who steered past an unsighted Roberts from 10 yards. Moments later Poole almost had a hat-trick, meeting another cross on the half-volley from the edge of the area that Roberts was equal to.
Dagenham tried to force the leveller in the last ten but in truth never quite had enough despite forcing a series of corners and sending keeper Roberts up at the closing stages. A disappointing start to the new year but at least there were some some of encouragement. | Dagenham vs Brentford:
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