Upminster Daggers - Dagenham and Redbridge FC Fan Site

Brentford City

2

Football League 2
Griffin Park

Tuesday 3rd October 2007 

The Daggers picked up another valuable 3 points on their travels with a well earned but nervy away win at their west London rivals, Brentford.

Dagenham started the game in positive fashion, doing their best to exploit the gaps left by what was a makeshift Bees rearguard, super Strevs having the first pop at goal with an ambitious overhead volley. Unfortunately for Ben he caught it too well, firing straight at Brown in the home side goal. It was Brentford though who really should have taken the lead from their first concerted spell of pressure. With the ball, the Bees displayed some nice touches. Possession was worked wide to Charles whose clipped ball in evaded Anwar as he slipped before falling to O'connor. He took his shot first time, scuffing his effort onto the bar with the goal at his mercy. Dagenham responded straight away, Shane Huke crashing the ball against the post from distance. However, the opening goal wasn’t far away and it was the visitors who grabbed it. Mooreo held the ball up well for Sammy Saunders to deliver and Strevs made no mistake with the header. Both sides exchanged blocked efforts in a frenetic period of play up to the break, only punctuated by a Brentford sub which was an attempt to shore up a creaking back 4. Dagenham held on till the break with the lead intact.

The home side would have been expected to come out of the blocks at the start of the 2nd period but it was the visitors who started quickly with good interplay between Moore, Strevs and Rainsford. It was the later who burst onto the ball in the Bees area only to be felled by Thorpe. After dusting himself down, he tucked away the resultant penalty. Daggers were well on top at this stage and should have made it 3, Ross Smith heading wide at the far post from Strevs deep cross. However a 3rd goal came from Brentfords next attack, losing possession before Shane Hukes ball over the top gave Moore the chance to chase and after outmuscling Pettigrew, forced home, much to the former Brentford mans delight.

Dagenham then did what we seem to best and sat off. Almost straight away the Bees had a lifeline when Mousinho curled inside the far post. Danny Fosters missed header would have sealed it but Thorpe headed home for 3-2 with the Daggers sitting deeper and deeper. The home fans could sense how nervy the away side had come and tried to get behind their side.  Boardman came on for Saunders to try and stem the flow and it seemed to work, even though Robbo brilliantly denied O'connor late on to preserve the lead and seal 3 points. A deserved victory.

Upminster Daggers Man of the Match: Shane Huke

Brentford: Simon Brown, Starosta (Mousinho 39), Pettigrew, Thorpe, Charles, Pead, O'Connor, Moore, Poole, Ide (Osborne 60), Connell.
Subs Not Used: Hamer, Smith, Shakes.

Dag & Red: Roberts, Foster , Uddin, Smith, Griffiths, Saunders (Boardman 78), Huke, Rainford, Southam, Strevens, Moore (Taylor 90).
Subs Not Used: Thompson, Sloma, Green.

Att: 3,662.

Ref: Steve Bratt (W Midlands).