|
Hereford United 4 Dagenham & Redbridge 1 |
|
|
|
|
Written by Administrator
|
|
Saturday, 09 February 2008 |
| 
| 
| Hereford United
4
MacDonald 9, 67 pen Hooper 21 Johnson 45 pen | Football League 2 Saturday 9th February 2008 |
Dagenham & Redbridge
1 Stevens 33
| Another Saturday, another defeat on the road as the Daggers tamely went down to high-flying Hereford.
John Still went with his current trend of springing selection surprises, bringing in Sam Saunders, Soloman Taiwo, Ryan Hall and for a first league start for the Daggers, Shabazz Baidoo. Ross Smith, Jamie Taylor, Dave Rainford and Glen Southam all missing out. It was evident from the start that this was a game that wouldn't finish 0-0 as Hereford paid more attention to attack than defence. There was plenty of space for both sides and the key would be who took advantage in front of goal. The tone for the afternoon was set in the 8th minute. Strevens found himself in yards of space out on the right after Boardmans pass. Strevens lacked conviction and pulled his shot weakly across the face of goal. Baidoo, bearing down at the far post, didn't react to what was a poor effort and the ball trickled past the post. Within seconds, Dagenham were behind and it all semed so inevitable. The Bulls were allowed to waltz there way in down their right and on loan Southend man Gary Hooper crossed for Macdonald to net a debut goal. Now ensued a passage of scrappy play but you just sensed that everyone in
the ground and on the pitch was waiting for a Daggers mistake to present a 2nd goal and it arrived on 21 minutes. Anwar Uddins wild hack near the half-way line was sliced backwards and allowed Hooper to run through on goal. Worryingly as he went round a stranded Robbo to turn home, the nearest player was also wearing a white shirt with not a Dagenham player in sight.
The way Hereford play, you know you will get chances, its just providing yourself with a platform to go on and punish them. Strevens fired over just before the half hour and Baidoo was looking lively off him. It was Dagenhams best period of the whole much and for once we scored when on top. Poor play from McCombe at the back for the Bulls presented Daggers with a corner. Ryan Hall again whipped in an excellent ball and Strevs did the rest. It dosent half make a diference when the corner taker can actually deliver the ball into areas that trouble the opposition. The game then went into testimonial fashion until half time as both teams kept giving the ball away and then seemingly becoming content to play through to the half. That was until Sam Saunders made his first contribution to the game. Herefords right footed left back Rose was allowed to get to wrong side of Saunders as he went into dream mode with half time approaching. Having travelled to almost the by-line, he tried to clip the ball towards the penalty spot. Saunders, having tried to recover his ground, inexplicably handled the cross presenting Johnson with the chance to make Graham Turners interval chat a lot easier, which he duly did.
Changes were expected at half-tme with the game having generally passed our midfield by but we remained the same for the start of the period. The pattern of play remained similar, mostly Hereford, and although they were not peppering the visitors goal, it just seemed that soon the obvious would happen. But apart from an effort from Easton which went over, there were no dramas for Roberts. In fact, Jon Nurse, on as a sub for Baidoo, should have close the gap in the scoring. Hall and Gain worked an opening for the international striker but his effort hit the legs of Brown. Credit goes to Nurse who stayed on his feet to work the opportunity when other players would have gone down. Our hopes of getting something from the game vanished on 68 minutes. Ryan Hall, who had tried to be creative and always wanted the ball, was disposessed when again left isolated just 40 yards from goal. The ball was laid into Johnson who easily got round Griffiths before crossing to Macdonald to head home his second. All too easy.
Glen Southam was belatedly on the field now and the energy that had been missing from our play was at least now trying to show. Strevens and Hall were at last seeing someone else on the pitch trying to show a little bit of willingness and desire to want the ball and not hide. Southam almost scored in fact, bursting into the box only to hit the side netting but almost immediately, Hooper hit the Daggers bar after clipping over Roberts and then shot straight at the Dagenham custodian
when he should have done better. Then was still time for Benjamin to try and lob Roberts, the Welshman somehow recovering to produce a brilliant tip over.
Another very disappointing day on the road, perhaps more so as it was clear from the players body language that we had given up. Strevens deserved his goal, he again showed that he wont give up, and Hall deserves a mention for never hiding. Robbo stopped it being a cricket score and Scottie, even for his failings, still gives it his all. Every game really is the preverbial cup final now.
| Dagenham vs Hereford: Match Report | Match Day Report | Player Ratings | Photo | Match Photos |
|
