Daggers v Rovers

[Boz]

After the midweek disappointment in the JPT, will Rovers be able to fight back by getting points in this crucial bottom of the table clash? Our opponents have won their last two games and another victory would put them 9 points clear of us, quite a big gap with almost half the season gone. Only 1 previous visit to Dagenham for Rovers, Aaron Cresswell rescuing a point in a 2-2 draw.

Team news for Rovers is that Koumas and Brezovan are definitely out, while Fenelon has been unwell, but it is hoped he'll be fit to play. Given his recent form, it would be a blow if he was unavailable. I would anticipate a 532 line-up for this one. Unchanged defensively from Tuesday, midfield it sounded like Rowe was a bit below par, so Martin or Laird may be preferred. Given how well Odejayi apparently did on Tuesday, he may get the nod ahead of Stockton to partner Fenelon.

Prediction: The time of year and £21 entry may deter travelling fans, but there should be enough exiles to bolster away support to about 350. Draw feels most likely outcome.

 

[bigmart]

This is a game we should get something out of im going for a 2 1 win

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I agree with most of Boz's assessment, other than I think Micky will still go with Stockton up front. Rowe was very poor on Tuesday, but I would still start with him ahead of Laird.

I would categorise this game as must not lose rather than must win, as defeat would see us nine points behind the Daggers.

 

[Ian]

I never have too much expectation away from home although I do think we need to start grabbing a couple of wins away from Prenton Park to help ease the pressure.

If we played like we did on Tues, we'll be competitive and likely to score goals. Got a feeling we could sneak it.

Cole and Odejayi to start up front after Tues good showing.

 

[Boz]

It sounds like Fenelon is still stuggling with a virus, so Ian's suggestion of the same front pair as Walsall may prove correct.

 

[bigmart]

An excellent win and by the sounds of things thoroughly deserved, just about out of the bottom two now good start to a big week. We really could do with getting Max on a new contract before he goes elsewere

 

[Boz]

A good result, with a line-up close to my suggestion. Need to maintain this form now to end the year on a high. Slightly disappointing away turnout of 212.

 

[merseyside bossman]

Lets hope wins are like buses

I think Max will sign a contract for 2 years, with a clause to be released when another club comes in for him. He will then get his 2 year contract wages but the club will get £250-300,00 for him.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

A very good performance from Rovers and a thoroughly deserved victory.

The first half was as I expected, a fairly cagey affair with both sides matching up tactically and slugging the game out. Dagenham started brightly in the opening ten minutes with Agyemang and Cureton a handful. At this stage, I feared a tough game, but fortunately that was not to be the case as our midfield gradually got on top, and the service to their front men dried up. In the first period both sides had spells on top, but we had the best chance when Laird was set up after a good run from Fenelon, with the Daggers keeper stranded: he should have finished but his shot was deflected over.

In the second half we took complete control. There were relatively few clear chances until the last twenty minutes, but Max's goal was thoroughly deserved when it came, a superb angled drive from 25 yards after great hold up play from Odejayi. It is remarkable that having started the season poorly under Edwards, Max has been an inspirational figure in recent weeks. His all round game was superb today and he drove us forward from start to finish. I would agree with Mart that we need to get him contracted quickly; fortunately, with Palios now in charge there may be a little extra cash for a deal to be done.

After the goal we ran them ragged and really should have scored a couple more and the win was very comfortable in the end. Individually, Power, Jennings and Homes were our best players, while Fenelon had a good first half but faded in the second. Both Odejayi and Cole looked sharp again. Everybody worked hard, but the distribution of Holness and Laird was awful and I was glad when Marc was replaced by James Rowe. I would still like to see us sign a dominant, Thompson-esque centre half in January, rather than playing Holness as the most central of the three centre backs.

Considering Micky's overall record, we have now won 4, drawn 5 and lost only 2 of his eleven games in charge; a remarkable upturn in form when you consider the mess he inherited and his inability to bring in permanent players.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

I said after the defeat at Luton that we would play worse away and win. This was one such occasion. In the previous three games I've seen this season (Luton, Wycombe and Oxford) we played with more fluidity. The Daggers are not a footballing side but played with enough energy to disrupt our flowing style. However, thanks to our superior ability, our composure, our determination and our increasing confidence, we did enough to win. This was despite the referee who gave us nothing. The stats say 4 bookings to 1 and 15 fouls to 4, which was very harsh. But although we had 7 shots on target, only one looked like going in. This was a pile-driver from Max, something only a player with his skill and confidence could do. Soon afterwards, he went for a second goal from about thirty yards out, which narrowly missed. For me, he was clearly MoM. The rest of the team did their bit without anyone being outstanding. I didn't think Odejayi played particularly well, but he can be forgiven for putting Max through for his goal. His other contribution was wasting most of stoppage time with his antics near the corner flag. Apart from that, there is not much more to say as the rest of the game was not very memorable. I have a feeling RLC will argue with most of my report, but that's the way I saw it.

It was a very pleasant day out. Their stadium is very homely - almost a throwback to the 1960s with terracing on two sides and two modest stands. Everyone made us feel welcome, from the stewards to the bar staff. How the Daggers survive on gates below 2,000, I don't know, but their budget must be a lot lower than ours. I wish them well.

The SWA was in good voice and for over 200 to make our way there on a Saturday in December is impressive. I hope we can use the confidence gained by our first away league win since August and our ability to hold onto a lead to carry us through Tuesday's replay.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I have a feeling RLC will argue with most of my report, but that's the way I saw it.

Not in the slightest. I would agree that we played much better at Luton, but still felt we deserved to win today.

I also agree it was a decent turnout from the SWA given the admission prices and the difficult journey from the Wirral. Even given their small numbers, the Daggers crowd was one of the quietest I had ever heard at a League game; not a single song from them in the ninety minutes, which made for quite a weird atmosphere.

 

[Brightonian]

Not much to add to the comprehensive reports above. It was a scrappy game which we had to gradually imposed ourselves on and take by the scruff of the neck which we did well.

Certainly agree that Max was our star performer by a mile with him involved in everything that was good and working tirelessly to cover back and was everywhere imposing himself. His goal was stunning and as said he was within a whisker of a second. His vision and composure has matured so much and I shudder to think how we would manage without him this season at least.

We all see some aspects of the game a little differently and mine was to believe that Kayode Odejayi had a very effective game holding up the ball well and laying off much better than I have seen him and certainly looked fitter and a shade more mobile. I understand why Marc Laird was picked in the starting eleven given the likely battle ahead. Whilst he does cover a lot of ground, never shirking a tackle, he gave the ball away a lot, conceded free kicks and generally looked poor. Of the defenders I thought Ihiekwe was the pick and at times showed real class and great spatial awareness with well timed interventions. The often much maligned OFW is worth a mention as although he didn't have a lot to do, he came out to catch or punch with much more authority and his kicking was at least better.

Not sure if the others agree but it seemed to me that the defensive line was being held and controlled more effectively and we pushed up a lot more which made a difference.

Do we know the exact number of away fans as it seemed and sounded that the SWA numbered more than indicated? I took a family member who rarely attends who thought the SWA were just amazing never tiring with the songs and chants and thought the fans deserved that win so much. The rendition of the Christmas Jingle Bells song adapted to "how much fun it is to win away............"etc was ringing out across the ground and carried on to the local tube station long after the final whistle.

Yes a thoroughly deserved win with all the lads putting in a lot of hard graft and limiting the Daggers to very few if any real chances. Certainly we have played better football and lost or drawn but we did a job on the opposition who were perhaps the most limited in ability that I have seen to date but never the less another very encouraging step forward.

 

[Ian]

Thanks for the reports. This is an excellent win, 2 on the bounce, confidence is up, the team is growing and hopefully this will take us into a decent Xmas period.

We seem to be getting there one step at a time. This is the best I've seen Max play. 8 goals already. An excellent return.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

I think Max will sign a contract for 2 years, with a clause to be released when another club comes in for him. He will then get his 2 year contract wages but the club will get £250-300,00 for him.

I hope this is true. Just look at how Max celebrates his goals. He always runs to the SWA in triumph. Yesterday, his celebration was so intense we thought he might get booked. He's also the first player to salute the travelling fans at the end of the game - sometimes the only one to come over. Clearly Max loves the club. I hope they can find a deal that persuades him to stay a bit longer and rewards him appropriately, while giving him the chance to move on when it's appropriate.

 

[Sparky]

Yes credit to the lads / Micky and especially Max who I have criticised in the past but for a young chap he has led by example in recent weeks.

His contract needs sorting ASAP as you never know he may have an agent filling his head with nonsense. He loves the club tho and hopefully someone like Koumas will be in his ear telling him his time will come but to look after the club who gave him his chance.

 

[Boz]

In response to Brightonian, I read elsewhere that the away attendance was 212. If correct, this is a little surprising, given that we normally get a decent turnout from south-based exiles and it would be a new ground for some. However time of year and ticket pricing don't help.

On Max Power, I agree it would be desirable for him to be signed up on a new deal. However Rob Edwards rated him enough to make him captain when Holness out of the picture, while Micky selects him regularly, so I wonder whether a deal has been offered and rejected. The 4 -year deal for Kirby, which raised eyebrows at the time seems to be very bad business, given how much of a fringe player he now is.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

I would be amazed if Max hasn't been offered a deal. Stockton and Kirby were given long-term contracts a few months ago. As far as I'm aware, Max's current deal runs out next June. I can only conclude that he's stalling, possibly to get a better deal. I did think he was looking to move on a Bosman next summer with the club getting a transfer fee set by a tribunal. These are often worth less than what a selling club could negotiate. However, it's difficult to believe he is desperate to go, judging by the way he celebrates when he scores. I expect/hope that now Palios and Adams must both be on the case, it will be sorted in the next few weeks.