When all’s said and done we have to look at this as a good point away from home, particularly against the (at the time) league leaders, and particularly when Skipper Sam Stockley gets himself sent off with just over ten minutes to go.
All the action happened in the first seven minutes – Dagenham taking the lead through Benson on five minutes, Marc Richards equalising two minutes later.
I missed the action. It was ten past three when I arrived at Dagenham East, twenty past by the time I had got into the ground. What I was subjected to was eighty minutes of absolute pure tedium. It was like watching schoolboy football, 22 players lumping the ball in whichever direction they are facing, everyody else chasing it.
It was clumsy, error-strewn, ugly football which neither team deserved to win, although it has to be said that Dagenham definitely shaded it.
We know where our problems lie, we are lame going forward. We attack with absolutely no conviction, it looks so laboured that you half expect us to come to a grinding halt before we reach our opponents 18 yard box. And sometimes we did. Luke Rodgers was the main culprit, his link up play was abysmal – his passes readable by everyone in the ground.
It was Luke Rodgers who missed our best chance of mugging Dagenham of three points, firing well over after dispossessing a hapless defender on the edge of the box. We never came close again.
The last ten minutes became a little hairy after Sam Stockley got himself sent off, but somehow we held on with defenders throwing themselves at the ball.
Bournemouth are the vistors to Vale Park next week, and are yet to register a win this season. I suspect they will be hopeful of rectifying that situation next Saturday. We are simply not a convincing looking outfit.
Player Ratings
Joe Anyon 5
I missed the goal, but yet again Joe looked very uncomfortable dealing with crosses.
Sam Stockley 5
Silly sending off.
Lee Collins 5
Steady enough, never really able to link with Simon Richman
Chris Slater 4
Yet again looked out of his depth.
John McCombe 6
Pick of the defenders, but we don’t look confident at the back.
Louis Dodds 5
Barely in the game and looked lightweight – although undoubtedly has a good touch.
Ross Davidson 5
Battled hard in midfield, but little ability going forward.
Anthony Griffith 7
Star man.
Simon Richman 5
Showed some good promise in the last couple of games last season, but was largely anonymous in this his first game of the season. Was replaced by Kyle Perry.
Marc Richards 6
Got the equaliser, did little else.
Luke Rodgers 5
Nothing happened for Luke on Saturday. Very disappointing.
Kyle Perry 5
Came on for Richman and turned the whole game around with a display of grace and beauty. Showed great pace and skill on the left, beating defenders with stunning ease before floating defence-perplexing crosses into the box. I am, of course, joking.
David Howland 5
Came on for Davidson and pretty much did exactly the same as him. Made one ferocious tackle, didn’t notice much else.
Came o for Rodgers after the stockley sending off and did ok.
It sounded like we defended ok on radio stoke. Sinnott wasn’t happy about us as an attacking force!
Not an inspired display by any stretch of the imagination but its still a good result away from home. Three points against Bournemouth next week and that will put us amongst the front runners. No need for all the doom and gloom!
WHATS THAT LAST PHOTO ABOUT?
Lets not get carried away over a point at Dagenham. They were top of the league after wins against Chester and Lincoln – both of whom have yet to pick up a point after three games. Dagenham weren’t great and neither were we.
Its someone having a p*** against a fence.