• Back to Home Page
• Back to Match Reports Home Page

Ryman Premier League
Monday 30th August 1999
Daggers 2 Heybridge Swifts 0

Anyone who has followed my reports over the last couple of years will be aware that I do not compliment Dagenham & Redbridge without good reason.

To be honest I probably am a little hard on them...well that is about to change!

This current team is going to be something else. It has so much potential that it concerns me. At the moment, I have calculated, using some intricate and impressive equipment, that we are running at about 50 percent of what we are capable of.

There are areas where things could be better but I think that the current team is capable of covering these areas without any change.

Matt Jones deserved a hat-trick after two fine strikes and it won't be long before he gets one.

I hope that the team continues the improve and doesn't rest on it's laurels. This is the one danger that concerns me, that along with what must be an ever increasing wage bill.

The strength in depth will help too when we approach the now infamous mid season crash.

Well must admit that I was very impressed with the days proceedings.

A fine result and overall it was deserved. It has to be said that the scoreline was helped by our opponent's defence or should I say the definite lack of it. After good work by Junior McDougald, Paul Cobb managed to create himself enough space and therefore time to pick his spot with an exceptional header to put the home side one up. Quite a rare feat for our Paul. But he was to do it again in the second half and with just as much style.

The other two goals were a little more fortunate, not that you can't help create your own fortune! The first was from a corner where Matt Jones was given too much room as he came in on the near post. He should have been picked up but even if he wasn't the Aylesbury player marking the near post should have cleared it. That's what he stands there for!

Junior McDougald also had a little fortune with the Daggers 4th goal. It appeared to me that the Aylesbury keeper must have been a bit fed up with the way his defence was performing and tried to clear a high ball himself. Unfortunately (for him) Junior was able to capitalise and walk the ball into the back of the net. No Sky TV effects here by smacking the ball as hard as he could from close range, he was just cool and calm.

It's a shame that we had to play Aylesbury so early in the season. Not because of the football but their support. The drumming was great and in just the right dose. I felt it was used to great effect and not just to drone on relentlessly. Some great comments were heard from both sets of supporters, although as it is now Tuesday I have forgotten all of them. I will try to do better in the future.

Don't forget, if you would like to write a report please email it to me for inclusion.

Ryman Premier League Saturday 14th August 1999 Harrow Borough 1 Daggers 1 Newell, Woolsey, Broom, Bodley, Conner(Terry), Payne, St. Hillaire(Shipp), Cobb, MacDougald, Jones, Cole	Paul Cobb awaiting the ball
Jason Broom(3) ready to receive the ball to cross to Cobb waitng on the penalty spot	After all the hype of the last few weeks and the talking up of everyones hopes and dreams I have to admit that I was just a little disappointed with the overall performance today. That isn't to say that there weren't times that the boys didn't look good.because they did. Maybe some fine tuning is required. Cobb looked a little unsharp in the early stages and he must have been as amazed as me when his 25 yard low shot managed to penetrate a very full and crowded penalty area to put D&R one-nil up after 30 mins. It was a game of two halves. Harrow looking a lot more composed and less fearful in the second half as we had in the first. It was in the early part of the second half that the home side pulled back the deficit and the main reason was Dagenham's flat footed defence.
Some positive points though: Derek Payne looked good, with great vision and some beautifully weighted passing. In the centre of midfield he will be intrumental in our ineveitable push for promotion.	Another picture with the ball in it.