Saints 1 Dagenham 2

[Rob_the_Saint]

One of the best Saints' performances I've witnessed this season against the Champions elect.

 

Had the majority of play for much of the first half, Lopez added real balance to the midfield.

 

The goal, Bazza flapped and it fell to Buari, who turned and ran 70 yards past about threee defenders before firing in a cross that Archer turned past Roberts. Superb goal.

 

Then, reality returned. 'Jimmy' got caught in midfield and Benson got away to round Bazza and tap in a simple goal. Then the defence decided to do a bit of ball watching while a Dagenham guy crossed the ball for Rainford to charge in and slam it into the back of the net.

 

End to end stuff continued in the second half but no further goasl.

[cityman]

Just got back in and I thought we were very good his evening, one of the best performances in a long time. I was very pleased to see that we still have some fight left in us.

[YELLOW]

Unlucky but Daggers are a good side.

 

Looks difficult for you guys to stay up now.

[cityman]

Yes we need two wins with the teams around us losing, can't see it happening to ne honest :-(

[topcatch]

correct a mundo

u r going down

ill drink 2 that

[Laz]

Originally Posted By: YELLOW

Looks difficult for you guys to stay up now.

If we play as we did last night staying up is a possibility.

[JKiF]

it is indeed laz,

 

 

Never, never, never believe any war will be smooth and easy, or that anyone who embarks on the strange voyage can measure the tides and hurricanes he will encounter. The statesman who yields to war fever must realize that once the signal is given, he is no longer the master of policy but the slave of unforeseeable and uncontrollable events.

[YELLOW]

Originally Posted By: Laz

Originally Posted By: YELLOW

Looks difficult for you guys to stay up now.

If we play as we did last night staying up is a possibility.

I was listening to the tail end of the game on local radio and they said that you played very well.

[Hatboy]

Last night was the best we've played in a long time, unlucky not to nick a point.

 

If we played that well all season we would be staying up !

[Laz]

Originally Posted By: YELLOW

I was listening to the tail end of the game on local radio and they said that you played very well.

We still conceded twice though despite good perfances at the back. It's the mistakes that have to stop. Then we'll get some points.

[YELLOW]

Just the same as us when we were in the Conference. When you were in Conf South you could get away with those mistakes but any errors are ruthlessly punished at this level.

 

Have noticed you've conceded alot of goals late in the game this season.

[Laz]

It has been mentioned.

[TomDavisPonyTail]

Agree that we played well to an extent, and they gave as good as they had, but there was definitely a lack of any cutting edge in the last third. The second half, in particular, there was no real threat to Roberts' goal and no real sustained pressure to try and get the equaliser.

 

What was also evident (and I'm not trying to take the gloss over a decent performance) was the amount of times their strikers were one-on-one. Elphick and Bazza came to the rescue on numerous occasions.

[AFF]

Those are fair points, TDPT, in my view, but it's equally fair to say that, firstly Dagenham & Redbridge are the class outfit in the League this season by a margin. Secondly, they are full-time, of course, and thirdly, they are coached by Terry Harris who is very highly regarded indeed.

 

I watched their pre-match preparation stuff in particular last night and it was breathtaking. Some of ours would have been asking for the half-time orange after about 10 minutes. And that was just the warm-up. They have a fierce pace throughout the side. According to Craig Mackail-Smith, in their pre-season, they didn't touch a football for weeks, it was just fitness work, and it's paying-off.

 

The game was played at a fast pace because we clearly decided to 'have a go' at them and with that difference in quality, you will see the things that you have highlighted in your post. Indeed, at half-time, I feared that we would concede at least two more [in the] second half, simply because I didn't think that we would be able to maintain that level of performance, and it was a credit to t'lads that we didn't.

 

The way we approached the game , and played it, was what was important to me.

 

Bring on the Minstermen.

 

 

[Duke of York]

Originally Posted By: AFF

Bring on the Minstermen

Bring on the Saints!

[AFF]

Is your manager likely to select the first team this time, DofY?

 

;-)

[TomDavisPonyTail]

Indeed, AFF, I was impressed with our attitude, effort, and as you say, willingness to 'have a go'.

 

I still think we could have had one last big effort of sustained pressure, especially with the fresh legs of Hann and Clarkey. It was rather like we'd accepted 'damage limitation'.

 

But as you quite rightly stated, the difference between the quality of the two side was there to see, and once again, the fitness levels of a full-time side were far superior to ours.

[Maldini66]

Originally Posted By: AFF

Those are fair points, TDPT, in my view, but it's equally fair to say that, firstly Dagenham & Redbridge are the class outfit in the League this season by a margin. Secondly, they are full-time, of course, and thirdly, they are coached by Terry Harris who is very highly regarded indeed.

I watched their pre-match preparation stuff in particular last night and it was breathtaking. Some of ours would have been asking for the half-time orange after about 10 minutes. And that was just the warm-up. They have a fierce pace throughout the side. According to Craig Mackail-Smith, in their pre-season, they didn't touch a football for weeks, it was just fitness work, and it's paying-off.

The game was played at a fast pace because we clearly decided to 'have a go' at them and with that difference in quality, you will see the things that you have highlighted in your post. Indeed, at half-time, I feared that we would concede at least two more [in the] second half, simply because I didn't think that we would be able to maintain that level of performance, and it was a credit to t'lads that we didn't.

The way we approached the game , and played it, was what was important to me.

Bring on the Minstermen.

Agree with all of that AFF
Terry is the best coach I have worked under, And is well liked and respected by all the players that he has coached over the years, Being part time was always going to be a problem come the business end of the season, when the pitches are heavy and legs are tired.
Still the adventure is far from over yet, Keep the faith as they say football's a funny old game.
I'm rooting for you.