A monumental week awaits in Daggers' quest to reach Wembley on two fronts as they prepare for three games of enormous magnitude off the back of an encouraging fortnight.
The first of those comes in the FA Trophy, justifiably regarded as a low-priority afterthought for teams competing around the play-off region of the National League, towards which Dagenham have elevated themselves through consecutive 3-0 victories in the last two midweeks, but the allure of the gradually emerging Wembley arch in the horizon means they have little option but to continue taking it seriously as York City from a division below travel to Victoria Road this weekend alongside 800+ of their supporters, with victory securing a semi-final berth. John Askey's Minstermen will present stern opposition having not been defeated in nine games, including a commendable victory at AFC Fylde recently. They've progressed beyond Blyth Spartans, Matlock Town, Slough Town and Morpeth Town to set up a trip this weekend that will undoubtedly be a sterner proposition. Amongst their ranks are some recognisable players at this level including Mitch Hancox, Michael Woods, Michael Duckworth and Clayton Donaldson. One of the sides the Daggers have beaten enroute, Southend United, then await on Tuesday evening for an eagerly-awaited renewal of rivalries that promises to be a sterner test than the two straightforward victories already secured this season due to the fact that nobody else has managed to defeat the Shrimpers since the turn of the year. Extra incentive to extend their thirteen league game unbeaten streak comes via possibly reclaiming the bragging rights that were relinquished at Victoria Road, and the unrelenting ridicule they duly faced in the aftermath. It's a first visit for Daggers fans to Roots Hall since 2014/15, after which both sides went in very different directions, and precedes another important clash against Notts County several days later which will be equally influential towards shaping their fate as we enter the business end of a campaign. The necessity to claw back the five points they're currently adrift should not be lost on Daryl McMahon, who was tasked with making the top seven as a minimum target having failed to do so the previous season. He has a sizeable squad at his disposal, bolstered in recent weeks with the additions of Ansu Janneh, Brandon Comley and Josh Hare, the latter two of whom have looked very impressive in the past two games after failing to demonstrate their abilities much beforehand. Most impactful, though, have been compatible strike duo Paul McCallum and Junior Morias that has accounted for each of our past six goals. In Macca's case, it's now five goals from four games, taking him to twelve for the season overall, which suggests he's building up to top form again. His goals at Yeovil were predatory finishes synonymous with the best forwards at this level, a category McCallum should firmly be considered a part of despite struggling for consistency throughout his spell at the club thus far. His current partner Morias' form has been such that Josh Walker cannot get into the side, and even club captain Balanta will struggle too now he's back from a relatively lengthy injury layoff spanning a few weeks. Overall, we're in a position whereby we possess the luxury of good squad depth, a valuable asset as we hurtle towards the season's climax. The performances over the last fortnight need to be a platform on which we can build, starting with this crucial trio of upcoming fixtures.
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WRITERArchives
May 2024
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