Ricky - Sky Sports Expert

Friday's are a Dag

Switch hits Dagenham where it hurts

Posted: 05th November 2009 14:33

Send an email to RickyEmail Ricky

Friday's are a Dag

Lockwood: Welcome signing

I'm sure if it had been Huddersfield against, say Man Utd, there is no way it would have been played on a Friday night...

Dagenham FanZoner Riki Butler
Quotes of the week

I really am running out of words to describe just how amazing our season has been so far.

Fifteen league games in, that's a third of the season gone, and we are sitting just two points off the top of the table having lost just twice! What with all the comings and goings on the pitch it really has been an unbelievable start to the season for us, far better then we could have ever have dared hoped for, and the chances are it will just get better and better as the team keeps developing.

I keep waiting for the inevitable blip but it has not arrived yet and to be honest it does not look like it's due anytime soon either. With the new away stand now fully open the ground is starting to match the team and the future does look very bright indeed. It certainly is a great time to be a Daggers fan.

Okay so in recent weeks we have not reached the heights of the free flowing football we were playing back in August and September but we have developed a more solid streak as our run of only one defeat from our last eleven league matches shows.

We have scored just 16 goals in those eleven games, after hitting 11 in our first three, but conceded only 10, three of which have been dubious penalties, and it is that solidity at the back which has been the basis for our recent results.

Committed

Of course our never-say-die attitude has also been key for us this season and it came to the fore again on Saturday against draw specialists Port Vale. After going behind in the first half we once again showed great character to come back and grab a point with another late equaliser against a very well organised Vale side and we could even have nicked it in the end.

Having lost both our full backs last week, one to suspension and one to Peterborough, we finally had some good news on Friday when John Still secured the signing of Colchester left back Matt Lockwood on a months loan.

The guy has bags of experience and will be a great short term replacement for the departed Scott Griffiths, although having seen his debut on Saturday I wouldn't mind if the deal became a permanent one as it will be hard to find a better left back at this level.

There was more good news with the return to fitness of striker Josh Scott and he showed that he is ready to regain his place in the starting line up with a great late finish to earn us a point. Hopefully his return will also bring the best out of Paul Benson again as he has been suffering a bit of a drought lately with only one goal in the last seven matches, although only a great save from Vale keeper Chris Martin denied him on Saturday.

However despite another late equaliser and a another great comeback there was a hint of disappointment at the end of the match when news came through that leaders Bournemouth had lost to Rochdale as a win would have sent us to the top ahead of the break for FA Cup action this weekend, but to be honest I would rather we kept our powder dry for now and not take over at the top until May.

Spineless

Talking of the FA Cup we did not get the draw we were hoping for with a tough trip to League One high-flyers Huddersfield, although it will be another good test for us against the sort of team we will be hoping to play against every week next season.

We have already taken on Championship side Cardiff in the Carling Cup and MK Dons from League One in the Johnstone Paint Trophy this season and not been embarrassed by either so I am sure we will give a good account of ourselves again this time.

However the biggest disappointment was not the draw itself but the fact that due to Rugby League being played at the Galpharm Stadium next Saturday our tie has had to be moved to Friday night. So instead of taking somewhere in the region of 4-500 travelling fans we will now probably only take around 150. .

That might not mean much to most other clubs but as the gate receipts in the Cup are split 50-50 between both clubs the lower attendance will affect us financially too. Now I realise that this is not Huddersfield's fault as they do not own the stadium but surely the FA should have stepped in as it is, after all, their leading cup competition?

Costly

If Huddersfield were unable to host the tie on the set date then it should have been switched to our place or at the very least the FA should offer us some compensation for the loss of revenue brought about by playing on a Friday night.

But as it is we will miss out on nice little pay day, a few hundred Daggers fans will miss out on watching our biggest game of the season so far and all because the FA have no backbone! I'm sure if it had been Huddersfield against, say Man Utd, there is no way it would have been played on a Friday night...

But despite my rant the draw has actually been pretty good for me personally what with my North East base, so I will be able to make the 90 minute trip down to Huddersfield on Friday to hopefully witness the first shock of the first round.

Last year we beat League One Hereford in a first round replay before giving Leicester a scare so I am confident we can get a result on Friday and bring them back down to fortress Viccy Road! Therefore my prediction this week is for a 1-1 draw with us then winning the replay 2-1 and earning a nice little home draw against Leeds in the second round! Not too much to ask now is it?

Come on you Daggers!

Should the FA have blocked Huddersfield from switching Friday's game? Is Lockwood a useful recruit? Join the FanZone debate by filling in the form below

The views expressed are not necessarily those of skysports.com

Post to your View!

Be the first to post a comment on this story

Add Comment*

Send us your views

Are you a Sky Sports subscriber?

*All fields required, your email address will be kept private