Roberts - Still is key

Still: Key to promotion push

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Dagenham goalkeeper Tony Roberts believes the return of manager John Still is crucial to staying in the League Two play-off race.

Still, 59, has missed some of the Daggers' recent games as he has been suffering from kidney stones and he was recovering from surgery on his gall bladder as his side claimed a 0-0 draw at Torquay last Tuesday.

Assistant Terry Harris has taken charge on matchday in Still's absence but the Daggers' boss made a welcome return to the dug-out for Saturday's 0-0 draw at Bury.

"He's had his problems with his health and we missed him at Torquay,"

Roberts told skysports.com.

"But hopefully everything's all right now and it's good to have him back on the sideline barking his orders and motivating the team.

"The boys need to be told in certain situations if they've done things right or wrong, and John does that in no uncertain fashion.

"He gave us a game-plan to go and play a certain way and it worked.

It worked better in the first half than it did in the second but we still came away with a point, which was a huge bonus because Bury are going well."

The Daggers' defence played a high line and it worked a treat as Bury's top scorer Ryan Lowe was caught offside several times at Gigg Lane.

Roberts, 40, also made two fine saves to keep the score goalless in the second half, rushing out to block a shot from Stephen Dawson before being drawn out of goal and recovering well to somehow tip over a goalbound effort by David Worrall.

The veteran keeper and his team-mates made it a frustrating afternoon for Bury, who slipped out of the top three as a result of the draw.

"It (the offside trap) came off three or four times so well done to the defence," said Roberts.

"We work on that in training so to see it work in a game situation is a bonus and shows the work ths boys are putting in is coming off.

"The young boys are doing well and this old-ish young one's doing okay as well!

"Both sides created a few chances but overall I thought we deserved the draw."

The Daggers are now unbeaten in four and are just four points outside the top seven with 12 games remaining.

"We've got Rotherham at home at the weekend then Lincoln away in midweek so we'll be hoping for six points to keep in the chase for the play-offs," Roberts added.

"It's a tight one, there's a few teams hanging on to try to keep in reach of the play-offs and we'll be one of those trying to get in there."