An own goal at the end of the first half was enough to earn Yeovil Town a 1-0 win at Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday, but scoreline was only part of the story with a performance which had quality and battling qualities written through it. Here’s Coatesie’s conclusions on the win….
We are now unbeaten in six (yes, including Yate and Larkhall!), only one goal conceded in 540 minutes, but perhaps more importantly we beat another team above us in the table. And, let’s not make any mistake, a very good Dagenham side who will likely to be in the play-off places by the end of the season. Last season we spoke a lot about how we could beat those around us and below us, but not those above us. Well, we did it against Eastleigh last weekend and we’ve done it again. Two of our next three opponents are also above us….
It is hardly a conclusion to say we looked solid defensively again, that has become to be expected from this Yeovil Town side. So, I will say – get me Millwall on the phone and name their terms to keep Dan Moss for the season – and possibly the next one! It takes something to pip another great display by Jordan Barnett for most impressive, but Moss did it – just. The loanee was a involved in a lot of what was good about us going forward in the first half and defensively solid in the second. He typified the battling qualities we needed to see the match out, a player older than his years.
It is equally not a conclusion to say we lack a killer touch in front of goal, but I think I have figured out what Adi Yussuf is – see Ben’s Five Conclusions v Woking and v Solihull Moors. He’s is there to soften up the defence, hold up play, yes, Adi Yussuf is a back to goal striker. His finish the previous weekend shows he can be a clinical finisher at times, but the instinctive fox in the box we thought we were getting is not him – well, not yet anyway. Only thing is “the best back to goal striker in this division” (D.Sarll, 2021) is back in training on Monday, so how will they work together? Will they work together? Interesting one.
If I can be allowed to use a conclusion on something other than Yeovil, why did Dagenham wait until half-time to bring on Myles Weston? The winger caused all sorts of problems down the right side in the second half and his duel with Jordan Barnett brought out the best in the Glovers’ left-back who was excellent again. I am advised by Daggers’ fans that Weston, at the age of 33, is “getting on a bit” (checks birth certificate) but had he had that threat with 11 men. Who knows?
But, the final conclusion is a simple one. Darren Sarll doesn’t want to call it an identity or a philosophy – but this is a team fights for each other and they really do it. Even when they were pressing forward and looking more free flowing in the first half, they scrapped and battled in the way we are going to need to to get places at this level. In the second half with the home side on top of them for long parts of the half, there was no inch given by this team.
So, next up Bromley on Tuesday night, another team above us in table – do what we did against Dagenham (especially in the first half) and we have nothing to fear.