Dagenham

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Jamie Reckord scores the winner against Dagenham ? Mike Kunz

Yeovil Town s̶t̶r̶i̶k̶e̶r̶ defender Jamie Reckord has praised the Glovers’ ability to grind out their first win of the season over Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the game, in which he scored his third goal of the season, he said how happy everyone was to get that first win in the books.

The 30-year-old said: “Both teams started kind of slow, there wasn’t much really in the game, I just felt like there were always going to be opportunities come our way 

“Their back three was gifting us a few chances, Mal [of Fish ‘n’ Mal fame] was running off the back of them and giving them havoc and Gime and I thought Fish [also from Fish ‘n’ Mal] played well and I got my goal. I’m just happy we got the three points.

“Everyone knows it was important for us to get the win today, you could feel it, we could feel it, the last ten minutes felt like it was half an hour but we hung on.

“Everyone needed that, because if you look at the last few games in the season I think we’ve been the better team, and the club looks back and says we could have and should have, but we were the better team in most of the three games and yeah, I’m just glad we got the three points.”

Reckord – who had, before this game NEVER scored more than twice in a single season – was chuffed to get his third in the opening five games…

“I’m delighted to get the goal, of course, three goals in whatever games it is, its the best of my professional career, but most importantly we got the win and the first win on the board and we can look forward to playing Wealdstone on Monday”

Best check that contract for a goal bonus clause, Jamie!

Alfie Pond

There was praise for his 18 year old defensive partner Alfie Pond who made his Glovers debut and put in a rock solid display impressing Reckord, and fans with his performance.

“Pondy is really good, you can tell, he’s good in the air, good on the ball, he’s calm and collected and when you play in a three you need that calmness, he can play the ball out from the back and start moves off, yeah, everyone was impressed.”

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Venue: Huish Park
Tuesday March 8, 7.45pm kick-off

Conditions: Rain before the match.
Pitch: Skiddy due to the rain but in good nick.

Attendance:

Scorers: Paul McCallum 6 (0-1), Paul McCallum 22 (0-2), Junior Morais 63 (0-3)

Bookings: 1,836 (23 away supporters)

Yeovil: Barnett 32,
Dagenham: Rance 45,

Referee: Adrian Quelch


Yeovil Town : (4-3-3)

Grant Smith

Morgan Williams, Luke Wilkinson, Ben Barclay, Jordan Barnett

Alex Bradley (for Lawson D’Ath, 60), Josh Staunton (for Matt Worthington, 78), Dale Gorman

Charlie Wakefield, Olufela Olomola (for Adi Yussuf, 71) , Tom Knowles

Substitutes: Mark Little, Reuben Reid.

Dagenham & Redbridge: Justham, Wright, Reynolds, Comley, Hare, Johnson, Rance, Sagaf (for Robinson, 89), Weston, McCallum (for Akanbi, 90) , Morais (for Walker, 75).
Substitutes: Balanta, Zouma.

Match Report

 

A piece of sloppy defending followed by two absolute howlers saw Dagenham & Redbridge run out comfortable winners at Huish Park.

Visiting striker Paul McCallum, whose own goal gave the Glovers the win in the reverse fixture, put them ahead after six minutes and when a clanger from Grant Smith gifted the striker a second on 22 minutes it was game over.

Junior Morais added a third in the second half from another mistake in the Yeovil back line which has been such a strength of this season and, in depressingly familiar fashion, we failed to muster anything going forward.

We loaded the bullets in the Dagenham gun and invited them to shoot us in both feet – and they did it in professional fashion.

Here’s how it played out…….

First half

Team news saw on loan striker Olufela Olomola return having missed the previous two matches through injury, he replaced Jordan Barnett who shifted back to left-back.

Mark Little dropped to the substitutes’ bench with Morgan Williams replacing him on the right side of defence.

After three minutes, Myles Weston, who caused the Glovers’ problem in the reverse fixture, took a run at Williams and fired in a shot which took a small deflection off the centre back-turned-full back and forced Grant Smith in to his first save.

That was a warning and the poor start got worse. Josh Hare got away down the other side and put the ball in for the unchallenged Paul McCALLUM to fire the Daggers ahead.

Sensing blood, the visitors kept attacking a wobbly looking Yeovil and an error by the normally reliable Josh Staunton gave midfielder Dean Rance the chance to shoot and Smith was again force in to a fine stop.

With Barnett playing his first game at left-back for a long while and Williams playing on the right, there were some unfamiliar combinations across the hosts’ side which Dagenham seemed to sense pressing us extremely high up the pitch and getting results.

Grant Smith. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Grant Smith’s free-kick with no Dagenham player around him, he’s tried to be clever and clip a ball to Williams, but did not even get past Paul McCALLUM who chested it down and fired it in to an empty net. His 12th goal of the season, he’ll never score an easier one.

Having not scored more than twice in a league game since November, the writing felt like it was being daubed on the wall. In fact, when was the last time we came back from 2-0 down to get anything? AFC Fylde away in December 2019. The last time at Huish Park? A 2-2 draw with Dagenham in October 2015.

Having executed their plan to perfection, the next stage was to frustrate their easily irritated hosts and, again, did it perfectly all the way through until half-time which was met by a few boos.

Half time: Yeovil Town 0 Dagenham & Redbridge 2

Second half

The second half saw a reshuffle in midfield with Staunton playing further forward and Dale Gorman now the man picking the ball up from deep, but as caretakers of the ball, we were lacking.
Having seen a further 15 minutes of his side huffing and puffing, Darren Sarll introduced a player more than capable of holding on to the ball in Lawson D’Ath who replaced Alex Bradley.
But, instead of that being a spark, another defensive howler gifted the visitors a third. Junior MORAIS got the wrong side of both Luke Wilkinson and Ben Barclay, who have looked so solid since the latter’s arrival, and ran through to score.
If there was any wind was left in the Yeovil sails, it was extinguished. Incidentally, the last time we came from three goals down to win a match was the 5-4 FA Trophy win at Doncaster Rovers nearly 20 years ago.
Fear not though, Adi Yussuf replaced Olomola on 71 minutes. In fairness, it was not Fela’s night. He had no service and was almost entirely anonymous.

Dagenham goalkeeper Eliot Justham probably did not need to wash his kit after this one, he hardly broke a sweat.

A miserable night.

Full time: Yeovil Town 0 Dagenham & Redbridge 3

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Darren Sarll is hoping to keep central defender Ben Barclay on loan from National League rivals Stockport County until the end of the season.

The 25-year-old has impressed in his five appearances since being brought in to fill the void left by an injury to Max Hunt at the end of January.

Speaking ahead of this weekend’s home game with Dagenham & Redbridge the manager said he was happy with the recruitment he had done this season not least the former loan signing of Millwall full-back Dan Moss.

Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Sarll said: “The recruitment has had to be good because we can’t afford to waste a penny. There was a framework around our recruitment to bring in young, athletic players with something to prove and an ambition to play higher.

“We are very tight in terms of capabilities and I’m happy with all our recruitment. Ben has been fantastic and I’m hoping he will be with us until the end of the season.”

Unfortunately, due to his own work commitments our Gloverscast roving reporter Ben Barrett could not attend today’s press conference, so that closing remark is as much as we know about the manager’s ambition to keep Barclay at the club.

Defender Max Hunt will definitely be missing for the weekend as he makes his way back to fitness from an injury which has put him out since the 2-1 defeat to Wrexham last month.

Midfielder Dale Gorman is out through suspension and will also miss next Tuesday’s trip to Maidenhead United.

Of other injuries, the manager added there would be a couple of late checks on players including on-loan defender Jack Robinson who was not involved at Eastleigh last weekend.

Sarll said: “It’s touch and go for one or two of them, Jack Robinson is one of them, I won’t say the other one.”

The anticipated windy conditions with Storm Eunice expected to be hanging around in the Westcountry over the weekend could decide the way Yeovil set-up against Dagenham.

Sarll said: “With the conditions, it is going to be a massively difficult task. If there’s one condition that everyone in football hates, it is wind.

“That will change how we prepare and might change how we select the team, instead of being a bit more creative, we might be a bit more destructive.

“We will have to see, those decisions can be left to game day. We have been fabulous away, but we have to be better at home.”

The manager said he believed the return of Charlie Lee as his assistant manager will have “an impact on the dressing room” at Huish Park.

The former Glovers’ midfielder was confirmed as Sarll’s number two on Thursday having agreed a short-term deal which we assume is until the end of the season.

Charlie Lee controls the midfield
? Mike Kunz

The manager said: “No-one knows me better than Charlie. He’s been one of the toughest players I have ever manager in terms of how spiky he is, he’s a real sod at times!

“But I wanted that impact in the dressing room, he doesn’t suffer fools and he’s a winner if you look at his career, he’s a winner.

“The things I can give him is an exposure to this position. I’m two decades in and Charlie’s less than a year in, so first and foremost he’s a brilliant guy who wants to be part of the football club – and he can handle my tantrums!”

But the boss was keen to point out that Lee would not be a like-for-like replacement for his previous right-hand man, Terry Skiverton, the club legend who left to join League One Charlton Athletic’s coaching set up.

The boss had to stop himself from (perhaps) being critical of the decision to allow Skivo to leave the club saying: “Terry was Superman at Yeovil and unfortunately…..(pause, grimace, contemplation)…you realise what you had when it’s gone and we as a club were not in a position to protect that legacy.

“That’s a shame but as one door closes (another one opens) and it’s a big opportunity for Charlie to taste this world and how different is from playing.

“He has a good football brain, he’s seen a lot of things in football and he isn’t here to replace Terry, that’s impossible at this club.

“He’s here to bring something we have not had in recent weeks, it has been a tough four or five weeks without Terry, so I am delighted he’s with us.”

 

Striker Olufela Olomola will improve as he gets more matchday minutes, the boss added.

The Hartlepool United man made his third Glovers’ debut in last weekend’s goalless draw at Eastleigh having arrived on loan the previous day.

The manager said: “Every team has different levels (of fitness) and he’s probably playing in a different position to the one he’s had to play recently.

“For different positions, you need different physical attributes, so I think it will take a few weeks to get him back up (and running).

“It was a much better performance in terms of the types of chances, I’m still disappointed at some of the work we did in forward areas.

“But, the midfield had better control, and I thought we were good value (for the win) given the level of dominance we had.”

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Darren Sarll is beginning to see a trend from his ‘settled’ team. Following the win at Dagenham, he told the BBC that the first half performance was one of the best in his time at the club.

“I thought first half in particular, we were really, really good. It’s right up there, that first half performance, in my time here. That’s how good I thought we were. I thought it was a really good performance (in the) first half, we looked controlled, we look settled at the moment which is nice,” he said.

He praised the incredible spirit of last year’s squad after the ordeal they went through, but added that the current group of Glovers are building a close bond.

“They’ve got a real togetherness, and a tightness in their relationships. It does help that they’re all pretty much 21 – 24, minus a couple. And, those seniors players are really really leading them well at the minute.”

“The best thing about the group, their kind of USP, is that they have a unique work ethic and it endears them to people and that’s lovely to see again, a nice moment again with the supporters (at the end).” 

Yeovil are now six unbeaten (don’t let anyone tell you the SPC doesn’t count) and Sarll sees that consistency coming from being able to name unchanged personnel. He said: “We’re starting to see a little bit of a trend and a pattern. It’s nice to see that consistency, but it does get easier when you can consistently roll out the same side.”

Yeovil have another tough test on Tuesday night as they head to 4th-place Bromley. 

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Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Darren Sarll was full of praise for the defensive efforts of his Yeovil Town side after the Glovers picked up three points at Dagenham & Redbridge this afternoon.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins following the match Sarll said: “Regardless of 10 v 11, I thought we always had to be concentrating and focused. Again, you see the quality of (Luke) Wilkinson in these minutes, in these moments. The back four and the goalkeeper were excellent and to still have the same amount of goals conceded after coming away to Dagenham, I think they should be very proud of themselves.”

The manager also reserved special mentions for his two fullbacks, Jordan Barnett and Dan Moss, who worked hard to keep the Dagger’s wide players at bay.

“I thought Jordan Barnett and [Dan] Moss at full backs were out best players by a mile. Their defending 1v1 against some good players, in isolation, on their own, no support, I thought it was just magnificent.”

Sarll also praised the work ethic of his side, noting their determination to get back when countered.

“They run so hard, and they work so hard and even when there were some counter attacking moments from our attacking set plays today, the work-ethic of Worthington, Knowles, Wakefield, Gorman, Barnett to get back, I mean poor old Wilko they leave him on the goal line and they all just run back really quickly,” he added.

Dagenham were reduced to ten-men in before half time, with Elliott Johnson given a straight red card for a tackle on Moss, and Sarll indicated there was room for improvement from his team in those situations.

“I think you can see what type of side we are, because, I find, when we do play against ten men, we do struggle to retain the ball for periods that need to be a little bit longer.

What it does, especially when you’re in the lead, it takes the sting out of the game. It means you can breath, it means you can get control, it means you can get territory. Those things are really important, so I was a bit disappointed with our ball retention in the second half,” he said.

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Glovers’ ‘keeper Grant Smith

Yeovil Town Goalkeeper Grant Smith says confidence is high after the Glovers extended their unbeaten run to six with a 1-0 win over Dagenham and Redbridge.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins he said the most pleasing part of the win was restricting a free scoring Dagenham side.

“I think the big thing we took out of that is that we got a clean sheet against the best attacking goal scorers in the league, to come on to their patch, to keep a clean sheet and to really minimise them to not many chances, is very pleasing”

 

Yeovil won the game through a single goal late in the second half, which has been credited to Dagenham’s Paul McCallum as an own goal, but in a crazy few minutes, the Daggers were also reduced to ten-men with Elliot Johnson sent off for the hosts… Smith said, he didn’t see, but that the right decision was made. (Straight out of the Arsene Wenger guide to big moments, there, Grant)

Dagenham did their best to create pressure in the second half, and Smith had plenty of praise for the defensive unit in front of him.

“That back four, (Max) Hunty – some of them headers he had – (Luke) Wilko and then the two full backs (Jordan) Barnett and (Dan) Mossy they were unbelievable.”

“We want to win games, we want to score goals, but at the end of the day, we also want clean sheets, and personally for me, that’s what I want”

Attention turned to another tricky away game at Bromley on Tuesday, but Smith says the Glovers are ready and full of confidence.

“We’re on – I think that’s six unbeaten now – we are starting to really gel together now, we’re keeping them out the back of the net and scoring now also, so yeah, full confidence going into Tuesday”

 

 

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Venue: 
Saturday, November 20th, 15:00, Victoria Park

Conditions: Dry but gloomy
Pitch: Wide

Scorers: Yeovil 1-0 McCallum OG ’46

Attendance:1642(227 Away Fans)

Referee: Adrian Quelch

Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Gorman ’46, Quigley ’82, Barnett ’88
Dagenham: Vilhete ’37, Rance ’41, Clark ’59

Sendings off:
Yeovil Town: None
Dagenham: Johnson ’46


Yeovil Town : (4-3-3)

Grant Smith
Dan Moss, Max Hunt, Luke Wilkinson, Jordan Barnett
Matt Worthington, Josh Staunton, Dale Gorman
Tom Knowles, Adi Yussuf, Charlie Wakefield

Substitutes: Sonny Blu Lo-Everton (For Knowles, ’74) , Joe Quigley (For Yussuf ’60), Morgan Williams (For Worthington ’93), Alex Bradley, Max Evans(GK)

Dagenham & Redbridge: Justham, Reynolds, Clark, Johnson, Ling, Rance, Sagaf, Robinson, Vilhete, Balanta (c), McCallum

Substitutes:  Lawlor (GK), Weston (for Rance ’46), Saunders (for Vilhete ’56), Scott, Akanbi

 

Match Report

A dramatic final two minutes of the first half, saw Yeovil benefit from the only goal of the game as the Glovers beat high flying Dagenham & Redbridge 1-0.

A solid defensive display ensured that the first half own goal from Paul McCallum was all that separated the sides in a feisty encounter, this is how the Gloverscast’s Dave Coates saw the game…

 

First half

After an even opening exchanges, Charlie Wakefield broke down the left and went shoulder-to-shoulder with Callum Reynolds in the box, going down under pressure.

Put that one in the ‘you’ve seen them given, but you’d be annoyed if they were given against you’ box.

That lifted Yeovil and on 17 minutes, Wakefield was through again, but this time his shot was weak in to the arms of keeper Elliot Justham.

Tom Knowles has shot well held by keeper shortly after before Reynolds was gifted a free header but it only went in to the hands of Grant Smith.

The attacking threats of Paul McCallum, back after a five-match suspension, and ex-Yeovil man Angelo Balanta were there in flashes of quality but  without creating too much to trouble Smith.

Balanta put effort wide on 25 minutes and the Colombian came close with a header shortly after, but the first half was dominated by the visitors who looked in control and threatening against an opponent with undoubted quality in their ranks.

It took until the closing stages of the half for the game to break in to life. Knowles and the outstanding Dan Moss linking up well down the left, feeding the ball in to the box where Matt Worthington was lurking, only for Justham to intervene at the vital moment.

From the next move, a long throw by Knowles looped over the defence and skimmed off the head of Daggers’ frontman Paul McCallum for an OWN GOAL as the game entered injury time.

There were numerous bodies in the box and although the goal went down as the hosts’ mistake, it was due in no small part to the Yeovil presence in the box.

But the half was not finished there, and moments later Elliott Johnson flew in for a tackle on Dan Moss, sparking a melee which ended up with Johnson getting a straight red card.

Never leave early for half time.

Half time: Dagenham & Redbridge 0 Yeovil Town 1

If anyone thought going down to ten was going to stop Dagenham from pressing for an equaliser after the break, they were mistaken.

However, the first clear-cut chance came after 55 minutes when Moss’ ball in from the right fizzed through the box where Yussuf was the most obvious target but the ball was cleared.

But, at the other end it was half-time substitute Myles Weston was causing problems down the left hand side, enjoying a running battle with Jordan Barnett, who can feel hard done by to be edged out of contention for my man of the match by Moss, either player could deservedly have claimed it.

But, having soaked up that pressure, it was time for Yeovil to attack. On 63 minutes Wakefield ball found Knowles in space on the edge of the box , his shot was well turned aside by Justham.

To give Dagenham credit for the bulk of the second half, it was not obvious that Yeovil were playing with a one-man advantage.

Dagenham continued to press with Weston at the heart of their threat going forward.

When winger who drew a foul from Barnett with 15 minutes remaining, a fine Josh Staunton header cleared the danger for a corner from which McCallum sent a header goal bound only to be nodded off the line by Wakefield on the post.

Yeovil celebrate following the win over Dagenham – Pic Elliot Watts

From then on there was wave after wave of attacks from the hosts, Weston causing havoc to the extent he was eventually given the sponsors’ man of the match despite playing just the second 45 minutes.

But, aside from a George Saunders’ shot cleared away by Dale Gorman, there were no real threats to Grant Smith in the visitors’ goal.

The exhalation at the final whistle was ecstasy and relief – six unbeaten, we travel to Bromley on Tuesday night with no fear.

 

Full time: Dagenham & Redbridge 0 Yeovil Town 1