Dagenham and Redbridge v Torquay United FL2 27/08/2011
Posted: 26 Aug 2011, 13:36
Right, this is the match day thread, sorry it's late and, presently, a bit shit, but I only just found out I'm doing this one (couldn't be helped) and I am presently otherwise employed, so, post your comments below on the match and I'll do the proper OP when I get home.
Matt.
So, we travel east (don't we always?) to Our Nation's Capital to play at the side with the ground with the stupidest name in the Football League with a slightly gloomy mist over the club. Players leaving (well, player) and two poor performances on the trot make this, despite the proximity in time to the beginning of the season, a bit of a key match.
Gulls news
Well, there's only one place to start and that is with the really big news of the week... The boardroom ran out of Garibaldi's and Simon Baker was forced to snack on plain old Rich Teas.
Of course, I jest, the sad news of the departure of Billy Kee is the biggest story of the week down Plainmoor way. The big forward has cited homesickness as his reason to head t'up north to Burton Albion. We all wish him the best of luck in his future.
On his way in to replace The White Pele is another Billy, in the shape of Billy Boden. At this point I should point out that he is, in fact, a 19 year old striker on loan from Swindon Town, and most certainly not this guy >>>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Bowden" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The young striker is a versatile chap, capable as he is of playing both up top as a genuine front man, and also as a winger. Judging from his comments on the OS about helping out Torquay and himself, he sees this move as little more than a three month stepping stone on to a starting place with Swindon. However, given their recent glut of signings, this seems unlikely and, chances are, he will be seen in yellow for no less than the remainder of the season.
In other Gulls news, the delightful Julia from the club shoppe has cycled from Cardiff in her native Wales (don't hold that against her) all the way to Amsterdam in Holland, all in aid of charity. Kudos to her for that.
The opposition.
Unlike Nick, I won't be doing a run down of the opposition players in such depth, given as I am to a genetic predisposition to sloth.
Dagenham and Redbridge, the Daggers, are enjoying something of a purple patch in their long history. The result of a merger between two much smaller clubs in 1992, the club in its present state was something of a habitual non-league rubbish. They had a number of successful years in the Conference in the first few years of the millennium, finishing in the playoff places for three consecutive years. They did achieve a measure of notoriety in 2002 when they finished second to Steve 'I'm a fat c**t and no one likes me' Evans and his merry band of cheats from Boston. Sadly, the proved once again to be completely at the mercy of corruption and bereft of backbone and refused to take any real action against BUFC. This meant that the Daggers application to be crowned Champions was refused and they remained a non-league side.
It was 2007 before their chance at League football finally arrived, when they saw off a strong but fading Oxford United to take the Conference title.
Swiftly, in 2010, they really exceeded all expectations by winning the L2 playoff final at Wembley by three goals to two against perennial bridesmaids Rotherham United.
A solitary season in L1 really did prove a bridge far too far and they were duly and, probably quite rightly, relegated back to L2.
Thus far this season, they have played 5 games, in addition to a whopping ELEVEN pre-season friendlies. Of their four league matches (the fifth match was a 5-0 hammering at Bournemouth in the Carling Cup) they have won 3 (all 1-0) and lost 1 (2-0).
They opened against Macclesfield, then came two consecutive losses, the aforementioned League Cup departure at the hands of a ruthkless Bournemouth and a 2-0 away defeat suffered at the home of AFC Wimbledon (who looked absolute garbage against Rovers). They got back on track with single goal victories at home to Swindon Town and at the home of Bradford City (who might lose every match this season, too big to go down?)
So, in absolute contrast to their efforts of two years ago, where they went up simply by not bothering to defend and beating teams with crazy scorelines (as we found 5-3) they are keeping it very tight at the back and not really venturing forward all that often.
Last time round
A new section, or, a new spin on an old section, here, we take a look at what happened the last season in which the two teams were in the same division.
The year was 2009/10 and TUFC were back in the Football League after a rather silly absence of two years.
Saturday 15th August 2009 saw us visit the Daggers as their first guests of the season. The 1800 or so who bothered to turn up (mostly wearing West Ham shirts) were treated to a classic, with the hosts running out 5-3 winners. Despite the scoreline, it was the Gulls who scored the goal of the game (a goal CRIMINALLY overlooked in the GOTS competition) when Muzzy Carayol got his geography right for a change, and lashed a 40 yard piledriver into the top corner from wide on the left.
Later that same season, on a dark and dreary Tuesday night in March, D&R graced Plainmoor with their presence for one of the most forgettable 0-0 draws football has ever had the misfortune to produce.
One to watch.
Gavin Tomlin is the man in the spotlight, having played a key role in getting us to Old Trafford last term. The be-affro'd striker has found his feet at Dagenham ths year and has cemented a place for himself in the starting XI.
Their OS has, rather kindly, done a short interview with him on their 'Gulls Player', so those with access may enjoy to watch that.
I have had a look for a decent Daggers forum, but they're all rubbish, so I shall recommend none, but suggest that http://www.daggersforum.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; is the best of a bad bunch.
Hope this is ok.
Matt.
Matt.
So, we travel east (don't we always?) to Our Nation's Capital to play at the side with the ground with the stupidest name in the Football League with a slightly gloomy mist over the club. Players leaving (well, player) and two poor performances on the trot make this, despite the proximity in time to the beginning of the season, a bit of a key match.
Gulls news
Well, there's only one place to start and that is with the really big news of the week... The boardroom ran out of Garibaldi's and Simon Baker was forced to snack on plain old Rich Teas.
Of course, I jest, the sad news of the departure of Billy Kee is the biggest story of the week down Plainmoor way. The big forward has cited homesickness as his reason to head t'up north to Burton Albion. We all wish him the best of luck in his future.
On his way in to replace The White Pele is another Billy, in the shape of Billy Boden. At this point I should point out that he is, in fact, a 19 year old striker on loan from Swindon Town, and most certainly not this guy >>>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Bowden" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The young striker is a versatile chap, capable as he is of playing both up top as a genuine front man, and also as a winger. Judging from his comments on the OS about helping out Torquay and himself, he sees this move as little more than a three month stepping stone on to a starting place with Swindon. However, given their recent glut of signings, this seems unlikely and, chances are, he will be seen in yellow for no less than the remainder of the season.
In other Gulls news, the delightful Julia from the club shoppe has cycled from Cardiff in her native Wales (don't hold that against her) all the way to Amsterdam in Holland, all in aid of charity. Kudos to her for that.
The opposition.
Unlike Nick, I won't be doing a run down of the opposition players in such depth, given as I am to a genetic predisposition to sloth.
Dagenham and Redbridge, the Daggers, are enjoying something of a purple patch in their long history. The result of a merger between two much smaller clubs in 1992, the club in its present state was something of a habitual non-league rubbish. They had a number of successful years in the Conference in the first few years of the millennium, finishing in the playoff places for three consecutive years. They did achieve a measure of notoriety in 2002 when they finished second to Steve 'I'm a fat c**t and no one likes me' Evans and his merry band of cheats from Boston. Sadly, the proved once again to be completely at the mercy of corruption and bereft of backbone and refused to take any real action against BUFC. This meant that the Daggers application to be crowned Champions was refused and they remained a non-league side.
It was 2007 before their chance at League football finally arrived, when they saw off a strong but fading Oxford United to take the Conference title.
Swiftly, in 2010, they really exceeded all expectations by winning the L2 playoff final at Wembley by three goals to two against perennial bridesmaids Rotherham United.
A solitary season in L1 really did prove a bridge far too far and they were duly and, probably quite rightly, relegated back to L2.
Thus far this season, they have played 5 games, in addition to a whopping ELEVEN pre-season friendlies. Of their four league matches (the fifth match was a 5-0 hammering at Bournemouth in the Carling Cup) they have won 3 (all 1-0) and lost 1 (2-0).
They opened against Macclesfield, then came two consecutive losses, the aforementioned League Cup departure at the hands of a ruthkless Bournemouth and a 2-0 away defeat suffered at the home of AFC Wimbledon (who looked absolute garbage against Rovers). They got back on track with single goal victories at home to Swindon Town and at the home of Bradford City (who might lose every match this season, too big to go down?)
So, in absolute contrast to their efforts of two years ago, where they went up simply by not bothering to defend and beating teams with crazy scorelines (as we found 5-3) they are keeping it very tight at the back and not really venturing forward all that often.
Last time round
A new section, or, a new spin on an old section, here, we take a look at what happened the last season in which the two teams were in the same division.
The year was 2009/10 and TUFC were back in the Football League after a rather silly absence of two years.
Saturday 15th August 2009 saw us visit the Daggers as their first guests of the season. The 1800 or so who bothered to turn up (mostly wearing West Ham shirts) were treated to a classic, with the hosts running out 5-3 winners. Despite the scoreline, it was the Gulls who scored the goal of the game (a goal CRIMINALLY overlooked in the GOTS competition) when Muzzy Carayol got his geography right for a change, and lashed a 40 yard piledriver into the top corner from wide on the left.
Later that same season, on a dark and dreary Tuesday night in March, D&R graced Plainmoor with their presence for one of the most forgettable 0-0 draws football has ever had the misfortune to produce.
One to watch.
Gavin Tomlin is the man in the spotlight, having played a key role in getting us to Old Trafford last term. The be-affro'd striker has found his feet at Dagenham ths year and has cemented a place for himself in the starting XI.
Their OS has, rather kindly, done a short interview with him on their 'Gulls Player', so those with access may enjoy to watch that.
I have had a look for a decent Daggers forum, but they're all rubbish, so I shall recommend none, but suggest that http://www.daggersforum.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; is the best of a bad bunch.
Hope this is ok.
Matt.