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Old 20-11-2011, 21:36   #1
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2011 Prediction League; Game 19 Dagenham and Redbridge (home)

Accrington Stanley





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Dagenham and Redbridge



2011 Prediction League – Game 19; v Dagenham and Redbridge (home)

And we think we’ve got problems!

My guess is that this isn’t a thrilling time to be a Daggers’ fan; having gone up in 2009/10, finishing 7th on 72 points, they massacred Morecambe 6-0 (and 7-2 on aggregate), before seeing off Rotherham 3-2 in the Play-Off Final ; they only lasted the one season, though, in League One – coming down in 21st place with 47 points (12 wins and 11 draws, losing 23) and a goal difference of -18. This season they’re already out of the Carling (beaten 5-0 at home by Bournemouth) and the JPT (3-1 at home to Southend, having won a penalty shoot-out against Leyton Orient 14-13 (yes …. ) after a 1-1 draw away); they scuffed a 1-1 draw in the FA Cup at home to Bath City (who are plum bottom of the BSP ) and slipped into the Div 2 relegation places with Saturday’s home defeat by Southend.

Yet at the end of August it was looking bright; OK, they’d been thumped by the Cherries, but in the League they’d won 3 and drawn 1 of their first 5, and lay 5th on 10 points, out of the automatic places only on goal difference; wins away at Macc and Bradford, and at home to Swindon (all by 1-0), with a 1-1 draw at home to Torquay and just the single loss at the Wombles (2-0) ………. But after that did it ever go wrong ……….. Their last 13 League games have resulted in one win (2-1 over Crewe) and TWELVE defeats ; I know we aren’t winning a lot, but we’ve only lost six (although they’ve scored the same number of goals in the League as us!)

They had the obligatory clear-out in the summer, at least 9 going, including Charlie Allen (19 year old midfielder) who – because of his bloodstock, you’ll recall - was signed up by his Dad Martin (Allen ) at Notts County, Phil Ifil, winger Danny Green (who joined the Addicks) and defender Romain Vincelot (25) – ex Chamois Niortals and Gueugnon – who moved on after 18 months to Gus Poyet’s Brighton. In came stacks of people (their squad’s about 38 strong) you probably haven’t heard of, including defender Richard Rose, released by Hereford after a career of 193 games in 5 years, midfielders Luke Howell from Lincoln (who are still in the BSP, but only just!) and Kevin Maher (ex Southend and Gillingham), winger Medy Elitu from Colchester, and striker Sam Williams from Yeovil, who was released with stats of 6 goals in 77 games over 2 years ………

On loan they brought on midfielder Oliver Lee (20) from West Ham, Michael Spillane (didn’t he write crime novels? ), a defender from Brentford, James Shea, a goalkeeper from Arsenal – whose goalkeeping coach is now, of course, Tony Roberts – and one Christian Montano, a 19 year-old striker from Colombia whose parent club is also the Hammers. The Daggers are his third club this season – he hit 4 in 11 at Notts County, and then signed for (but didn’t impress) Pushover di Canio at Swindon, for whom he scored just once ; against us ; took the ball on the edge of the area, stepped outside the defender and placed it firmly but neatly inside Bav’s left hand post …………. How long did it take him to score on his debut for the Daggers? 13 minutes ………. Beware; you heard it here first! And by the way, they still retain Tony Roberts’ registration, just in case ………..

In the League their overall record is P18 W4 D1 L13 F17 A33 (10 more than us) for 13 points and 23rd place; if you add in the Cup games, their record is P22 W5 D2 L15 F20 A43; ouch! They’ve failed to score six times, got one goal 12 times, and actually got two in each of four matches ……… Leading scorers are ex Woking, Stevenage and Sutton Utd Barbadian international striker Jon Nurse with 4, Oliver Lee (see above) with 3 and Sam Williams with the same (that’s half his two-season total for Yeovil); six others feature on the score sheet with one or two to their names

Bragging rights are shared; in 2007/8 we won twice – 3-1 away and 1-0 at home; in 2008/9 we managed two goalless draws (although we’d have won the home game if Proccie had scored with the last minute penalty that Tony R saved with some ease ), and in 2009/10 we lost both games, 1-0 at home and 3-1 away; P6 W2 D2 L2 F5 A5.

As always the deadline for entries is scheduled kick-off time, which is 3pm on Saturday 26th November. We surely have to start favourites here? Hands up if you’re a touch fed up of reports that say “we were the better side but we couldn’t score ……” or some such; say after me, “Ball. Net. In. Stick” . I still think someone’s going to cop for it soon; is this the week? Will Wynonie finally get it right? (you keep going for 9-1, Wynonie!) Two each for Stockley, Evans and Lindfield? Gotta happen one day …………….

Good luck to everyone ………… and thanks for playing!

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