2013 Prediction League; Game 10 (Dagenham and Redbridge FC - home)

Div3North · 02-10-2013, 00:09

Accrington Stanley

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Dagenham and Redbridge FC

2013 Prediction League – Game 10 v Dagenham & Redbridge (home)

This week’s starter for 10 comes in two parts; (a) who did the Daggers beat in the highest-ever scoring professional penalty shoot-out on 8th September 2011 in the 2nd Round of the Football League Trophy, and (b) what was the penalty shoot-out score?

The answer, as all of you knew, was (a) Leyton Orient and (b) 14-13

…….. Orient defender Ben Chorley - also Wimbledon, MK Dons, Tranmere and (now) Stevenage, who’d already scored once in the shoot-out – had his second penalty saved by keeper James Shea …………… I mention it because last Monday was his birthday (Happy Birthday Ben

), and also because it’s about the most interesting thing I can find about the Daggers since they were formed back in 1992

………Unless you count Tony Roberts being the only GK to have scored from open play in an FA Cup match (against Basingstoke in a 4th Qualifying Round game) ……………….

The merger in 92 of Dagenham and Redbridge Forest (the latter being then in the Conference) brought together a long football history; although the Daggers have only been going 21 years they can lay claim to one FA Trophy, 7 FA Amateur Cups, the Isthmian League title 20 times, the Athenian League 6 times, the Essex Senior Cup 26 times and the London Senior Cup 23 times; the reason for that is that Redbridge Forest were themselves the result of a merger of three of the best-known amateur clubs in the country – Ilford, Leytonstone and Walthamstow Avenue.

Three seasons in the Conference were followed by four in the Isthmian Premier, and then by 7 more in the Conference and Conference National; many thought they should have gone up in 2001/2, when they lost out on goal difference to a Boston United side who were subsequently deducted 4 points for “financial irregularities”

, but the penalty applied the next season, not in the season they won the title

………….. If you want the full story, ask that nice Mr Evans at Rotherham, because he was the Boston manager at the time ………….

Eventually they won the Conference in 2006/7, with Paul Benson (now at Luton on loan from Swindon) topping the goal-scoring charts with 28; the next season – their first in the league – they finished 20th (Ben Strevens, now 33 and playing for Eastleigh, being their main hit-man with 15), and the next year they finished 8th (Paul Benson (again) with 18); then they won the Playoff Final in 2009/10 to hit the dizzy heights of League One (beating Rotherham 3-2 after stuffing Morecambe 7-2 on aggregate in the Semis; Paul Benson bagged 22 for the season) ……….they only lasted the one season before they came back down

, and their last three seasons have ended 21st, 19th and 22nd – they stayed up last year on goal difference on the last day - despite losing 5 of their last 7 – only because Barnet lost 2-0 at the Cobblers

They’ve had but 7 managers in their 21 years, mostly because John Still (now with Luton) – in two spells – held the reins for 12 years; I seriously doubt that anyone will ever have heard of the other 6

; famous ex-players ………… well, there’s

…….. Paul Benson (82 goals in 195 games) ………….. and ………..erm

…………….. Tony Roberts (the only GK to score a goal from open play in an FA Cup tie) ……….and ………………. That’s about it, really …………

They had the usual clear-out in the summer; CM Kevin Maher (36) left for Bray Wanderers in the League of Ireland (presumably by donkey

); two young CBs left London for Barrow

(Duran Reynolds (21) and Andrew Burns (20)); left-sided MF Dominic Green (24) went to ........... nowhere, yet

; Ben Strevens (see above) joined Eastleigh; CF Sam Williams (26) left when his contract expired, and so far hasn’t got a club; CB Jonathan Fortune (32) left for pastures new, having played one minute (one appearance, 89th minute substitute

) and not impressed sufficiently to get a new contract; MF Darren Currie hung up his boots at 38 (while he could still reach the peg

); last, but by no means least, Italian striker Gianluca Gracco (23) – who joined in the summer of 2012 from amateur side ASD Citta di Pompei (who disbanded because they couldn’t find a pitch (probably under a pile of ash somewhere

)) - had his 18 month contract terminated by mutual consent, feeling that his opportunities (1 game in the first team, as a “late substitute – cf Jonathan Fortune) “were limited”; anyone know the Italian for “Over ‘ere, son, on me ‘ead”?) Interestingly, not one of the departing players signed for a league club

…….well, I thought it was interesting …………

.......... Oh, and yesterday (Tuesday) they released ex Great Yarmouth striker Jake Reed (22) - possibly something to do with 38 appearances and one goal ......

They made very few signings; Bradford’s Jamaican-born Zavon Hines, a 24 year-old striker who 's also played for the Hammers, Coventry, Burnley and Bournemouth; 26 year-old CB Brian Saah (ex Leyton Orient, Cambridge and Torquay); some lad from Leyton Orient’s u18 side

and some other lad from their own u18 side

, both of whom played against Bristol Rovers (according to the BBC Sports Dept, the Daggers Manager is “excited” by his young players

) ; CF Bradley Goldberg (19 – son of ex Palace owner Mark - joined from Hastings Utd, and has gone straight out on a season long loan to Bromley, where he’ll be managed by his dad; and CF Rhys Murphy (22) from SC Telstar in the Jupiler League (Dutch Division 2)

They have, as the saying goes, no further interest in the CaponCup, having lost in Round One, 3-2 at Brentford; they’re in the second Round of the Tinpot, having put out Colchester 4-1 at the London Borough of Barking Sta….. at home). In the League they’re going ok; P9 W3 D4 L2 F12 A12 for 13 points and 12th spot, although they’re actually only 3 points off the Play-Offs

(and, for the Doom-Mongers, we’re only 14 points away …………). Their two League defeats have come at the hands of Fleetwood (3-1) and Mansfield (3-0) – both away, and both during August; draws at Morecambe (2-2) and Scunthorpe (1-1), and at home to Newport and Exeter, both 1-1. In their 11 games to date they’ve scored 18; leading scorers are striker Rhys Murphy (above) with 4, Def/MF Abu Agogo (3) and 20 year-old ex Gillingham, MK Dons and Lincoln MF Luke Howell (26) with 2

Since they joined the league they’ve shaded the games between us; at home we’ve W2 L3, away we’ve won 1, D2 and L2; we’ve drawn a blank 4 times, scored 1 four times, and got 3 twice (oddly, those were the games we won

– 3-1 away in 2007/8, and 3-0 at home in 2011/12, the year they came down from League One (Craig Lindfield, and two from Morecambe folk-hero Podge Amond)); mind you, the 0-0 at home in 2008/9 would have been a win, if Proccie hadn’t taken (probably) the worst penalty I’ve ever seen

, passing the ball gently to Tony Roberts …………..

Deadline for entries is, as always, kick-off time, which is 7.45pm this Friday, 4th October ………… “Need to win”?

I think so ……… otherwise the Hounds of Hell will be baying for James's blood… and I think we will

(but then, I think we’ll win every week, which is why I’m plum last in the prediction League among those who’ve played every week

) ……….. In James We Trust!

Good luck to everyone …….. Remember, passion overcomes logic .....Keep the Faith! ..........and thanks for playing!