A game that will probably never be replicated in circumstance – a manager-less team (who had a manager 20 hours prior) defeat the league leaders who are unbeaten since September and unbeaten at home in over a year.
The Daggers withstood a barrage for almost the entirety of the 95 minutes, and not only that, then went on to take all three points. Notts County fans have suddenly come to the realisation their games are officiated by National League referees, but we’re more than used to that and we earned a bit of luck on Saturday.
The Pre-Match
I mean, what a game to have a pre-match interview with an interviewer not from the club. I summarised it in a tweet below and Steve Gritt was clear in his and his players’ disappointment at the news and especially the timing of it. It makes you wonder that there is more to this than a mutual agreement.
He asserted that Daryl took training on Friday – hours before the dismissal – and it was Daryl’s plan that was to be executed on the pitch today – subtly perhaps suggesting the result today could be down to McMahon. What was there to lose in that respect? There will no doubt have been a degree of vindication at the final whistle but we’ll get into that later!
The Performance
Class: from start to finish.
It wasn’t as though it was a vintage display, far from it, the gaping quality between the two sides was clear to everyone watching. However the sheer grit (pardon the pun) and resolve shown by Dagenham was second to none – off the scale. There was an outright refusal to see the ball go into the back of that net.
They embodied the spirit of putting their bodies on the line, last ditch blocks and tackles left, right and centre. They were angry and you could see that in every tackle they executed.
Their anger whether directed at the owners, or themselves for letting this situation get to this point – Daryl departed – they channeled it to victory.
Two moments of quality one the game. Absolutely clinical and ruthless in front of goal: the first a great move with Ling’s slide-rule pass deftly finished by Balanta (he is back!); the second an Effiong special, proving why that was his 20th of the season.
If we cast our minds back to last week, not to dampen spirits or take away from yesterday, but to provide a stark contrast and perspective – it was the antithesis. Quite how the same group of players can play like that against inferior opposition one week and then like that yesterday against superior opposition- it’s beyond me.
Therefore, I can only see it in what I mentioned: the anger, frustration and regret culminating in that something truly special.
As a collective display it was remarkable and that’s what made it so special, everyone fighting for each other, what we’ve been crying out for all season – a Dagenham display.
However, some individuals must be singled out for praise and that back line standing firm – marshalled superbly by Manny Onariase. He’s come in for criticism this season, not been at his best and I’m sure he’d admit that himself, but that was him at his best yesterday – what we know he is capable of.
Post-Match
I said I’d return to Steve Gritt’s comments and his interview after the game was telling, albeit quite awkward to watch. Again, there’s a summary of his comments below. It was in his final remark of, “Dare I say it, credit to the Gaffer as well.” That made this chaotic situation a little more interesting.
Where he spoke of how players woke up to the news on a match day, it’s clear that this hasn’t been handled as well as it could’ve been.
Also, to the neutral watching at full-time, where you see where we now are in the table – three points off of the play-offs – and hear that it was Daryl’s plan executed today – it paints a puzzling picture.
The recent form has been dire and to be honest if this decision was to be made you have to ask why it wasn’t made after last Saturday. Why wait until after Tuesday’s victory and the eve of the clash away to the league leaders. Why wait?
I’m sure more will come out in time, but for now I think we all just need to breathe. What a hectic 24 hours that was – quite frankly it had it all.
I said this would be the most ‘Dagenham’ thing to happen: sack your manager on the eve of the game, take all three points and end the current longest unbeaten run in English football – they did just that.
That’s the standard we have to hold these players to going into Tuesday now, whether with Gritt/ Jupp or another face in the dugout.
This is Dagenham and Redbridge.
What a club.
Come On You Daggers!
Full Time Daggers 
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