Dagenham & Redbridge 0 Stockport County 2 ( Vanarama National League) Saturday 22 January 2022

 

Poem ( Triumph) by Emily Dickinson, All other words & images  by hedgegrower )

 

 Who never lost, are unprepared

A coronet to find,

Who never thirsted flagons

And cooling Tamarind,

Who never climbed the weary league,

Can such a foot explore

The purple territories

On Pizarro`s shore?

……………..

 

This was always where it started to get serious on the run in.

Jim Gannon`s team in 2020-21 won well here 2-0 in his last game ,with a goal in each half, but since then  County have  only taken  1 point from a possible 6 against Daggers who have re-invented themselves in a way not entirely dissimilar to when they surged into the FL previously.

So…….would County have the wherewithal to see a vigorous Daggers challenge off and maintain their title push?

The answer came back unswervingly in the affirmative as County swept said challenge away in a glorious opening 5 minute display of awesome power allied to ruthless finishing which saw them 2-0 in front – an advantage they rarely looked likely to relinquish.

Goals from Palmer and the almost inevitable Collar did the trick for the white shirted blues who were backed by the loudest County following for a while.......

 

  Collar- the inevitable !

 

 

 

........... I am just sad that I was not able to hear the BT commentators continually apologising ( unnecessarily ) for the language- they were great and it all went off without a hitch thanks to Dag & Red ensuring home and away fans were not cheek to jowl of one another this time around- kudos all round!

CJ for the injured Quigley was the only change to the starting 11 for County at the rediculously unearthly k.o time of 5.20 !

 CJ  a well deserved start !

 

 

 

 

County were quickly on the offensive -their fuse nicely primed as the Daggers` Johnson upended CJ just outside the box- justice prevailing with giant sized knobs on as Palmer met the kick with his impression of `raging bull`- it was 1-0 as he propelled the ball home with prodigious power.

 

 Rydel & Sarcevic ponder the kick.....

 .......and Palmer puts it away !

 

 

 

Cue scenes of jubilation from behind the Daggers goal and on the park as County and their fans celebrated loudly and with gusto!

 ....and do they not like it !

 

 

 

 

 

That was just 3 minutes into proceedings and within another 2 it was 2-0 as some Southam-Hales- Sarcevic magic following Hogan`s well taken throw fed Collar`s late run into the box to perfection - wow  it was celebration time again !

 

 Collar makes it 2-0.

 

 Celebration time again !

 

 

 

 

 

This looked awesome now and would have continued in the same vein had not home keeper Elliott Justham just beat Madden to Southam- Hales` through ball 7 minutes in.

County looked irrepressible – first to every ball, and Collar emphasised this with a classic steal a minute later- but the shot flashed narrowly over the bar.

Walker and Weston worked at putting some pressure on County after this, but it was clear they would need more than just skilful approach play to pierce the County back line.

Meanwhile County were trying to add to their advantage- CJ just blocked on the break whilst Sarcevic looked miffed not to get the anticipated return pass from Madden via a one-two aimed at turning defence into attack.

 

 CJ blocked.

 

 

 

 

No matter, the power looked still to be with County, and it took excellent work by Justham to keep Southam-Hales` shot out after a link up with CJ.

 

 Southam- Hales goes close !

 

 

 

 

Hinchliffe had some work to do next as Daggers looked to get into the game – comfortably making the catch as the ball pinged across from Morias , and doing good work shortly after to push a shot by Jones round a post.

Catching the follow up from the corner Hinchliffe went on to underline his authority with a neat hold as Walker sneaked clear on the break!

It was a valiant response from our hosts, but  did not look anywhere near good enough to redress the damage already done.

More damage might have been done not long after as Collar broke from deep. Jones met this particular challenge with a foul, but County were unable to make anything from the free kick.

The home specs must have looked for their team to make more of their efforts to get back into the game, but they could only look on in exasperation as Weston`s run down the left ended with him drilling a cross over low and hard…….to no one!

We were 35 minutes into the game now and Hinchliffe had just beaten Walker to a through ball, before starting another County attack.

Collar was the recipient, and he was soon dashing clear deep into home territory. The shot when it came was a belter…but so was the response by Justham who soared upwards to tip the ball over the bar!

 County press !

 

 

 

 

County went close from the corner, and I rather thought we had a justified claim for a penalty here, as Wright took a hefty tug on Hogan`s shirt with the County number 4`s own `raging bull` impression revving up! But it stayed 2-0 as Dan Middleton the Referee did not pick this obvious offense up!

 Shirt pull or wot ref ?

 

 

 

 

 

The County momentum did not slack off…. CJ was in the van of the attacking moves next- Justham just beating him to Southam-Hales` through ball on 36 minutes, and centimetres from getting to Hogan`s ball smack in front 2 minutes later.

 CJ v Justham.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Credit to Daggers they did keep trying, but despite engineering the mother of all melees at the County end and winning a couple of corners , somehow County emerged unscathed- a position they maintained reasonably comfortably in the remaining 5 minutes of the half!

A few Crowd shots:-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A run from Collar opened the second half, but without an accompanying salvo of early goals as in the first half.

For a good while Daggers did their best to get back into the game – their football was methodical and controlled  with Morias, Walker and Weston at the helm , but there was no great threat allied to the neat play and it was no surprise that Kitching was able to snuff out the first concerted period of Dag & Red possession- they were trying though and with 10 minutes of the half gone and the home side`s confidence possibly increasing I found myself wondering if Crankshaw might be added to the County mix soonish to maybe tip the balance back our way.

 Kitching on the ball !

 

 

 

But County began to commence the balance -tipping without additional bodies – Wright only just managing to stop Collar`s break on 56 minutes.

Rydel and Kitching pushed Daggers back next and they were forced to foul Sarcevic giving County a free kick smack in front and it pinged off a defender and the woodwork going out for a corner.

 Rydel pushes Daggers back ...

 

 

 

 

 

This was cleared as Daggers made a triple substitution which I did not understand as it seemed to disrupt what order there was about their play.

 County replied bringing Johnson and Crankshaw on for Rydel and CJ and our changes seemed to make more sense to me as the appearance of Johnson allowed Kitching to apply himself to matters of an attacking ilk!

 

 Johnno on.....

 

 

 

 

He did too- pushing on calling for the home defence to get serious quickly.

Johnson was in the mix as well his link up with Crankshaw looked to be declaring an early dividend until the liner flagged Cranks offside!

 

 Crankshaw - lively !

 

 

 

We were in the last 10 minutes of normal time now, and County were definitely looking for that third goal, particularly Crankshaw who darted clear seeing his shot take a deflection missing out narrowly.

 

 

 

 

 Hmm....close from County !

 

Balanta ran the ball clear from the subsequent corner, only for another foul on Sarcevic to put the pressure back on the harassed home back line via the free kick. There was pressure for sure, but Balanta again emerged with credit, and the ball to stop the rot for his side!

Croasdale won applause at the back, and a Johnson / Kitching raid went close but without adding to the score.

 

 Johnson linking with Kitching.

 

 

 

 

The Referee found 5 minutes added time from somewhere, which seemed briefly to ignite something in our hosts- but again the home specs were cursing behind me as Mc Callum made it to the by-line before drilling his cross to…..no one!

 

 Some late Palmer !

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daggers kept trying….pinging balls over from the flanks, but the game ended with County attacking through Crankshaw – narrowly missing out as his effort went behind off a defender.

 

 Crankshaw unlucky late on...

 

 

 

The Referee ended matters at that point which gave time for the County supporters and team to swap salutes- a fitting end to a decent day out, and a considerable boost to our promotion push!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

……………….

How many legions overcome?

The emperor will say

How many colours taken

On Revolution Day?

How many bullets bearest?

The royal scar hast thou?

Angels write “promoted”

On this soldier`s brow.

……………………………….

 

Dagenham & Redbridge line up:-

Justham, Wright, Reynolds, Johnson, Ling ( Vilhete 63), Jones ( Robinson 63), Sagaf, Weston, Balanta, Morias ( McCallum 63), Walker.

Subs not used: Rance, Clark.

 

Stockport County line up:-

Hinchliffe, Hogan, Palmer, Kitching, Southam- Hales, Rydel ( Johnson 73), Croasdale, Collar, Sarcevic, Madden ( Newby 86), C Jennings ( Crankshaw 73).

 

Subs not used: Minihan, Rooney.

Attendance : 1739 ( 330 )

hedgegrower