Dagenham & Redbridge boss delighted by return of striker

Effiong returned to the matchday squad for the first time since collapsing after their match at Maidenhead United on August 19.

And Strevens said it was great to see the big striker in the starting line-up at Boundary Park given the memory of that worrying evening at York Road.

“He was brilliant today and it’s bigger than that,” Strevens told the club website, ahead of his side’s FA Cup fourth qualifying round tie at Bracknell Town on Saturday (12.30pm). 

“The last time he was on a football pitch, we was all panicking and really, really unsure what was going on – one, him taken to hospital, we don’t know what’s going on with him and two, would he be able to play [again].

“The fact he is back out there and I’m asking him ‘do you want to come off?’ and he wanted to stay on there, he’s a massive presence for us.

“Of course we’re just happy that Inih is ok, he’s back with us, he’s playing and training and now being able to show on the pitch. 

“We was waiting for the all-clear from him, it come, and as soon as that all-clear come – the third top goalscorer in the league last year – he’s going to go straight back into the team.”

Nik Tavares failed a late fitness test at the weekend, but Strevens praised the performance of young loanee Aidan Francis-Clarke alongside Harry Phipps in the Daggers defence.

“Tavs had a late fitness test and didn’t make it and I thought Aidan was brilliant,” added Strevens.

“Against a boy that was playing in League One last year, [James] Norwood, fantastic at this level, real good striker at this level and he had [Alex] Reid to deal with as well.

“Then they brought [Mike] Fondop on, we had to try and deal with him.

“Him and Phippsy back there, defending the way they did standing up to it, because they’re both young men, we forget Phippsy is a young man as well, it’s not Tom Eastman back there dealing with them, those boys stood up to the challenge. All over the pitch they did.”

James Norwood gave Oldham an early lead, but Daggers earned a share of the spoils thanks to a 74th-minute header from Josh Rees.

And Strevens praised his midfielder, adding: “There’s different types of midfielders, ones that want to get on the ball, defensive-minded ones, and I’ve seen him enough years in this league to know he will arrive in the box and get goals. 

“He’s scored three [this season], he’s had other chances in games where if he continually gets into them areas he’s got the quality to finish them.

“I’m delighted for him and delighted for the boys that he got on the end of it and it looped into the far corner.”