Dagenham & Redbridge boss hails team spirit in triumph

Dagenham & Redbridge boss Ben Strevens wants his side to build on their win over Barnet as they visit Wealdstone on Bank Holiday Monday.

Nicke Kabamba’s late own goal from a Nik Tavares’ cross allowed Daggers to claim a 1-0 win at Victoria Road on Saturday, ending a run of three successive defeats in the National League.

And after ending an unbeaten start to the season for the Bees, they will face a Stones side who suffered their first loss of the campaign at Aldershot in their last outing.

“I talk about never getting too high or low, I really want them to enjoy it today,” Strevens told the club website on Saturday evening. 

“They’ve had a real tough week, where there’s been low moments, we’ve all been searching, so they deserve that. 

“I want them to enjoy it, then get ready because we’ve got another tough test.

“Wealdstone are doing great. Dean [Brennan] knows Stuart [Maynard] as well as anyone, I know how good a team Barnet are and Wealdstone are doing great.

“It’s going to be another tough test but something for us to build on, that feeling at the end when we’re getting clapped off is amazing, compared to them telling us we’ve not done too well.

“We’ve got to search for those feelings, those moments, hope this is a building block.

“It’s still early in the season, but who knows what a couple of wins can do, you can fly up the table. So that’s what we’ve got to try and search for.”

Having seen his side lose to Southend, Gateshead and Maidenhead – following their opening-day draw at Altrincham – Strevens felt a corner had been turned against Barnet.

But he warned it was only the start, adding: “Regardless of whether it had been 0-0 or 1-0, I felt like today I see a team full of Daggers. 

“Everyone was trying to do their best for the club, trying to do the right things, and I think that fed into the crowd. They see it and they was getting right behind it.

“All of us see the frustrations with the referee, from me on the sideline. I was trying my calmest, but I felt like that led into the crowd as well. That really got them going.

“But more than those instances, they like seeing people give their all.

“That’s all they want to see from all of us. I understand they probably didn’t feel that way from certain games, but it’s only a start today.”