Dagenham & Redbridge boss looking for fair rewards

Daggers were left empty-handed against Solihull Moors last weekend, falling to a 2-1 defeat in front of the live TV cameras at Victoria Road.

And Strevens admitted it was frustrating at missing an opportunity to move up to ninth in the National League table on the night.

“We felt like we did a lot of good things but didn’t get the result the performance should’ve got us but that’s the way football is,” he told the club website.

“The way I felt about the game when it finished on Saturday to watching it back and going through it with all the stats, apart from where it really mattered, in both boxes, our expected goals was way up on theirs, but their two finishes on the day were fantastic finishes.

“We’ve got to get for this weekend’s game, going up there with a couple of wins away leading into the last game, going to Kidderminster on Saturday hoping to get a positive result.”

Daggers find themselves in 15th place, while Kidderminster sit at the foot of the table after a 1-0 defeat at Aldershot.

“They were unlucky last weekend against Aldershot, any team that gets promoted out of the National North has got to be an extremely good football team,” added Strevens.

“They’ve got threats on the pitch, very good from set-plays, long throws. We know it’s going to be a tough game.

“Any time I’ve been to Kidderminster as a player and now a coach, manager it’s always a hard place to go with the fans right behind them.

“Certainly not underestimating how much of a tough game it is. Any game or team we play in this league, whether it’s the boys right up the top like we have done with the Solihull Moors, Barnets, Chesterfields, I’ve never had an easy game. 

“The league is what it is. It’s going to be a hard game we’ve got to go and focus for and hopefully get a positive performance.”

Strevens says Daggers have had a positive week of training in the lead up to their trip to Aggborough, but he remains without a few players for the time being.

And he says that is a feeling he has had to get used to so far this season.

“We feel like the message is getting better and clearer to them,” he said.

“We had a meeting a good few weeks back about what we want to be as a group, our identity and the way the boys want to play.

“We feel it’s repetitive messages in how we’re trying to do things. It probably helps to have a settled team and squad that we’re having a little bit at the minute.

“The sessions have to lead into each other, just building upon them and try and get better as the season goes on.

“Any type of performance you put in, you’ve got to be ready for anything on Saturday.

“We want to be good with the ball but we’ve got to be disciplined without it, strong and competitive.

“Training has been good, we’re looking forward to the fixture.

“Tavs [Nik Tavares] has had another good week leading into it.

“Ryan Hill is progressing really well but just felt a bit of discomfort leading into Thursday’s session.

“We thought he was going to be involved at the weekend but we’ve had to rein him back a little bit.

“He won’t be available but maybe this game and one more for Hilly. I’m hoping it’s quicker than that.

“Conor Lawless was back out on the grass, he’s been recovering from his hamstring so fingers crossed he progresses the way he is and gets back involved with us.

“I think he is going to be a brilliant little player and his injury when it come after that Oldham game has been a blow for him and us as I was looking for him to kick on.

“Pagey [Lewis Page] was the only other one really, he went off in the Dorking game and had a scan on his hamstring and is going to be missing for a little period of time.

“Nothing long, like it was with Tom Eastman or David Longe-King but probably not see him for a few weeks yet.

“Positives in terms of the group that is available but some boys still missing. 

“But it’s been like that the whole season so I’m not really complaining, we’ve always had four, five boys missing. It just seems to be a continuation of that at the moment.”