Dagenham & Redbridge expect different test at Maidenhead

Dagenham & Redbridge boss Ben Strevens expects a different test when his side visit Maidenhead United this weekend.

Daggers have taken just one point from a possible nine in their first three National League matches, following an opening-day defeat with successive home losses against Southend and Gateshead.

And Strevens feels that after facing opponents more focused on possession-based football, they will come up against a more direct Magpies outfit.

“Maidenhead are a completely different test, it’s more of a physical battle, trying to stop the threats they have in wide areas and the big front man,” he told the club website after the 4-2 loss to Gateshead in midweek.

“We have to stick together, we have to do better, all of us, not just the players, that’s me as the manager and the coaching staff, we have to help the boys to get better at certain things.

“I don’t ever want to have that feeling, standing on the touchline at the end of the game, I certainly don’t want to be conceding four goals at home.

“We should be more solid behind the ball now with the type of players we have and the way we’ve had to do things over the summer.

“I have to be calm, try and get things right, help people get better, discuss things and get ready for Saturday.

“Nobody is going to feel sorry for us, it doesn’t work like that, we’ve got to be better on Saturday and try to win the game at Maidenhead.”

Having lost their Essex derby to Southend by a 2-0 margin last weekend, Daggers found themselves two goals down on Tuesday after 51 minutes after Luke Hannant and Marcus Dinange netted either side of the break for the visitors.

Tom Eastman went off with an injury, but Inih Effiong halved the deficit to give the home side hope, which was quickly shattered by Hannant’s second goal on 76 minutes.

Dinanga made it 4-1, before Charley Kendall grabbed a late consolation and Strevens says his side need to focus on themselves and get players back from injury.

“We’re always going to focus on what we can do better,” he added.

“You have to respect the opposition, try and stop them playing a certain way.

“We’ve got a small squad, there’s no getting away from it, and we’ve got to get boys back fit. Once they’re back fit, we’ve got a strong group again.

“There’s too many important players missing in certain areas. That’s part of the job, that’s football.

“You get injuries, that’s opportunities for other people. It’s how they respond to those opportunities.

“We’ve got to focus on ourselves, see how the injuries are, assess everything, and get ready to go to Maidenhead.”