Dagenham & Redbridge’s Ben Strevens disappointed in defeat

Former Dagger George Saunders netted the only goal of the game in the first half at Bridge Avenue, with the visitors going close from various set-pieces before the break.

Myles Weston hit a post in the second half, while Hornchurch striker Ade Yusuff had a header ruled out for offside.

And Strevens was left with mixed emotions, telling the club website: “Two different halves, I think a lot because of the conditions, it was really windy.

“We had the ascendancy in the first half, lots of final-third entries, balls going into their box and a lot of play in their half but didn’t really create too much apart from set plays.

“I thought we could’ve scored a couple of those on another day, but when we were having our better spell in the game they got in behind us and George finished it really well.

“I was disappointed with the goal, I think from our point of view we’ll be disappointed when we see it back just how they got in behind us.

“Having said that, when it got played back out to George, from a tight angle, he finished it really well into the far corner.

“We all know George can do that and we wish him a good season, he finished on really good terms with us. It was a lovely finish for him to score it, but disappointing for us conceding it.”

Strevens fielded new signings Ryan Hill, Tom Eastman, Frank Vincent and Josh Rees in the opening 45 minutes, but made a host of changes on the day, including four trialists.

Sam Ling, Sydney Ibie and Vincent all played the full 90 minutes, though, and Strevens added: “We went in 1-0 [up at Romford] on Wednesday and I was very critical of the way we played.

“Today I wasn’t as critical. I thought we’d done a lot of good things, we were really good in transition moments to win the ball back, which I wanted them to.

“Second half there wasn’t really too much in it at all. We couldn’t really build because of the conditions, Westy had that one bit of individual play where he hit the post with Vinny’s run going round him and they had a disallowed header as well.

“It was pretty much all in the middle third, no-one really doing anything.

“But lots of the boys got minutes into their legs which we really wanted, a few of them have gone to 60 now which is important and a couple went to 90 as well because of the numbers we had today.

“They’ve all come through the game really well it seems. Disappointed, I don’t like losing games of football, but [we’re] building up into the pre-season.”

*Dagenham have confirmed the departure of Manny Onariase by mutual consent.

The defender rejoined the club from Scunthorpe for an undisclosed fee in March 2021 and made over 100 appearances in three spells at Victoria Road, scoring four times.

A statement said: “Everyone at Dagenham & Redbridge would like to thank Manny Onariase for his service with us, and wish him the very best for the future.”