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The Gulls head to Essex for this encounter looking to build on their excellent win and performance against Southend at Plainmoor last time out. The Daggers have perhaps surprised many of us with the impressive start they have made to the campaign and with nearly half the season gone they find themselves still up there just outside the play off spots.

Manager Wayne Burnett was appointed as permanent boss in the summer after keeping the Daggers up last season and he wasted no time in doing some astute business not least by bringing in ex Torquay defender Brian Saah on a free from Plainmoor. Brian had a shaky start to his Gulls career but it didn't take him long to find his feet and despite a few ropey own goals he hardly let us down and I was sad to see him leave us. A really good player and I really appreciate the time he spent with us. No doubt he will be trying his best to put one over on his former employers in this game.

Last time out the Daggers failed to repel a relentless Oxford side at the Kassam going down 2-1 to a last gasp Dave Kitson winner. Dagenham had levelled United's opener with their only shot on target just before half time, a superb lob by Rhys Murphy but the pressure told in the end.

The worrying aspect of this game for us is that our hosts have only been beaten once at home in the league this season, a 2-1 reverse at the hands of Cheltenham and they have scored 2 or more in the majority of them. They have won 5 of their last 6 at home.

So we will have our work cut out to come away with anything here and i'll take a point now.

I've never been to the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham Stadium, as it affectionately known and I had planned to go to this despite it's proximity to the sprawling hovel that is London but it now looks unlikely. I'm not ruling it out yet but things don't look that promising at the minute. Any info based on personal visits would be welcomed though just incase, where to park, shops, what it's like etc.

I'm sure there will be a healthy contingent of travelling Gulls there especially off the back of a great win against Southend and many will be rejuvenated and in full voice. We had a good result there last season in one of Knill's first games as caretaker boss holding them to a 2-2 draw despite having Downes dismissed early on and being 2-1 down only for Howe to score a late penalty so all is not lost.

Get down there if you possibly can and get behind the lads because if we can win this somehow then our season will have finally begun and we can really start climbing the table.

COYY!!!!!

No time to say much now, except that we will win this one convincingly..!!

Not sure why I am even posting this but last time I went we had a chuckle at the houses near the ground

It's in Essex and it really is Essex. I reckon at least half have those diamond leaded windows and a fair few have those white donkey's and swans in their front garden....don't even start me on the chararcters you get there.

All said, it's a very friendly club and those going should have a great day out

Of our last eight games, we've won 2, drawn 2, and lost 4. As was shown on Saturday against Southend, a few minor (or perhaps not so minor) changes to personnel, formation and tactics, should enable us to compete with most teams in this league. We have the players, and the two week break appears to have made all the difference and given Alan Knill and the squad the opportunity to put things right. I do have a good feeling about our December games. Yes a point at Dagenham would be good, but with the right attitude, commitment and fighting spirit, all three are there for the taking. If I had a spare £ I'd bet on it..

I hope Knill has learnt his lessons and sticks with 3 midfielders. If Stockley is fit, he better not be tempted to play him and Marquis up at the expense of a midfielder or we could be back to square one. Don't think he will and we should do well but it did cross my mind that the reason he went for 1 striker against Southend could have been due to Stockley's injury rather than a planned change of formation?

CapeTownGull wrote:I hope Knill has learnt his lessons and sticks with 3 midfielders. If Stockley is fit, he better not be tempted to play him and Marquis up at the expense of a midfielder or we could be back to square one. Don't think he will and we should do well but it did cross my mind that the reason he went for 1 striker against Southend could have been due to Stockley's injury rather than a planned change of formation?

I think you may find that Stockley is out injured for a little while longer

Mav wrote: I think you may find that Stockley is out injured for a little while longer

Send him back then, waste of money paying an injured player. Marquis is very good I think so we can manage until January

Last I read on the official site, he was receiving treatment back at Bournemouth and might be available for this weekend after it had initially been thought he'd be out for longer. If he's an ''expenses only' use of the loan market, then I would doubt if any of the budget is being used up. Marquis is on 4 bookings, presently.

In my opinion he'd be a mug(and he's proved mug like qualities in the past!) to change the team, who have been suffering from a massive lack of confidence, so imagine what it would do to a player/s who get dropped.

We controlled the large majority of the Southend game, a team in 3rd, and away from home, should set up to be difficult to beat first and foremost. If we can stay in the game, maybe grab a goal, then we're laughing. I'm not expecting anything more than a lucky point. Of course I am hopeful of a win, but avoiding defeat would send us into the festive fixtures in better shape than any of us were expecting a week ago.

Getting close to Christmas, players missing home, I wonder if there will be the odd sending off or pulled hamstring in order to gain a couple of weeks sitting by a cosy fireplace.

Doing a "Rene Howe" I think its called. =Z

kevgull wrote:Getting close to Christmas, players missing home, I wonder if there will be the odd sending off or pull hamstring in order to gain a couple of weeks sitting by a cosy fireplace.

Doing a "Rene Howe" I think its called. =Z

I don't think we need worry Kev, I reckon that our players are all genuine blokes who want to give it their all if they can so I think we're all in this together. We don't need has beens like Rene Howe who elevated his career status by moving to .............................Burton.

I think we can all understand him wanting to get the best financial deal for himself but to have put himself back in the shop window during his spell with us and choosing to go to Burton, he cannot now hope to recover and progress beyond League 2. Still so long as he has enough cash.

Despite shocking performances I think all our players mostly care about what they do on the pitch and none will want to shirk their responsibilities.

As for the Daggers game, I think Matt and few others are right in saying a point here would be a good one. This game is by far the most difficult of the next 4 IMO.

I think this game will be extremely hard for us, Dagenham have the 4th best home record in the division (only because they've got 2 games in hand at home on the people above them) and they have the leagues top scorer

Talking of Rene Howe an intriguing article in last weekend's Football League Paper under the heading:'Howe - I'll keep exile secret'. 'The striker will not reveal why he was exiled from Burton Albion's side and he insists he never will.'
Howe goes on, 'No-one really knows what has happened and I don't think anyone will except me and the gaffer.' The article states, ' the summer signing has only recently been eased back into the squad after missing seven games.'
Make of this what you will!

Phipsy wrote:

Rumour has that Rene had put on an enormous amount of weight in the close season. Naturally the manager was non too impressed.

Phipsy wrote: Rumour has that Rene had put on an enormous amount of weight in the close season. Naturally the groundsman was non too impressed.

Fixed that for you.

Matt.