It may seem strange to be thinking that the Daggers have turned a corner despite not being able to register back-to-back wins since early November, but there is a belief and optimism that has been slowly building in recent weeks.
This belief was justified most clearly in the 7-1 thrashing of Oxford City earlier this month, following a narrow defeat to runaway leaders Chesterfield, providing the home crowd at Victoria Road plenty to cheer about.
The recent performances have seen individuals excel and lift the standards of the team overall, with impressive midfield displays cited as a key factor in recent improvements.
As well as the main man up top who has spearheaded this insurgence, Inih Effiong, and his injury in that 7-1 win is a real blow – having scored six in his last six appearances.
It was the in-form striker’s absence that was felt on the road in York on Saturday as the Daggers missed golden opportunities to take all three points and were forced to settle for a draw.
Strevens himself admitted the team were not at their best, but being able to take a point back to Dagenham and maintain the gap between themselves and York was certainly a positive overall.
However, it’s a difficult test up next and only made more difficult with the continued absence of Effiong up top, as the Daggers make the trip to second-placed Bromley, who defeated the league leaders on Saturday.
The relentless fixture schedule then continues into the weekend as Halifax are welcomed to Victoria Road, a side who currently sit nine points ahead of Dagenham. A winnable game and a real indicator of the strides this team have made if they can get a result on Saturday.
The Daggers currently sit in 11th and things seem to be looking up with the sustained improvement in performances and picking up points on the way, but with how tight the league remains, one bad week could easily put them in a precarious position once more.
The upcoming run of fixtures look a real challenge on paper, and it’s these next few games that will determine the sort of run-in the Daggers will be competing in – whether they will continue to be looking over their shoulder until the final games, or if they are now in a position to shrug off relegation worries.
I am confident of the latter and this week will be a good gauge of whether that confidence is well-placed, and to see if the results can continue without goal-machine Effiong leading the line.
Hopefully the bumper crowd on Saturday for ‘Daggers Celebrate Diversity Day’ can help get Strevens’ team over the line and they are able to continue to ride the current wave of positivity.
Until next week, Come On You Daggers!
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