Dagenham & Redbridge seek to put on a show in their last home game before the Boxing Day derby with Leyton Orient, as they play Halifax Town in the Vanarama National League.
The Daggers have been on a memorable run of form, winning six of their last seven games in the league and seek their seventh win in six weeks.
Halifax on the other hand have struggled in recent weeks with form only winning once in the past five games.
McQueen – ‘Camp Is Buzzing’
Ahead of the fixture with the Shaymen, Alexander McQueen spoke to Daggers TV about how he’s ‘really enjoying’ his football, their current run and what he expects from the game:
“The gaffer (Peter Taylor) gives me the license to just play. We’ve got a good solid starting 11 right now, so I think we’re gelling together. We all have our little units and we’re working really well and that is showing really from the results,” he said.
“We look really solid and are playing good football at times, I think we can play with the ball a bit more but we’re getting there and doing well, so I can’t really complain.
Dagenham’s run has not gone unnoticed, McQueen gave an insight into the camp and believes teams have changed their tunes from ‘how we can beat them’ to ‘how do we stop them’: “The camps buzzing right now!” he exclaimed.
“We’re in a better place right now and hopefully in can just continue and we go up and up. It’s definitely a different conversation that the teams are having now, compared to the start of the season, how they can beat us and maybe not take us as seriously…now we’re gelling we have great players in every position.”
McQueen highlighted how the Daggers were unlucky in the previous encounter with Halifax and believes their change in form could prove the difference:
“When we went up there earlier this season we were unlucky. I think we played well, Tomi (Adeloye) scored in that game, but I think we had a few unlucky goals [against us]. We were in an unlucky spell, hopefully, now we’re flying, we meet them at a good time and go from there really.”
Bit Between Their Teeth
The Daggers have been on top form and during this run they have scored a total of 13 goals, many of which inspired by the signings of Connor Wilkinson, Angelo Balanta and Jack Munns.
To make the run even sweeter and have conceded just five goals in that time, showing a resilience in defensive duties with Emmanuel Onariase and Luke Pennell striking up a solid partnership, with keeper Elliot Justham on top form as well.
McQueen spoke of the team’s joy to have players of the quality of Balanta and Wilkinson speaking of how “it’s good” to have them playing in the team:
“I’ve played with Angelo before and he’s got such quality and stuff like that. It adds to the team and I think they’re showing, they’re scoring goals, creating goals, we look a lot more solid and a lot more powerful upfront. ‘Munnsy’ [Jack Munns] is doing well as well.”
Unlikely League Double
If the Shaymen are able to turn their fortunes around this weekend, and secure victory for only the second time in five games, that means that they complete a league double over the Daggers.
In the opening month of the season Halifax defeated their opponents 2-1 at The Shay after goals from Matt Kosylo and Jonathan Edwards completed victory.
The clash will undoubtedly be a contrasting encounter, with the teams on completely different form books. Dagenham look to continue their rise up the table, with the top half of the table in their grasp whilst Halifax look to leapfrog their opponents and extend their advantage over those below them
