A difficult few weeks has seen the Daggers lose four gmes in a row, but turning the focus to cup engagements offers Peter Taylor’s side a chance to get back on track.
Injuries remain a frustrating weight on the squad, although Manny Onariase, Ben House, and Bagasan Graham could be available for selection after recently returning to training.
The downturn in results has seen the Daggers drop to 17th in the Vanarama National League table, eight points off the promotion playoff places and seven points clear of the relegation zone.
A Collective Effort
Despite the recent run of defeats, first-team coach Jody Brown has refused to panic, feeling that Dagenham are not far from turning the losses into draws and wins, with the small decisive margins going against them.
“We’re not silly. We know that results need to be better. We know that people don’t want to hear that injuries are an excuse, but they are a very justifiable excuse. If you’re missing key forward players and key central defenders for a long period of time, it’s going to affect you in both boxes and that’s currently where we’re losing games.
“It’s a collective. We all have to work much harder to not be beaten in individual battles and not concede from set-plays. If we didn’t concede from set-plays we would have taken four points from the last two games. We can’t be beaten in individual battles and we have to be more clinical,” Brown said.
Sutton are unbeaten in four, including a 2-1 victory at the Chigwell Construction Stadium in November, winning two and drawing two, although Saturday’s hosts still occupy 19th spot in the National League table.
The Manager
Matt Gray
The 37-year old is in his first season of management after replacing Paul Doswell in May. Gray learned his trade during stints as assistant manager at Aldershot, Crawley, and Eastleigh.
The Sutton United manager joined the club in December acting as an assistant to Doswell before replacing him after the former boss’s resignation.
It has been an up and down first foray into management for Gray, as his Sutton side sit just four points clear of the relegation zone although the last month has seen a significant uptick in results.
Players To Watch
Ben Goodlife
Goodlife graduated from the Boreham Wood academy before joining Wolves where the centre-back ventured out on loan to the Chigwell Construction Stadium.
The 20-year old spent last season with Dagenham & Redbridge, going on to make 33 appearances, scoring once.
After being released by Wolves in the summer, Goodlife joined Sutton where he has been a mainstay at the heart of Gray’s defence, making 23 appearances thus far, playing 92% of his side’s minutes.
Harry Beautyman
A Newham native, Beautyman rose through the Leyton Orient academy before a lack of game-time saw the midfielder join Sutton United in 2011. A productive two seasons at Gander Green Lane was followed by a nomadic spell that included periods at Welling United, Peterborough, Northampton Town, and Stevenage.
In January 2018, Beautyman rejoined Sutton where he has thoroughly excelled, scoring a team-leading nine goals in 24 matches this season as he inspires his side’s attack from the centre of the pitch.
Tommy Wright
Blessed with a terrific turn of pace, Wright has wreaked havoc on National League defences this season, scoring five goals at a rate of one goal every 194 minutes.
The 23-year old striker won the National League Young Player of the Year Award in 2018 but missed most of last season with a serious knee injury.
Now fully fit again, Dagenham have seen first-hand what Wright is capable of as the forward scored the winner in November’s clash between the two sides.
