Reproduced by kind permission of Dagenham & Redbridge FC
Peter Taylor made two changes to the team that suffered a 3-1 defeat against Ebbsfleet United last time out, with Chike Kandi and Ben Nunn coming in for Liam Gordon and the suspended Ben Goodliffe, with captain Nunn making his first appearance of the season after a long spell out with injury.
Promising Start
The Daggers had an early chance to take the lead with two minutes on the clock, after Kandi was played through by Elliott Romain following a great run by the striker, but Scott Barrow got back from the home side to block the shot. After 13 minutes, Alex McQueen played in a good cross into the box which found Milwall loanee Harry Donovan who played the ball to Kandi, but the forward’s shot flew wide.
Gateshead Dominance
The home side took the lead in the 18th minute after a driven ball from Robbie Tinkler was finished by Steve Rigg in the box. The Heed doubled their lead two minutes later. Tom White picked up the ball on the edge of the box, turned his man, and slotted the ball past Elliot Justham after an unfortunate deflection off Alex Davey.
In the 26th minute Gateshead should have been three goals ahead. Barrow’s whipped cross from the left was met by Jack Hunter who couldn’t direct his header on target. Three minutes later there was a rare chance for The Daggers after Donovan’s cross was not cleared, but Shamir Mullings could not get his shot on target, firing over the bar.
The Tynesiders continued to control the game and in the 34th minute a corner from the right was played to Barrow outside the box but his well struck volley was saved by Justham and brought an end to a dominant first half for The Heed.
After a quiet start to the second half the home side had two chances in quick succession to extend their lead. First, Greg Olley broke into the box and fired a shot towards goal which was well saved by Justham. In the 57th minute Scott Boden should have scored after a defensive error from Davey, but his effort flew well over the bar.
Kandi had the ball in the back of the net moments later, but the referee pulled the play back after Donovan was hacked down by Kerr, who received a yellow card for the challenge. The free-kick was well worked by the Essex side as Robinson set up Donovan who crossed for Mullings, but the forward’s shot was tipped over the bar by Middlesbrough loanee Aynsley Pears.
In the 83rd minute, Substitute Jack Munns worked some space in the Heed penalty area, but his shot was well blocked by Williamson. A minute before full-time, Barrow put a low-cross in for Boden who should have scored from close range but couldn’t make a good enough connection to score what turned out to be the last chance of the game, finishing 2-0 to the home side.
Taylor’s Displeasure
Peter Taylor spoke to DaggersTV after the game and suggested that his side must be stronger:
“The start was excellent, we should have been a goal up very early on after some lovely work by Elliot Romain who played Chike Kandi and he should have got his shot in earlier. The first 10 minutes were good, but then the first time Gateshead attacked us they scored a goal and then they grab a second straight after and we’re chasing the game. I’m not very pleased with the way we performed, and we’ve got to be stronger and more together than we were for the last 80 minutes.
Daggers Captain Ben Nunn also gave his thoughts after the final whistle:
“It was a very frustrating performance for everyone involved. I thought that it’s the best that we’ve started a match in a long time and then they got two goals and it killed us. It doesn’t matter what game you’re in, if you go in two-nil down at half time then you’re always up against it.
“However, it wasn’t through a lack of effort, it’s just some of the quality was missing today. We can’t keep making excuses, we’ve just got to stick together as a group and pull through,”
The Daggers will be hoping to get back to winning ways in their next home match on 13th October when they take on Wrexham on Non-League Day, 3pm KO.
Gateshead XI: Pears, Tinkler, Kerr, Williamson, Mellish, Barrow, White, Hunter, Olley, Rigg, Boden (Salkeld 90’)
Unused Subs: Foden, Forbes, Devitt, Molyneux
Daggers XI: Justham, Nunn, Davey, Pennell, McQueen (Reynolds 68’), Wright, Robinson, Donovan (Bellamy 76’), Kandi (Munns 76’), Romain, Mullings
Unused Subs: Moore, Hoyte
Attendance: 687 (54 away)