Torquay United (H) 26.09.17

[DevonDagger]

Well, this and the away fixture are the first ones I look for on the fixture calendar. I call it the family derby and also the work derby.
Made the long drive last season with a Torquay mate/colleague of mine. The drive back felt longer. Unfortunately can't make it this year due to a clash of events.
I do hope this season's fixture against the Gulls will go better. However, insurance policy... Taken 3 days off work after the event (of which one will be used to see the Aldershot game).

For the game itself... Much like Solihull, I encourage everyone to hold fire on 6-0 predictions (sorry for the second game running, Merge)
I haven't been to any their games, but I tend to hear about most to a certain level of detail.

No win and concede for fun. And this tells no lie, defensively Torquay are vulnerable, especially on the occasions their captain, Gowling, hasn't been available for selection.
However, some of their more closely fought games have been down to simple poor finishing. They haven't been short of chances but importantly have lacked a player capable of putting the ball in the net.
I'm sure as several will be aware, Rhys Murphy signed for them just before the weekend's games just gone. Whilst his debut was apparently unspectacular, one must feel that if he rediscovers his form with us that he might be able to turn around Torquay's, as well as his own, recent fortunes.

Recently they've been fielding a player called Myles Anderson at left back, he's naturally a centre back and both player and manager have come for sharp criticism over his performances in this position. I hope that we look to exploit this recent weakness, especially since we typically play arguably our best player (Corey) against that position!

I could analyse this one all day, but the fact is if we perform well, we will win and possibly comfortably if opposition heads drop. But we might have to be patient and I expect them to make efforts to frustrate and play on the break with the knowledge that we aren't shy of conceding too.

I couldn't possibly tolerate another season of grief from all quarters as I did TWICE last season - wipe the floor with them please Daggers!

[Auntie Merge]

For the game itself... Much like Solihull, I encourage everyone to hold fire on 6-0 predictions (sorry for the second game running, Merge)
I haven't been to any their games, but I tend to hear about most to a certain level of detail.

Ha! Now this is one game that I had a dream about. Or maybe it was a nightmare. I was meant to be on holiday this week, so wasn't meant to be at Solihull away and for Torquay at home I would have been in flight at 3.00pm. I actually looked at trying to get an earlier flight so I would be at the game, or even come back on the Friday night so I could be at the game, all because I had this vision of me landing at Stansted, switching on my phone and finding out we'd won 6-0 and I WASN'T THERE TO SEE IT.
(I still have the voice of Simmo haunting my dreams from Altrincham 0 Daggers 5 in September 2005, when I was at Earls Court setting up an exhibition stand for work, when he phoned me and said "We're 5-0 up, there are 7 minutes left and we are ON THE ATTACK". I didn't get on the tube home until the game was over.)

In the end, as I couldn't move the flights, I cancelled my holiday completely!!!! (If you believe that is the real reason I cancelled my holiday then you will believe anything).

So my prediction would be Daggers 6 Torquay 0

BUT
It's Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, the most holy day in the whole Jewish Calendar, and that bloody Facebook 'On this day' thing, recently reminded me that back in 2010 I watched the Daggers when I shouldn't (Yom Kippur), and they lost heavily. I was repentant, saying I learnt my lesson and I wouldn't do it again.

SO I guess in theory I won't be at the game. But in practice, I'm non believer. I was meant to be on a plane instead. So what the heck...I'm sticking with my dream and prediction. If it all goes wrong, I accept FULL responsibility. But its not going to go wrong... Mystic Merge had a dream...it was so real I could touch it... Daggers 6 Torquay 0.

Enjoy ;)

[NickMurphy]

Dagenham & Redbridge 0-1 Torquay United (Murphy, 87)

Saved a click.

[DaggerJoel11]

This is definitely one of those games which will be much, much harder than anybody thinks. Yes, Torquay are bottom but as much as thet concede for fun, we're not exactly solid at the back. Our last two games against the Gulls have ended 0-1, and I remember the one in 2013 when we were supposed to win at a canter and ended up losing. Then there's both of the games last campaign.

So, in conclusion, this is as hard as any other game. The Daggers should win but only if they go in it with that mentality. Also worth noting that their new manager is only beginning to bed his philosophies so they could well come together against us. And Murphy is 100% scoring, as he has in EVERY appearance against us since leaving.

[Kevin]

Dagenham & Redbridge 0-1 Torquay United (Murphy, 87)

It's possibly partly due to the dreary, rainy ol' weather that's currently piddling away outside, but this one does have the feel of a 0-1 defeat written all over it - would've liked Torquay to have won a match before we got to play them..

That said - c'mon you Daggers!! :D

[DevonDagger]

I think one thing that works against Torquay (not that my Dad agrees) is that we didn't wipe the floor with Solihull. I just wonder if we had won comfortably there, perhaps there would be the possibility of turning up against another bottom of the league side expecting easily brush them aside again. Though I don't think we were complacent against Solihull, just simply did not play well - the players will hopefully realise that they need to up their games for these kind of games as well.

[DevonDagger]

Blimey that sounded poor. I'm not surprised that we found it tough but I certainly didn't expect to come away feeling like we've stolen it from them.

Either way, absolutely buzzing with the result. Very important 3 points, but must improve on Tuesday!

[Adrian]

Well that was hard to watch.

Whitely had a bit of a stinker and Bloomfield doesn't look ready yet.
I thought Robinson was immense and MoM by a mile. Not sure what Nunn did to get it over him. The back four largely did well. Cousins needs to sort out his kicking.

Is there something wrong with the pitch? A few of our players just slipped over today and it's happened in other games as well.

[Alan]

Not great performance but the result is what matters. Torquay will be wondering how they got nothing from that game.

Need to get Cheek fit as we are missing him.

[Sagres]

I do not know of any other team to suffer with so many long term injuries to key players like us.

[lupins]

I agree Robinson was head and shoulders our best player today absolutely immense.
Cousins kicking may not be the best but he is obviously under orders to kick it in that direction for the flick on and if it goes out then the team will reset. Not sure am mad about that plan but that's what's happening

[Daggernewbie]

Did we deserve the win in my mind not really but take it all day long but credit to the the 180 Torquay supporters who came today.

[ARNU]

Dismal game to watch, I'm not sure we're going up this year either. We'd be straight back down anyway.Not sure why everyone around me was giving Murphy so much stick. He still can't stay on side, track back or win the ball in the air so posed us no threat really. The defenders earnt their money today . Scott Does been on the pies but put in a decent shift lol! Can't dig anyone out though it was just a miserable game.

[SUSSEX DAGGER]

I do not know of any other team to suffer with so many long term injuries to key players like us.

It was good to hear that Doe was back . Could not make it today but if it was as frustrating to watch as it was to listen to then it must have been painfull.

The Commentators were saying that we looked a bit better first half when Corey went in behind the Striker and went 4 2 3 1 and weee a bit surprised that we did not stick with it.

They were also a bit polite about Bloomfield but got the impression they shared your view Adrian. Can't wait for the Dagenham Calender to flip over so the Dagenham fortnight see's the return of Cheek which will probably be another 3 weeks.

3 points won in injury time against the bottom two teams really does overstate our position tonight. With one kick we went from 8th to 2nd !!!!

See what Tuesday brings but you can't take nothing for granted in this league

[ARNU]

I thought Bloomfield did ok. Held the ball up well and won a few headers in the air. Think he had a shot or two as well. His performance today though not outstanding was better than anything Hawkins did for us this season. Cousins kicking awful but that save he did made up for any irritation I'd had with him for it.