Views from the Sieve

I have to say how proud I am of the boys this month. I don't think anyone can argue this has been our toughest month in terms of the level of opposition faced and the key players we've had missing for lengthy periods of time. To take two massive and gritty wins over Eastleigh (Without Doey, Boucs and Gutts) and Aldershot (without Robson, Fejiri and Gutts) was a massive achievement. On another day we would have edged over the line against Tranmere and Maccy but still valuable points to stop our promotion rivals from winning. Ironically the only loss coming against a team we all thought we'd beat in Torquay and a game I have no doubt we'll be right up for getting revenge on at the end of next month. As for yesterday, I can't help but think that is such a valuable point and that goal from Hawks was one of my favourite goals I've witnessed for a long time (the quality of the header and the celebrations).

It's hard to pick a player of the month in what has been a momentous effort from all of them boys who have played in the squad this month but on the Supporters coach I went for Justham as my number 1 this month, he has made some vital saves in the past few weeks as well as commands his box better than any keeper we've had for a long time, potentially our best keeper since Robbo? Corey Whitley a close second who has come on leaps and bounds for a boy from Enfield Town and has scored two of the most vital goals of the month. I then went for Matty Robinson in 3rd who is fast becoming one of my fan favourites with his exceptional work rate and the way a lot of his unnoticed work allows players Boucs to flourish, who again has become a massive player for us this season.

Anyway, onwards and upwards and it's vital we make sure all of our hard work this month is rewarded by a strong month next month against still tough but slightly lower positioned teams in the league whilst as is well documented FGR have a really testing month. So well done Stilly and the boys, a thoroughly enjoyable and testing month we've had, we finally have a team and group of lads to be thoroughly proud of.

Good post and second that, what I've noticed this season, so far I might add, is were losing to teams were pretty much expected to win or at least draw aka Chester (a) , Sutton United (a), Boreham Wood (h) and Torquay (a) and taking away that Sutton and Boreham Wood were two losses in less than a week were bouncing back quickly with good solid wins and not letting those failures stop our general determination to carry on to keep a settled play off zone place. Glad you mentioned goalkeeping, because having a giant like Justham is spot on, only yesterday said to more than one dagger that has been a massive boost to our climb of form this term, another couple of incredible saves again yesterday and if opposition do crack our defence with him between the sticks his really hard to beat. Forward now and running into Christmas this coming few weeks will be a really testing time because a couple of sides near us look like they're hitting peak form (Lincoln & Barrow) so the boys will need to be well on guard but believe they have it in them to shake them off.

At the start of October you would have got massive odds the only team we would lose to would be Torquey . ,
Bearing in my mind they were at home the worst team I have seen all season. Ok things conspired against us down on the English Rivera that night but this game does bite you when you least expect it. Five minutes into that game I was even asking how many to my fellow Daggers in attendence as we had laid siege to their goal from the kick off and they had not even managed to get the ball 25 yards from their goal. How we never scored in a goal mouth scramble that saw their Keeper clear it if the line 3 times with various parts to his body I will never know.

Agree with the praise of the Goalkeeper the only thing I have been disappointed with are the two opening goals at Chester , what he has done since you really would fancy him to keep at least one of them out. How unlucky is Mark Cousins one of a very few bright bulbs on a very dim Christmas tree last year and he has not hardly got a look in this season. There can't be many teams with two quality Goalkeeoers on their books at this level.

We are getting better all the time said already that even at the start of this season we would not have found a way back yesterday , we did this even with some of our most consistant players not being anywhere near their best.

Great stuff lads good time to be a Dagger