WHO ARE THE SHOTS PLAYING?
Dagenham & Redbridge FC, also known as The Daggers. Founded in 1992.
HOW DID THEY DO LAST SEASON?
Last season the Daggers has slow start, but then hit ‘play-off’ form, only to leave themselves too much to do in the latter stages of the season, eventually finishing in 12th place with 60 points.
HOW DID SHOTS GET ON AGAINST THEM LAST SEASON?
Aldershot Town did the ‘double’ over Dagenham & Redbridge last season. At the EBB Stadium in December 2020, goals from Mo Bettamer and Harry Panayiotou saw the Shots prevail 2-1, with former ‘Shot’ Dean Rance netting Daggers late consolation. In April this year, Town came away from Victoria Road with a 2-0 win, Bettamer again netting, from the penalty spot, with Joel Nouble also on the score-sheet. The two sides also met at Victoria Road in late December 2021, with Daggers running out 1-0 winners by virtue of a classy Angelo Balanta finish.
WHO’S THEIR GAFFER?:
Born in Dublin, Ireland, 38-year-old Daryl McMahon is a name that National League fans will know due to spells with Boreham Wood, Eastleigh, Dover Athletic, Ebbsfleet United. McMahon was a midfielder in his playing days and represented his national team from u16-18 level. He retired at the end of the 2014/2015 season. His management career started with Ebbsfleet United as a caretaker manager in 2014 before being promoted to the manager position from 2015. He won promotion with Ebbsfleet in the National League South play-offs in 2017 before being appointed as manager of Macclesfield Town in 2019, only to tender his resignation six months later, amid a financial crisis at Moss Rose. Shortly after he picked up the reins at Victoria Road and is now in his third season in charge of the Daggers.
DAGGERS PLAYING SQUAD:
Plenty of familiar faces remain at Victoria Road from last season, they retained more than any National League club in the summer. Key players still at Dagenham & Redbridge include; Goalkeeper Elliott Justham, Centre-Back Callum Reynolds, Midfielders Matt Robinson & Dean Rance, Winger Myles Weston and Strikers Angelo Balanta & Paul McCallum.
McCallum is top goalscorer with 16 in all competitions. However, two more recent Daggers signings have also been impressing of late, notably Junior Morias, who bagged a hat-trick against Barnet on Good Friday (10 goals since joining from Kings Lynn) and also Josh Walker, the former Barnet striker who is closing in on double figures for the season. Other more recent signings include defender Josh Hare (Eastleigh) and Centre-Back Emmanuel Onariase (Scunthorpe United).
ANY EX-SHOTS?
Ibby Akanbi was at Aldershot Town earlier this season, before joining Daggers, initially on loan before signing a permanent deal. Daggers’ have several other former ‘Shots’. Centre-Back Callum Reynolds skippered Aldershot Town in both play-off campaigns under Gary Waddock. He was succeeded at the EBB as Shots skipper by Dean Rance, who also now wears the red & blue of Dagenham & Redbridge. Paul McCallum also spent a brief spell at Aldershot, in his early career, on loan from West Ham United.
FORM & FITNESS:
The Shots come into this game on the back of consecutive victories against Boreham Wood & Yeovil. Ryan Glover is suspended after picking up two yellow cards at Huish Park on Good Friday. New loan signing Sinclair Armstrong has yet to join the Shots’ as QPR continue to monitor his recovery from a concussion injury. Mitch Walker is out for the remainder of the season with an ACL injury. Kev Lokko, Tobdy Edser, Harry Panayiotou and Corey Jordan are at varying stages of recovering from shorter term injuries.
Daggers come to the EBB Stadium in excellent form, having won 6 of their last 9 games and 4 of their last 5 away. Across those last 9 games, they have scored 21 goals and conceded just 7, although 3 of them came on Good Friday against Barnet, a 7-3 win that saw Junior Morias grab a 12 minute hat-trick and a brace for Paul McCallum. Daggers starting line-up has remained unchanged in their last two games. Angelo Balanta and George Saunders are out for the remainder of the season.
WHO’S GOT THE WHISTLE?
Easter Monday’s referee is Robert Whitton. This season, to date, he has taken charge of 12 National League matches, showing 33 Yellow Cards and 1 Red Card. He has not refereed either Shots or Daggers to date, this season.
WHERE TO FOLLOW THE MATCH:
There will be ‘Live’ BBC Radio Surrey Sport Online commentary of the match with Rob Worrall and Guest Summariser, former Shots Media Manager, Steve Gibbs. There will also be Social Media coverage on Instagram & Twitter (@OfficialShots) with team news, updates and post-match coverage throughout the afternoon.
