The Daggers tonight lost 9-0 (Yes, NINE-nil) at home against Hereford United, demolishing the Club's record
defeat and equalling the biggest ever scoreline in Conference history. 9-0 has
happened twice before, in 1990/91 when Gateshead lost 0-9 at home to Sutton
United and in 1989/90 when Runcorn beat Enfield 9-0 at home.
The Daggers lined up with the same starting eleven that lost so narrowly to
Chester City on Saturday, with Chris Piper back from suspension but on the bench
next to his brother Lenny.
The Daggers started very well, taking the game to the visitors and well on
top until out of the blue Hereford split the home defence apart in the 14th
minute. With the central defence nowhere is sight Ryan Green burst into the area
and was brought down by a desperate lunge from Danny Shipp. Referee Lewis had no
option but to show Shipp a red card. To add insult to injury Tony James scored
with ease from the spot.
The
Daggers reorganised a little, taking off Mark Janney and bringing on Chris
Piper, switching to a narrow three in midfield against Hereford's five. While
this looked risky, the Daggers continued to take the game to the visitors for
the first half an hour, Chris Moore (right) looking dangerous and going close on
a couple of occasions, and Jimmy Jackson also looking sharp with shots from
distance.
At the back though, the Daggers back four looked all over the place when
caught on the counter attack. Tony Roberts made a fabulous save from Steve
Guinan when he was through one before the Bulls made it two on 38 minutes. David
Brown broke into the area and managed to lose Ashley Vickers with a sharp turn
then beat Roberts to his near post with a fierce shot from 8 yards.
The Daggers would have hoped to hang on to 2-0 and regroup at half time but
Steve Guinan made it 0-3 in added time, sweeping home a Michael Rose cross.
Whatever was said in the dressing room failed to change things Guinan put
paid to any thoughts of a Man City style comeback just three minutes into the
second half, finishing again from a Rose cross to make it 0-4.
First
Kirk Jackson (left), probably playing his last game for the club, then Chris
Moore had chances to grab a consolation before the flood gates opened in the
last twenty minutes.
David Brown was the first to benefit as heads started to drop in the Daggers
back line, running through virtually unmarked to grab his second and Herefords
fifth on 71 minutes. Then Danny Williams scored the goal of the night in finding
a little space on the edge of the area and curling a shot in off the far post to
make it six.
Mark
Beesley should have scored before he did in the 85th minute when a corner found
him unmarked at the far post and his rather mishit shot went on to make it 0-7.
Danny Williams ran through unmarked again to make it 0-8 just three minutes
later, Ashley Vickers (right) catching him a painful blow on the ankle for his
pains before David Brown completed the rout and his hat-trick on 89 minutes with
another unopposed run through the middle of defence.
The Daggers headed back to their dressing room in relief to be off the field
as the whistle went to hold an inquest into how they had been soundly embarrassed on national
TV.
One wonders where this leaves the club
and the manager Garry Hill.
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