Match Reports by Ben Fowler
NEW SEASON 2007-2008
12th April 2008
DAGENHAM RUFC 32 - 21 MILLWALL
Home - Essex League One
Match Reports by Ben Fowler
NEW SEASON 2007-2008
12th April 2008
DAGENHAM RUFC 32 - 21 MILLWALL
Home - Essex League One
Dagenham's 13th consecutive league win against Millwall on Saturday, sealed the Essex League One title, and with it promotion to London Four North East. It was an emotional day for all at Central Park, the atmosphere electric before kick off, with the D's knowing that the win would probably be enough to crown them champions, courtesy of their superior points difference.
As the Central Park side were roared onto the pitch, conditions were pretty good, however a heavy burst of rain and hail, made life very tricky early on. Dagenham adapted fairly quickly though, and took the lead courtesy of number eight Phil Crawley. The try settled them down, and shortly after some good phase play saw the ball moved wide, where blindside flanker Jordan Wigham was lurking, and he showed typical strength and power to barge his way over the line to give the hosts a ten point lead. Dagenham continued to dominate territory and the forwards were really looking to starve their opposite numbers of ball. The scrum was functioning well, and despite the slippery conditions, the lineout was pinpoint. Millwall defended well, but they were finally breached again when good work from Louis Stevens saw him link up with Wigham for another score. Just before the break, Dave Purton picked and drove over from a ruck, finally giving West Calverley a kickable opportunity, and the Dagenham fly half made no mistake, giving the home side a 22-0 lead at the break.
The D's started the second period brightly, and for the first ten minutes played some controlled rugby. The forwards again drove hard at the line and Crawley popped up again to grab his second score of the afternoon. To their credit, Millwall continued to press hard, and they were rewarded with a score midway through the half, their captain driving over following some sloppy play in the D's. Yet again, Dagenham forced their way forward and it man of the moment Crawley who completed a fine hat-trick with about 15 minutes to go. At 32-7 the game looked to be won, and Dagenham perhaps let their intensity slip a little. A string of penalties allowed Millwall to bring into play their dangerous runners, who they used to good effect to claim two further scores. Fortunately the clock was on the D's side, and the referees final whistle sparked mass celebrations from the home ranks.
When the dust has settled, the officials, coaches, players and supporters will be able to reflect on an historic season. The squad have put together a huge run and deserve enormous credit for holding their nerve under intense pressure from their rivals. They have come a long way this season and have shown great character after losing two games in quick succession back in October. Since then, 19 league and cup games have yielded 18 wins, and a solitary, last minute defeat to Wisbech in the EDF Energy Junior Vase. It has been a tremendous run that has ultimately seen Dagenham secure a league and cup double, and means they can look forward to the prospect of London League rugby next season.
1st March 2008
Dagenham RUFC 16 - 7 Maldon RFC
Essex Presidents Shield Final
Away hosted at Ilford Wanderers RFC
Dagenham's memorable season continued on Sunday, as they lifted the Presidents Shield for the 3rd time in 5 seasons.
The top two teams in Essex One should be applauded for their efforts to entertain a large crowd in what were attrocious conditions, the rain and gusting wind making handling very difficult. Fortunately the playing surface held up very well.
Maldon started the brightest as they took the game to Dagenham, forcing a number of penalties, and eventually this pressure told, when the Maldon outside centre cut a nice line off his fly half and darted home under the posts. The conversion was added for a seven point lead. Dagenham knew they had to play the weather better, and keep the game much shorter. They got back into the contest using their forwards to good effect, a number of close drives giving them good field position, and when Maldon infringed at a ruck, West Calverley stepped up to confidently slot the penalty home to get the D's on the board. From the restart Dagenham continued to push hard, the forwards were setting a decent platform, completely dominating the scrum, and after working their way towards the line, fullback Dexter Devlin showed good strength to grab the D's first try and give them a slender lead. The Central Park side were looking to build on this before the break, and they did manage to find another try. Again, it came via the forwards, as a number of pick and drives got them close, before man of the match Jordan Wigham finished powerfully in the corner. The half time score of 13-7 was a fair reflection, but had the D's made enough of the elements?
The second period began well for the D's. dogged defence from the backs and continued persistance from the pack kept Maldon pretty much in their own half. The game ebbed and flowed for twenty minutes, with neither of the two well matched sides able to find a breakthrough. Maldon then found another gear, and had their most threatening period since the start. They made a number of dangerous surges towards the D's line, with the Central Park men saved on three occassions by outstanding tackles from Louis Stevens, West Calverley and Neil Davis, the latter producing a bone jarring hit on his opposite man that visibly lifted the whole team. Having weathered this storm, the D's worked their way downfield and again used a close driving game to superb effect and worked towards the Maldon line. The crucial moment came when Maldon infringed allowing Calverley to slot home the penalty to give Dagenham a 9 point cushion. With only minutes on the clock, Maldon would have to find two scores and Dagenham were in no way prepared to let the game slip. they ran the clock down to claim a superb victory.
This was another tremendous showing from Dagenham. They have worked so hard to get to this level, and remain unbeaten in 2008. They must keep this effort and intensity going in their remaining two league games to keep on track for promotion. Credit must be given to Maldon who played a full part in a great Final.
1st March 2008
Dagenham RUFC 64 - 3 East London
Home - Essex League One
Despite having to reshuffle their pack again this week, Dagenham recorded another mightily impressive victory that maintained their excellent run. Despite the heavy scoreline, the game was a much tougher affair than it would seem. East London had a well organised lineout, a decent scrum and a handful of pacey backs, but the D's raised their performance levels yet again to put in a display that ultimately blew away the visitors.
The home side took a little time to get into their stride, but when they did, they played some superb rugby, The pack worked manfully and despite the difficult conditions, the lineout functioned superbly. The backs looked menacing and picked some lovely lines to trouble the home defence. Fullback Dexter Devlin, who has been in imperious form since his return to the side opened up the scoring, and his try was closely followed by efforts from Bill Nelson and West Calverley. Number eight James Roberts grabbed a deserved try after finishing expertly on the blindside following a strong D's scrum. East London responded with a penalty goal, before Jordan Wigham disrupted an East London lineout, allowing skipper Ben Fowler to scoop up the loose ball and dive over the line for the score. Devlin showed great strength to score out on the right to claim the D's 6th try of the afternoon. Calverley added 3 conversions to give the home side a 36-3 halftime lead.
Playing slightly into the elements in the second period, Dagenham had to work hard to stay on top, but once the first try arrived it really settled them down. Calverley completed his brace and almost immediately from the restart Dagenham produced quick ball and Jordan Wigham thundered away, showing great pace before smashing the last defender out of the way for a fantastic individual score. Dagenham really looked to press home their advantage and James Roberts darted into the visitors 22 finding support from Ben Fowler, when he was caught by the fullback, he managed to neatly offload to the supporting Billy Davis to claim a try that his work rate richly deserved, The last try displayed nice sets of hands before Simon Argent neatly stepped his man to finish. Calverley added all 4 conversions in the second period, for a personal points haul of 24 points in what was another barnstorming display from the Dagenham vice captain.
There was much to be pleased about in this display from Dagenham. The work rate and desire of the squad is tremendous and this was a clinical performance with ten superb tries. Full credit must also go to East London, who showed enormous character and battled hard right to the last whistle. Next up, the D's entertain Writtle Wanderers next weekend, 3pm kick off at Central Park.
23rd February 2008
Bancroft RFC 5 - 25 Dagenham RUFC
Away - Presidents Shield Semi Final
Dagenham made it to their 3rd Presidents Shield Final in 5 seasons after a hard fought battle at Bancrofts on Saturday. The conditions were ideal for rugby and the two sides set out to try and claim a place in the final.
The visitors made something of a meal of the first forty minutes, much as they had done in the league fixture back in October. The D's enjoyed the lions share of territory and posession but far too often forced play or were guilty of sloppy passing and decision making. The net result being a number of excellent breaks being wasted. Bancroft were gifted the lead when a fumble in the lineout allowed the home sides flanker to hack through and he did very well to ground the ball. Dagenham came back hard and showed plenty of power in attack but could not find the killer pass that would allow them to finish. They managed to reduce the arrears going into the break via a Paul Roberts penalty.
Dagenham had it all to do in the second period, but they really upped the ante and produced a much more controlled performance. They finally grabbed their first try of the afternoon when Paul Roberts broke through and used all his height to stretch out over the line. The score galvanised the visitors and soon after added another score when West Calverley finished out wide. Dagenham continued to press, and Simon Argent, Dexter Devlin and Calverley continued to make fine breaks. The pressure eventually told on the home side. Jordan Wigham charged down an attempted clearance kick and pounced on the loose ball to score. Bancroft came back looking to get another score. Their backs are very lively and look dangerous with ball in hand, but as they attempted to throw caution to wind, the ever alert Argent intercepted a pass on the half way line and sprinted home under the sticks. Roberts added the conversion to seal the victory.
The momentum continues for the D's despite a below par 1st half performance. The forwards scrummaged very well again, with man of the match Tom Waller putting in another huge effort at loosehead. The back row was reshuffled at late notice and Billy Davis also delivered a very good performance. League action resumes next weekend, with another crucial fixture as East London are the visitors to Central Park.
16th February 2008
Ilford Wanderers 7 - 25 Dagenham RUFC
Away - Essex League One
Dagenham kept up their recent momentum and excellent form by securing a vital 2 points at fellow promotion chasers Ilford Wanderers at Forest Road on Saturday.
The D's had to make one or two alterations to the squad but approached the game with confidence, and in excellent conditions, came out of the blocks very strongly. They kept the home side pretty much confined to their own 22 and only some resolute defending and one or two minor errors kept the visitors out. There were a number of standout performances from the Central Park side, one of those belonging to Simon Argent, and it was the Dagenham outside centre who finally broke the deadlock, showing good strength to hold off a couple of defenders and touch down. Paul Roberts added the extras and soon after increased the lead to ten points via a penalty. The forwards were really starting to perform and laid on good ball for the backs. Dagenham had a couple of chances before the break, James Griffiths went close after a powerful break, and right wing Billy Nelson raced up the flank, chipped through but the bounce of the ball denied him what would have been a superb score. Paul Roberts did slot a further penalty to leave the score 13-0 at the break.
The D's knew the importance of getting a good start to the second period and they did just that. Turning over ball from the kick off and setting up a couple of good phases. The ball was moved into the centre and Argent took the ball on, knowing he had a penalty advantage, he chipped over the top and won the race to the touchdown. Roberts conversion was straight through the sticks and the visitors had opened up a twenty point advantage. The play became a bit scrappy from here, and the hosts had their best period of the match, and managed to work some space on the blindside for their skipper David North to cross. He converted his try to take the score to 7-20. Dagenham regrouped and came back hard, determined not to let the hosts back in the game. They worked the ball into the right hand corner where they were awarded a penalty. Skipper Ben Fowler elected to call for a scrum, and the pack then produced their own champagne moment as they drove over the line from the scrum allowing number eight James Roberts to touch down. The score re-opened a decent gap, and the D's were able to see out the remainder of the contest with not too many worries.
This was a hard fought and very important victory, Dagenham picked their performance levels up again to defeat an excellent Ilford side, and now opens up a four point gap between themselves and 3rd place. Next week, Dagenham travel to Bancroft to contest the Semi Final of the Essex Presidents Shield.
9th February 2008
Dagenham RUFC 31 - 3 Bancroft
Home - Essex League One
In ideal conditions for rugby, Dagenham continued their recent momentum with a fine victory over in form Bancroft at Central Park on Saturday. Given the massive improvement the visitors have made this year, and the impressive results they have turned out of late, the D's knew this was going to be a very tough fixture, but they produced one of their best displays of the season.
Dagenham started very brightly, but could find no way through well organised defence. They finally managed to work an opening when they sucked in the defence before moving the ball out to the right wing, where Nick Ereira raced home. Bancroft reduced the arrears via a penalty, but the home side ended the half strongly. The back row trio of Daryl Keen, James Griffiths and James Roberts were in great form, and Keen and Griffiths both grabbed excellent tries to give the D's a 19-3 half time lead.
The Central Park side were in no mood to let things slip and produced a very competent second half showing. Their defence was magnificent and did not give a sniff of a chance to the visitors. The pack were efficient at the set piece and dilligent in support and constantly well marshalled by Louis Stevens, while both West Calverley and Paul Roberts delivered stand out performances in the midfield. As the half wore on, Dagenham took command again, and Keen, who was in inspired form grabbed his second score of the afternoon. Bancroft should be applauded for the way they approached the game, they constantly look to move the ball and are always asking questions of the defence. However, the D's remained alert, and snuffed out any danger. They managed to grab a fifth try near the end, a beautiful jinking run from Simon Argent took him to within a couple of metres of the line, and as the ball was recycled by the pack, Jordan Wigham stretched out to touch down.
The win keeps Dagenham in the promotion mix, and opens up some daylight between first and fourth place. There is still a lot of rugby to be played and there is virtually nothing separating the top 3. This win though, was a mightily impressive one, against one of the seasons top sides, and to restrict as good a side to Bancroft to just one penalty goal is very pleasing. Next up the D's face another crunch fixture as they have a very tough away game at 3rd placed Ilford Wanderers.
2nd February 2008
Dagenham RUFC 48 - 8 Wanstead RFC
Home - Essex Presidents Shield Quarter Final
Dagenham made it into the Semi Finals of the Presidents shield with a big win over Wanstead, but the scoreline doesn't really reflect the scruffiness of the performance at times.
Despite taking several changes, some positional, to the side that defeated Maldon last week, Dagenham still had a very strong squad. It was clear that the visitors had also made several changes, but they came out of the blocks very fired up. The first twenty minutes were a frustrating affair for the home side, as they too often tried to force play and either made an error or conceded a penalty. They finally managed to take the lead when the ball was moved wide for number eight Phil Crawley to score an unconverted try in the left hand corner. The visitors hit back immediately, and after several tight phases from the pack, found some space on the blindside as their right winger levelled it up at 5-5. The Herons continued to press the D's hard, and the error count remained high, but the home side managed to snatch a couple of scores before the break. Again width was put on the ball and full back Kieran Clancy was on hand to score wide on the left again. The lead was further stretched when Nick Eriera, making his full debut after some impressive performances for the 2nd XV, sprinted home under the posts. Louis Stevens slotted the extras for 17-5.
The D's knew they were in a cup tie, and also felt that they knew where they were going wrong, but their accuracy was not quite what it should have been at the start of the second half either. Wanstead pegged the deficit back to nine points via a penalty, but from here on the D's really upped the work rate and the tempo. Some good forward play and a change of direction from John Hobden allowed inside centre Paul Roberts to finish powerfully on the right wing. Jordan Wigham then crashed over to mark a good return from injury for him, before Roberts completed his brace this time wide on the left, taking a couple of defenders over the line with him. These scores took the game away from Wanstead somewhat, but they never stopped battling and were always looking to be inventive to test the Dagenham defence. As the game neared its close, Dagenham added a couple of late scores, as the visitors threw caution to the wind in their own 22. Stewart Ali added the D's 7th try as he broke a couple of tackles to go in under the posts, and the curtain was brought down by right wing Ereira, who outpaced the defence to score under the posts.
This was an excellent win for the D's against very competitive opposition. Their were moments of excellence, but also things they will want to put right on the training field this week. next up for the D's is a home fixture against a very in form Bancrofts, kick off 2:30pm next Saturday at Central Park.
26th January 2008
Maldon RFC 18 - 22 Dagenham RUFC
Away - Essex League One
Dagenham claimed top spot in Essex One for the first time since September after inflicting a first home defeat of the season on Maldon in an enthralling game at Drapers Farm on Saturday.
It was a gripping game between two very well matched sides which the Central Park side just shaded, always managing to stay one step ahead of the hosts. Knowing the importance of the fixture, Dagenham produced probably their best forty minutes of the season in the first half. The forwards fronted up superbly, and probably were slightly ahead of the home side in the set piece. The back line defended magnificently and had to be ever alert to keep out Maldons very dangerous outside half and the two hard running home centres. It was Dagenham who struck first, West Calverley slotting a penalty. The confidence was apparant and midway through the half the visitors extended their lead, Billy Nelson coming off the wing and scooping up some loose ball before cutting through a shocked Maldon defence to score an excellent try. Calverley added the extras and the D's had a ten point cushion. Maldon came back hard and asked many questions of the Dagenham defence, but a huge effort meant that they restricted Maldon to a solitary penalty before the break.
Playing down the slope in the second period, Dagenham knew they would have to raise their game even further. Maldon came out hard in the second period and threw everything at the visitors, playing some excellent rugby, showing why they are at the top of the table. The home side looked dangerous when they moved the ball and their ever present number eight was posing a few problems. Dagenham soaked up the pressure superbly and as the half wore on, the visitors managed to stretch their lead. A good drive from the forwards set a base and as the ball was moved out, Paul Roberts floated a beautiful pass out to left wing Neil Davis who finished expertly. \the conversion was just wide but the visitors held a 15-3 lead. Maldon came back strongly and took advantage of a sloppy restart from Dagenham, the home sides number 7 powering home in the corner for an unconverted score. Again Dagenham battled back hard and looked to have gained the killer score. Man of the match Davis was heavily involved, grabbing a Paul Roberts chip and bursting through, before feeding the elder Roberts brother James who was able to sprint home under the posts. The conversion was added to stretch the lead. Maldon refused to accept the scoreline and showed immense character and talent to grab two more wide unconverted scores to peg the score back to 22-18. This set up a nervy last 5 minutes, but Dagenham managed to hold on and run the clock down with some sensible rugby. The final whistle went and the delight from the D's players was evident as they claimed a memorable victory.
This was a tremendous game of rugby between two sets of players who did not give an inch. Enormous credit must go to everyone involved in providing a game that was a great advert for the division. There is a lot of rugby still to play, but this was a very important result for the D's that keeps them firmly in the promotion hunt. On the day the whole Dagenham squad produced big personal performances to contribute to a great victory.
The D's renew acquaintances with Wanstead next week when they entertain the Roding Lane side in the Quarter Finals of the Essex Presidents Shield.
19th January 2008
Dagenham 27 - 12 Upper Clapton
Home - Essex League One
Dagenham kept in the promotion hunt with a hard fought victory over a competitive Upper Clapton side on Saturday.
The early exchanges were fairly even as both sides looked to stamp their authority on the game. Much of the action was confined to a tight area ten yards either side of half way. Dagenham then sprung to life and West Calverley took over. The Dagenham vice Captain, again forced to play in the forwards this week, had an inspired first half, grabbing the first 15 points of the day. The first try came from solid initial work from the forwards, before the ball was moved to inside centre Billy Nelson, who made an incisive break. The ball moved swiftly though the hands of Simon Argent and Chris Carpenter before Calverley took the scoring pass and crashed over. He just pulled his kick to the left of the posts but made up for it shortly after, converting a penalty to give the home side an eight point lead. The D's soon added to their advantage when John Hobden weighted a beautiful kick over the defence and Calverley gathered the ball to score. This time his kick sailed over and the home side were in control. The visitors responded almost immediately. A succession of minor mistakes from Dagenham allowed Clapton good filed position and they managed to barge their way over for a converted score. At 15-7 the game was back on, but the D's managed to add another score before the break. An effective lineout led to an excellent maul which allowed skipper Ben Fowler to claim a good score. This gave the D's a 20-7 lead at the break.
Despite playing into the elements, the D's looked fairly comfortable for much of the second period. The forwards pressed the scrum at vital times, with man of the match Dave Purton putting in an immense performance at tighthead. The defensive line was mostly solid with the retuning James Griffiths getting through plenty of work, while their continued to be some nice half breaks in the backs with diligent support often shown from Daryl Keen and James Roberts. The crucial score came with minutes left on the clock. A superb jinking run from Simon Argent, who is having an outstanding season, saw the ball quickly recycled and moved to John Hobden. The Dagenham outside half stepped and smashed his way through several tackles before rounding the full back and scoring under the posts. Calverley added a regulation kick and the score put the game beyond the visitors reach. To their credit they came back looking for the final score, and they duly added a try out wide, Dagenhams defence monetarily switching off.
This was another excellent victory and keeps the D's firmly in the top 3, and sets up a mouth watering clash next week as they travel to league leaders Maldon
12th January 2008
East London 14 - 15 Dagenham RUFC
Away - Essex Presidents Shield Round 1
A nerveless West Calverley penalty ten minutes from time was just about enough to squeeze an off colour Dagenham through to the next round of the Presidents Shield after being given an almighty scare by a fired up East London side on Saturday.
The rain held off and while conditions were a little heavy underfoot, it was a pretty good day for rugby. It may sound like something of a cliche but the form book really does go out of the window in these games, and although Dagenham were forced into another major reshuffle, they played like total strangers at times and struggled to really get into the game and play with any continuity. The home side took an early lead when their right winger cut through some unusually ordinary Dagenham defence. He was hauled down eventually but managed to offload to the supporting second row to crash over. The visitors knew they were in a game and attempted to come back. They showed glimpses of what they are capable of, but all too often, the final pass was inaccurate or a penalty would cost them momentum and ground. The did find a score midway through the half, keeping the play simple they moved the ball wide and Chris Carpenter was able to score out wide. West Calverley slotted a fine conversion, and while the D's enjoyed much of the territory and posession for the remainder of the half they could not find another score. Half time arrived with the sides locked at 7-7.
The home side started the second period powerfully, Dagenham coping with the early pressure and then grabbing a score that gave them the lead for the first time. Louis Stevens picked and went blind breaking away before feeding Carpenter who completed his brace. The kick was pulled just wide to leave the Central Park side 2 points adrift. Despite being far from their best, Dagenham do not lack heart and they refused to let up. The introduction of fresh legs from the replacements bench added fresh impetous. Debutant Nick Ereira making a mazy run full of pace that took play deep into the home 22. This seemed to give the D's an extra edge and the pressure finally told on the home side conceding a couple of kickabel penalties, the second of which Calverley slotted. Despite being a 1 point game, this kick seemed to deflate the home side, and Dagenham were able to play out the remaining minutes fairly comfortably and claim their place inthe Quarter Finals.
Relief was evident at the final whistle. The D's were seriously below par, but the most important thing was the win. Enormous credit must also go to East London who played fantastically and were extremely unlucky not to cause an upset. Dagenham host Upper Clapton in the league next weekend.
5th January 2008
Wanstead RFC 5 - 19 Dagenham RUFC
Away - Essex League One
Dagenham kicked off 2008 with a fine away victory at Wanstead, gaining 2 points that owed so much to the character and depth of the squad yet again.
The D's were forced into another major reshuffle, injuries and illness claiming four players on Friday, and the team had to be reorganised to such an extent that influential fly half West Calverley was forced to switch into the pack onto the openside flank.
Nonetheless, the spirit in the camp is very good and the Central Park side set about their work in determined fashion. The conditions held quite well and the visitors made the perfect start. Jordan Wigham, who had another fine afternoon made an excellent break and found Calverley in support who managed to cross the line for an early score. The conversion went just wide but the D's were on the board. Wanstead came back hard, using their excellent pack to good effect with a series of drives at the Dagenham line. Eventually the weight of the pressure told and the Herons bundled over for an unconverted score. Dagenham had one or two more chances out wide before the interval, but were unable to convert, leaving the half time score locked at 5-5.
The second half was a much more fluent showing from Dagenham. The new look side appeared much more cohesive and the organisation of the defence was outstanding. The set piece functioned superbly, with the lineout accurate and the scrummage going much better than it had in the first period. The visitors enjoyed more than their fair share of territory and eventually managed to claim the lead, when the ball was moved to inside centre Billy Nelson who carved his way through the home defence to claim an outstanding individual score. Louis Stevens added the extras, and the score lifted the Central Park men. They were playing with good control and it wasn't too long before they claimed the killer score. Man of the match Simon Argent, who had yet another fine game in the centre, forced a turnover and the ball was spun wide to Perry Lock for the winger to race home. Stevens slotted a superb touchline conversion to increase the advantage. The D's played sensibly after the score. John Hobden and Argent putting some sensible kicks in and the forwards setting up some great phase play. Wanstead came back hard and threw everything at the D's in the last ten minutes, but were repelled by superb defence.
The win sees the D's move upto 2nd place in the league by virtue of points difference after Maldon defeated Ilford. There is a lot to play for with little to choose between the top 3 sides. It promises to be a very exciting few weeks. Next up for the D's is a visit to East London in the first round of the Essex Presidents Shield
15th December 2007
Dagenham RUFC 42 - 18 Old Brentwoods
Home - Essex League One
Dagenham ended 2007 on a massive high with a superb win against 4th placed Old Brentwoods on Saturday, despite being forced into a massive reshuffle again this week. The win sees them consolidate a top 3 place and leaves them tucked in nicely behind the early season pace setters Ilford and Maldon.
The home side were forced into no fewer than 6 changes late in the week, 2 of them positional, but again showed the depth of their squad with a whole hearted display. the D's took an early lead through a firmly struck Paul Roberts penalty, but it didn't last long. The revamped Dagenham line up was struggling to click in the early stages and were giving too much time and space to the dangerous looking OB's back line. Silly mistakes and a high penalty count were working against the Central Park men. The visitors are having a fine debut season in Essex One and showed their intentions midway through the first half. They are known for playing fast, attractive rugby and they moved the ball wide with real precision for a score in the left hand corner. Dagenham knew they had to up the ante, and they set about getting some more control in their play. The soon found some momentum and Neil Davis finished well in the left hand corner to regain the lead at 8-5. Despite not hitting top gear the D's managed two further scores before half time. The visitors were finding it increasingly dissicult to stop the powerful Paul Roberts and he forced his way over the line for another unconverted score and right on the half time whistle, aggressive Dagenham defence turned the ball over and Billy Nelson pounced on the loose ball before racing home from the half way line. 18-5 at the interval.
The second half could not have got off to a better start for the home side. Second row Jordan wigham, making his first start in the number 5 shirt took the restart cleanly before smashing his way through most of the Old Brentwoods pack, racing away down the right wing and round under the posts for one of the individual tries of the season. Roberts added the extras and the D's had stretched their lead out to 25-5. Altough the home side were temporarily reduced to 14 men, they still managed to play some excellent phase rugby and grab a further two scores. Perry Lock finishing well on the right wing before Nelson played in Davis to complete his brace in what was a fine performance for the returning left wing. With the D's restored to full strength, it was expected they would kick on and put the game well and truly out of site, but the penalty count began to increase and the visitors showed great determination and structure to barge their way over for two unconverted scores. With ten minutes remaining the home side were not prepared to extend anymore festive gifts to their opponents and they closed the game out without any further alarm. Billy Nelson showing nice hands to play in Louis Stevens for the score. This time it was man of the match Wigham who stepped up to bang over the conversion and the win was sealed. The whole squad stood up to the task. The pack providing solid ball all afternoon via a good set scrum and an impeccable lineout, the defensive effort was again huge, with James Griffiths leading the way with some stonking hits, while the lines of running, pace and power of the three quarter line, eventually proved too much for a very spirited Old Brentwoods.
Despite being a little ragged at times this was another huge win for the Central Park side. They enter the Xmas break two points behind the top two but with a superior points difference. There is lots of hard work to come but it is all to play for.
8th December 2007
Wisbech 5 - 0 Dagenham RUFC
Away - EDF Energy Junior Vase Round 5
Dagenham bowed out of this years competition in heartbreaking circumstances, but with heads held high and pride intact after losing a blood and thunder cup tie at Wisbech on Saturday.
The cold driving rain and consistent wind meant that conditions were not ideal for a fast, free flowing game, however, both teams threw themselves into the contsest whole heartedly and produced a game that provided great entertainment for the large touchline. The hosts started brightly and asked early questions of the Dagenham defence. The D's were well organised but a little too eager at the ruck and conceded a couple of early penalties, both of which were pushed wide by the home sides full back. Dagenham ground their way forward and had their moments in an even first half where defenses were definitely on top.
The second half produced little in the way of try scoring opportunities, but plenty of excitement nonetheless. The Dagenham effort was heroic especially as a red card reduced them to 14 men for the majority of the second period. The remaining players rolled their sleeves up and really got stuck into the home side. The 7 man pack smashed into their opposite numbers and caused real problems, and looked after the ball with great patience. The backs looked to use the ball sensibly and had a couple of smart half breaks but could find no way through a superb Wisbech defence. Dagenham definitely had the better of the chances. Replacement prop Sean Clarke was held up over the line, while fly half West Calverley had a sweetly struck drop goal attempt charged down. Wisbech looked dangerous on the counter attack and broke away and forced a scrum right on the D's line, however the 7 man D's pack pinched the ball against the head and were able to clear their lines. Just as the game appeared to be going to extra time, a cruel piece of luck saw the ball squirm free and the Wisbech left wing was able to pick up and dive over the line. there was barely time to restart and the D's had the game snatched from their grasp.
Despite the obvious disappointment, the D's can be proud of their efforts. The commitment of the squad was magnificent, and on the day, the bounce of the ball was all that separated two very well matched sides. For the D's the front five were magnificent, the back row tenaciuos and the backs, while not in ideal conditions, defended with guts and aggression and were always willing to take the game to the opposition. Dagenham round off 2007 with a home league game against Old Brentwoods in a 2pm kick off at Central Park on Saturday
1st December 2007
Millwall 10 - 37 Dagenham RUFC
Away - Essex League One
Dagenham encountered their toughest selection test of the season, with numerous players unavailable, but on paper, this still looked a very good squad, and the eighteen men selected performed superbly to record another fine away victory that keeps the recent momentum going.
Dagenham started brightly, but despite having first use of the elements were at times a little scruffy, costing them scoring opportunities. They did take the lead after about fifteen minutes when the returning Phil Crawley scored after an excellent lineout. West Calverley slotted an excellent conversion, and soon after extended the lead to ten points via a penalty. Dagenham enjoyed most of the territory but Millwall looked dangerous on the counter attack. Dagenham repelled this though and managed another score before the half time break, a series of drives set up Dexter Devlin, and when the full back was held just short, Jordan wigham, enjoying another fine game, crashed over from short range.
A bad habit reared its head in the second half as Dagenham let a lead erode. A combination of too many penalties and some committed attacking play from Millwall saw them grab two quick tries and maybe a way back into the game. Dagenham dug deep though, and produced a superb last half hour, going back to basics and keeping the game tighter for longer. They extended their lead when Chris Carpenter tapped a penalty and fed Wigham who through a superb pass to his back row partner Crawley who galloped through the midfield before feeding Alex Irvine for the Dagenham left wing to race home. Dagenham were not prepared to take their foot off the gas and Crawley was again involved in the next score, picking a lovely line before offloading to John Hobden and the D's centre crashed over the line taking a couple of defenders with him. The next score was a forwards affair. the visitors pressed a Millwall lineout five metres out, prop Dave Purton forced a superb turnover before the ball was fed wide and lock Steve Tucker grabbed a deserved score after putting in another huge performance. there was still time for a final Dagenham score when Neil covell expertly fed Calverley for the Dagenham fly half to score in the corner. This came after a period of outstanding close drives from the entire Dagenham pack.
Another mightlily impressive showing from the Central Park men, there will be some tough selection calls this week, good problems for the coaches and captains to have before next weeks 5th round EDF Junior Vase game at Wisbech from Eastern counties One.
24th November 2007
Dagenham RUFC 22 - 5 Wanstead
Home - Essex League One
Despite massive reorganisation, Dagenhams depleted squad stood up to the task magnficently on Saturday recording a fine victory against tough oppoenets.
Playing into the elements first, the D's attacked with gusto. The forwards focused on ball retention and phase play and providing stable platform for its talented backs. James Roberts continued last weeks forms making several dangerous breaks, while John Hobden, in his first start since March, had a fine afternoon in the unfamiliar role of full back. The Wanstead defence was well marshalled but was finally breached when a typically incisive Paul Roberts break allowed him to feed Neil Davis, who displayed deft hands to feed mn of the match Jordan Wigham who scored. West Calverley added the extras and soon after the Dagenham fly half made a powerful break bursting through the Wanstead midfield to sprint home under the posts. His conversion meant a half time score of 14-0.
The second half was scrappier. The D's became a little isolated at times allowing the excellent Wanstead pack to force several penalties. They also used their driving maul to provide a platform for their dangerous scrum half to snipe. The D's front five continued to work hard to gain parity against hard opponents while they still looked threateneing in the backs, but could not find the killer score. They stretched their lead to 17 points via a Calverley penalty, but then Wanstead came back hard, and grabbed a score when their excellent scrum half somehow grabbed a try after a solid D's scrum. The visitors then went on the hunt for another score, but despite the best efforts of their forwards, could find no way through heroic defence. finally the D's managed to turn over posession and Billy Nelson sent a might clearance the length of the field. A great chase saw the Wanstead winger fumble under pressure and Nelson was on hand to dive over and seal a victory.
2 very pleasing weeks for the D's again showing how deep their squad is becoming. Millwall lie in wait next week as the D's travel to Victoria Park
17th November 2007
Dagenham RUFC 37 - 20 Croydon
Home - EDF Energy Junior Vase round 4
Dagenham showed on Saturday, the quality and depth of the squad they are building, producing a fine team performance full of application, desire and skill, despite being with no less than nine first team regulars. The fact that the team looked so accomplished with so many changes is a real statement of the hard work everybody is putting in, and really bodes well for the rest of the season.
The light rain had made conditions a little greasy, but the home side approached kick off in determined fashion. It was the visitors who drew first blood, slotting a well struck penalty after the powerful Dagenham scrum was deemed to have infringed. This lead was short lived as a succession of drives in the Croydon 22, led to a kickable penalty for D's outside half West Calverley, and he made no mistake. Soon after, the mercurial Dagenham playmaker found some space on the left wing and powered his way over, converting his own score for a 10-3 lead. Croydon were not to be on the back foot for long however, and they fashioned a well worked try out wide after play was cleverly switched by their talented fly half. Dagenham seemed annoyed by this lapse and they upped the ante for the remainder of the first period. the forwards were gaining the upper hand in the set piece and this was providing the backs with quality go forward ball. Billy Nelson who slotted into inside centre for the day finished smartly and on the stroke of half time an excellent catch and drive from the lineout looked to be rumbling over the line only for a Croydon infringement to halt it, and the referee awarded a penalty try. both efforts were converted by Calverley to leave the half time score at 24-8 in the D's favour.
Croydon had a real go at the start of the second period, and while the D's defence remained fairly solid they conceded a converted score with about ten minutes gone. Again, the response was good, the forwards driving hard at the visitors who were forced to concede a penalty right in front of the uprights. Calverley took some of the sting out of the Croydon revival by converting the 3 points. Dagenham then produced a period of sustained, controlled rugby. the forwards put in a magnificent effort, shoving the visiting scrum back at will, while looking after the ball well with a series of tight drives, while the backs looked incisive and dangerous with ball in hand. The next two scores belonged to the pack. The Central Park side drove Croydon off of their own scrummage ball and after a ruck was set, the impressive Jordan Wigham was able to smash his way over the line from close quarters. James Griffiths then extended the D's lead bursting through some tired looking tackling to score. Croydon never stopped running though and grabbed the last score of the match after a succession of penalties in the Dagenham 22.
Given the re-organisation that was necessary, this was an outstanding effort by the D's. They take their place in round 5 of the competition, and resume league action next weekend, with Wanstead visiting Central Park, in what will be another tough encounter.
10th November 2007
Upper Clapton 10 - 35 Dagenham
Away Essex League One
Dagenham got back on track with a fine win in Saturdays Essex One clash against an Upper Clapton side who have had a solid start to the season and are very difficult to beat at home.
The home side elected to play with the slope and wind advantage first half but it was the visitors who made the brighter start, West Calverley scooping up a loose ball and stepping out of several tackles before sprinting away to touch down between the posts. He added the conversion and soon after the D's were on the board again. Neil Davis fielded a difficult high ball and raced across the pitch to the opposite wing beating a couple of men before setting good phase ball. Upper clapton infringed and the alert Paul Roberts tapped the penalty and broke away before feeding his centre partner Simon Argent who raced home. Calverley nothced the extras to give the D's a 14-0 lead. The home side came back and nicked a score when a lack of concentration from a quick penalty allowed them in out wide. Dagenham were not deterred though and came back hard. The outstanding Argent who is having a fine season this time returning the favour for Roberts to give the big inside centre the score. Again Calverley was accurate with the extras to give the visitors a 21-5 half time lead.
the start of the second period saw a spirited fightback from the home side and they peppered the D's in their 22 but with little success. Despite a succession of penalties, the home side ran into big defence and the period of pressure ended, when the D's pack drove the heavier Upper Clapton forwards off their own ball at a scrum and were able to clear their lines. This allowed the Central Park men to regroup, and the killer score came with about fifteen minutes to go as good interplay led to returning full back Dexter Devlin finishing a nice move. The ever reliable Calverley landed the kick and shortly after, the hugely impressive Dagenham forwards won yet another scrum against the put in and Chris Carpenter got a deserved score after a lively performance from the D's Scrum Half. Calverley completed the job for a 100% effort from the Dagenham fly half and a personal haul of 15 points. There was time for Upper Clapton to grab a consolation score, but the D's can be very pleased with the end result.
This was the ideal tonic after a couple of stuttering weeks. The forwards put in a superhuman effort in the tight and the loose giving great platform and supply to a hungry looking backline. There is still much to work on, but the Central Park side showed guts and pride to put in a very professional performance. Next week The D's entertain Croydon in Round 4 of the EDF Junior Vase, 2pm KO at Central Park
3rd November 2007
Dagenham 19 - 26 Maldon
Home Essex League One
The sublime to the ridiculous, a game of two halves, a Jekyl and Hyde performance, are all things that could be used to describe Dagenham and the game they found themselves in on Saturday at Central Park on Saturday as they were toppled by league leaders Maldon, in a contest that they really should have won.
Dagenhams squad was reorganised again this week. The D's saw a welcome return to the squad for the Roberts brothers, Steve Tucker and Bill Nelson, while Stewart Ali made his first appearance from the bench for over three years. On the flip side they lost Louis Stevens, Kieran Clancy and Geraint Hill to injury. However, the mood was fantastic before the game, the preparation was highly professional, and the first forty minutes were as good as anything that has been produced in the last two seasons. The forwards were utterley dominant, hammering the Maldon scrum, and efficient at the lineout, great with ball in hand and the backs looked slick, dangerous and full of tries. Debutant full back Alex Irvine, who had a fine game, started the scoring with a good finish after a period of pressure in the Maldon 22. the score was unconverted but the home side continued to build the pressure, and soon added another score, Paul Roberts who was a constant menace throughout the afternoon made an initial burst before offloading to brother James who sped home beneath the sticks. West Calverley added the extras and soon after Simon Argent who also was in great form, picked a trademark superb line through the centre and raced round the defence to score. Again Calverley added the conversion, and the home side found themselves 19-0 in front. Maldon were hardly in the contest but they ground their way back and managed to nick a score before the break. Their lively scrum half who had a fine game chipped over the D's defense and the bounce of the ball favoured him and was able to touch down, the conversion was sweetly struck and the score at the break was left at 19-7.
The second half was a nightmare experience for the home side. Maldon should be given enormous credit for grinding their way back into the contest, showing why they are the league leaders, but Dagenham were their own worst enemies. The little errors started creeping back into their game and the play became very ragged. There have been far worse performances than this, but they were just unable to close out the game despite still having plenty of ball. Maldon grabbed another score midway through the half and at 19-12 they could sense a way back. Plenty of effort came from the home side but they were just not clinical enough to put the game beyond reach and when Maldon levelled the game up with five minutes to play, the home support were left thinking sureley not? Unfortunately that was just the case as Maldon sneaked another converted try and the game was won.
This was a massively disappointing day for the D's. they got themselves into a brilliant position by playing some outstanding rugby, and should have pressed on to win. Maldon showed character and talent to fight back and must be congratulated for doing so. For the D's, there is plenty of time to put things right. They are playing sublime rugby at times and if they learn the lessons of the last two defeats, they can still be successful this year.
27th October 2007
Bancroft 10 - 13 Dagenham RUFC
Away Essex League One
A Perry Lock try and eight points from the reliable boot of West Calverley were just about enough for Dagenham to edge past a vastly improved, well organised and talented Bancroft side on Saturday.
With the Roberts brothers missing, and Steve Tucker, Bill Nelson and Bill Worthington still sidelined with injury, Dagenham were forced to reshuffle their troops again, but still looked very strong. In good conditions and on a perfect playing surface Dagenham prepared well and were looking to shrug off the massive disappointment of last week. The game started well for them, good phase play and field position led to a Bancroft infringement in front of the posts and up stepped Calverley to slot home the penalty. Bancroft came back hard and Dagenham stood back a little but the home side ran hard and showed great support play and hands to produce a converted score. This gave them some momentum and more pressure saw Dagenham penalised at a ruck and the home kicker bisected the uprights for a 10-3 lead. The visiotrs realised they were in a real contest and they rolled their sleeves up and came back hard. They showed huge effort and determination, but maybe tried to force play too much often leading to an unforced error or conceding a needless penalty. Credit also to the home defence who remained solid throughout the first period. The visitors were able to add a further Calverley penalty before the break but went in 10-6 in arrears and with much work to do.
The start of the second period brought more Dagenham attacking but still with the same small errors that were in attendance in the first half. They remained patient however and eventually a superb line break by man of the moment Calverley breached several tackles before offloading to the supporting Perry Lock who had too much gas for the covering defence and dotted down between the posts. Calverley completed the job with the conversion and the visitors held the lead for the first time. The D's then had a good period of territory and posession but always seemed one pass away from closing the game. Bancroft had a good period of pressure at the end of the game, camped in the left hand corner of the D's half, but the Central Park men showed great character to repel all efforts to breach their line and were able to finally clear their lines to the welcome sound of the final whistle.
This was a hard fought win against a Bancroft side that are clearly well coached and with a nucleous of excellent young players. The D's were scruffy at times and must cut out the little errors in their game, but, despite this, that is their 3rd away win on the trot against a team who will win far more than they lose this year. Dagenham showed great character and composure to close out the win, gaining the type of victory that is going to be very important this season.
Next weekend is a real test, with early season pace setters Maldon visiting Central Park. the kick off is 2:30pm and all support is welcome.
20th October 2007
Dagenham RUFC 15 - 17 Ilford Wanderers
Home Essex League One
Dagenham's excellent start to the season ended in massive disappointment at Central Park on Saturday as an in-form Ilford side took the spoils in an entertaining game on Saturday. While taking nothing away from the visitors, who were very well organised and committed on the day, the home side will feel they gifted them 3 very sloppy tries. The D's were forced into four changes late in the week, but still had a very strong and well balanced side.
In perfect conditions, the early exchanges were evenly contested and the first score did not come till midway through the first half, when one of many wayward Dagenham kicks was returned with interest by the lively Wanderers full back. A quick return pass was executed and he was able to finish behind the posts for an easy seven pointer. The hosts hit back immediately. Great pressure from the kick off saw Ilford concede a penalty. Dagenham kicked to the corner and a superbly executed catch and drive saw James Griffiths go over in the corner. The conversion fell short, but the score allowed the home side to get into the groove and more pressure saw another penalty awarded in a central position, allowing West Calverley to step up and give the D's a slim one point advantage at the break.
With the visitors temporarily reduced to 14 men, the D's were looking to keep the momentum going at the start of the second half, but Ilford had other ideas, and despite being at a numerical disadvantage they came out fired up and this seemed to unsettle the home side. It wasnt long before they regained the lead. Dagenham took a mark inside their own 22, but instead of playing for safety, looked to move the ball wide. Some of their back play this season has been outstanding, but this was a high risk strategy and unfortunately they came unstuck as they conceded a penalty and Ilford were able to push the ball into the corner and execute a catch and drive try of their own. Yet again Dagenham played themselves back into the game. Finally they put some phases together and worked the ball to the right wing for debutant Neil Covell to finish expertly. Calverley slotted a superb conversion and the D's seemed to have their tails up at 15-12. For the next few minutes they played sensibel rugby and with under ten minutes to go, it looked like they may hang on for victory. The visitors had other ideas though. With the Ilford pack in ascendancy after Dagenham's eight starting the stronger, a succession of drives in the left hand corner finally saw the Ilford skipper squeeze over to score. Two minutes remained on the clock but Dagenham could find no way back.
The final whistle went to delight for the visitors and heartbreak for the home side. Ilford played a very well structured game and were good value for their win' Dagenham, however, must learn how to win ugly, and must eliminate the unecessary mistakes from their game quickly. The spirit in the squad is excellent and with five or six players due to return to the squad in the next couple of weeks, the Central Park men will be looking to quickly forget this performance.
13th October 2007
Dagenham RUFC 30 - 10 Gillingham Anchorians
Home EDF Energy Junior Vase 3rd Round
Dagenham made it into round 4 of the EDF Vase with a high quality win against a very well organised and competitive Gillingham side on Saturday. The weeks break had clearly added to the hunger of the Central Park side and with good preparation, they took to the field in determined fashion. The early exhanges saw Dagenham camped in the visitors 22, but could find no way through some very solid defending. The forwards competed superbly at the contact area and were again excellent in the scrummage, while the backs looked slick with ball in hand. The home side took the lead when West Calverley slotted a straight forward penalty. That seemed to calm the home side down a little, who, despite their territorial advantage had been slightly guilty of forcing the play upto this point. Shortly after, they touched down their first try of the afternoon, Simon Argent finishing powerfully after great work from his centre partner Paul Roberts. Calverley added the extras as the D's opened up a 10 point lead. The cushion lasted all of 30 seconds. Confusion from the restart allowed Gillingham to pounce and from a penalty they nudged the ball into the corner and barged their way over the line courtesy of an excellent driving maul, which they used to good effect several times during the match. The conversion was added, and the rest of the first period elapsed with no further score but plenty of action, as the contest developed into a highly charged cup tie.
The D's had the upper hand at the start of the second period, and finally managed to stretch their lead when Paul Roberts powered his way over out wide. The conversion fell just short, but West Calverley added another penalty moments later, which was quickly cancelled out by his opposite number to leave the score at 18-10. Gillingham then enjoyed their best spell of the match, with a succession of drives at the D's line, but massive defense from the Central Park men shut the door on the Kent sides attacks. After weathering the storm the D's came back to finish the game very strongly with two well worked tries from Jordan Wigham and Perry Lock, with Calverley adding a further conversion to take the final score to 30-10 and book Dagenham their place in round 4.
This was another impressive showing from the D's against a very well established team at this level. Gillingham must be congratulated for their part in an absorbing game for the spectators. Next up for Dagenham is the visit next weekend of unbeaten Ilford Wanderers, who have been in excellent early season form.
29th September 2007
East London 20 - 58 Dagenham RUFC
Away Essex League One
Dagenham made it two wins from two tough away games on Saturday, with their first ever away victory at East London.
Fridays heavy rain had cleared and despite a slight breeze, conditions were excellent for a fast, free flowing game. Dagenham made four enforced changes from the team that defeated Writtle two weeks ago, but took to the field well prepared and in confident mood.
The Central Park men received an early wake up call, when some sloppy play allowed East London to move the ball wide for an uncoverted score. This probably did the trick as the D's then produced some outstanding rugby at times for the remainder of the half. A firmly struck West Calverley penalty brought them back within two points and that seemed to settle the visitors down. From here they built solidly and ran in some fantastic scores. Full back Chris Carpenter who had a tremendous afternoon bagged a brace whilst the returning Perry Lock and Neil Davis also crossed. Calverley added three conversions to leave the half time score at 29-5.
In truth, the half-time break probably came at the wrong moment for the visitors, who were really in full flow at this point, but that is no excuse for the shambolic twenty minutes that followed. The second period actually started well for the D's, scrum half Louis Stevens provided excellent support to another clean break to touch down. With Calverley adding the kick to take the score to 36-5 it looked as though Dagenham were set to rack up a large score. To their credit, East London had other ideas and came back very hard. In a short space of time they benefitted from Dagenham indiscipline, poor kicking and weak tackling to the tune of 15 points, and all of a sudden the game had a very different look about it. Fortunatley for the visitors, they regained the control they enjoyed in the latter part of the first half, went back to basics and managed to run in four more tries courtesy of Phil Crawley (2), James Roberts and Neil Davis who completed his brace and put the gloss on an overall excellent victory.
Dagenham will be thrilled with this result. There was much to be pleased about with the performance. The forwards utterley dominated in the set piece, while the running lines of the backs and some of the offloading were sublime. There is still much rust to be shed, but this is a terrific result against a team who are very difficult to beat on their own patch.
Tries: Chris Carpenter (2), Neil Davis (2), Phil Crawley (2), Perry Lock, Louis Stevens, James Roberts Conversions: West Calverley (5) Penalty: West Calverley
15th September 2007
Writtle Wanderers 0 - 31 Dagenham
Away Essex League One
Dagenham took on old rivals Writtle in their first League game of the season in glorious sunshine at Fox Burrows Lane on Saturday.
The Central Park men are still a handful of players short of their full squad, but the eighteen men assembled for Saturdays encounter were as strong unit as they have had at their disposal for some time, so the D's went into the game full of heart after an excellent pre-season.
Playing slightly into the elements in the first half, the visitors had to battle manfully against an experienced and technically excellent Writtle pack. The forwards worked hard to secure quality ball and the backs looked menacing, but too often, over eagerness denied them when a scoring opportunity arose. However, the D's did manage to breach the home side twice in the first period, with scores from Paul Roberts and Kieran Clancy. Clancy's effort converted by West Calverley to give the visitors a handy 12-0 half time lead.
Despite enjoying most of the territorial advantage at the start of the second period, the D's were again a little wasteful with posession, often trying to force the play. When they settled down and played basic rugby they looked very sharp and dangerous. Writtle continued to defend aggressively and their forwards put in a superhuman effort at the breakdown to ensure Dagenham had to work extra hard to secure clean ball. As the half wore on though, the D's manged to find some gaps in the defence and run in 3 further scores from James Roberts, Clancy and Calverley. Calverley also slotted two more conversions in what was an excellent afternoons work from the Dagenham vice skipper.
The D's were delighted with the win, Writtle are one of the top sides in the division and to get a win there first up is a big effort. If you were to be ultra critical, you could accuse the visitors of not being clinical enough at times, but on the whole a very pleasing start to the campaign