DAGENHAM & Redbridge will find themselves in familiar territory when they travel to face Darlington this Saturday.
Familiar because at exactly the same stage last season, the team needed a result to earn a place in the League Two play-offs. That day Shrewsbury Town wrestled seventh place from the Daggers with a victory at Victoria Road.
The scenario remains the same this year, but such bad memories will be tempered with better ones, for at the same venue in 2008, the team produced an incredible fightback to overhaul a two-goal lead and secure their Football League safety.
Both were pivotal days in Dagenham’s history, and this week will be no different.
Super sub Graeme Montgomery is developing a handy habit of scoring vital late goals for John Still’s men. He struck in the dying seconds two weeks ago to secure a 2-1 win over Burton Albion, and he rose from the bench once again against Hereford United on Saturday to deliver another crucial blow which sets up an almighty crescendo on the final day of the season at the Darlington Arena.
Striker Paul Benson, who got the Daggers off the mark at the weekend with his 17th league goal of the season, revealed he would be drawing on the memory of that famous day two years ago when the team line up for what is arguably the biggest game in their history.
“I’ve got great memories of Darlington, the year we stayed up, and hopefully we can top that, go one better and make the play-offs,” said Benson.
Dagenham were not at the races for large parts against Hereford. Indeed, Benson’s 35th minute opener came very much against the run of play. He beat the offside trap to fire home, although the ball hung in the air for what seemed like an eternity before bulging the net as Bulls keeper Adam Bartlett got a hand to the effort.
Hereford’s French frontman Mathieu Manset was a constant threat for the visitors, and his good work enabled Gavin McCallum to be released down the right. He squared for Mark Pugh to tap in at the back post.
Both sides went for the win, but it took a moment of magic to secure it.
Bartlett’s weak punch fell for Montgomery on the edge of the box, whose first-time volley dipped under the crossbar to trigger scenes of jubilation around Victoria Road.
“It was a massive relief when Monty scored,” said Benson. “When you think you’ve battled for 44 games and put your heart and soul into every one and it comes down to the last minute of a game, for Monty to pop up again, I’m over the moon for him.”
After the game skipper Mark Arber was announced as the Daggers’ player of the year, and he admitted that, as one of the team’s most experienced players, the task would fall to him to lift the troops for Saturday.
“In the dressing room before the (Hereford) game there were a bit of nerves but myself, Robo (keeper Tony Roberts) were trying to gee the boys up,” said Arber. “We’ve been in these positions.
“The young lads are going to have dips in form and it’s up to us older heads to produce the performances that I’d like to think we have done.”
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