Following Saturday’s point with Maidenhead, Gary Johnson’s side will head for Victoria Road on Monday to take on Dagenham & Redbridge.
Although United’s chances of making the end of season Play-Offs now look slim, The Gulls will nevertheless be looking to finish their 2021/22 season in strong fashion, beginning with a trip to a Dagenham side who still harbour their own hopes of post-season action.
Who’s the Boss?
Daryl McMahon arrived in January 2020 and has since gone on to oversee steady progress with The Daggers. McMahon’s playing career saw him clock up over 350 appearances for the likes of Leyton Orient, Stevenage, Farnborough, Boreham Wood and Ebbsfleet, along with the briefest of loan spells at Plainmoor thrown in for the good measure.
His managerial career started at Ebbsfleet in April 2015, leading the club to the National League in 2017 via the Play-Offs. After leaving the Fleet he then took charge of Macclesfield in August 2019, but resigned only four months later after the club had financial difficulties.
How have they been doing?
Having begun the season amongst the early pacesetters, Dagenham’s promotion bid has stalled somewhat since, however a recent revival consisting of for wins and two draws – including an astonishing 7-3 Good Friday demolition of Barnet – means McMahon’s men remain handily placed for a Play-Off push with three games remaining, with their 69 points from 41 matches leaving them four short of Chesterfield in the 7th place.
Player to Watch
Joining Dagenham & Redbridge last January, Mo went on to play 13 games for the Club in 2020/21.
Beginning his career at North Greenford United, Sagaf moved on to the Ternana youth set up before returning to UK shores to join Leatherhead for the 2016/17 campaign.
A terrific spell at Waltham Forest the following season prompted a dream move to Ipswich, and although he wasn’t quite able to establish himself in the first-team picture at Portman Road, subsequent stints at Barking and Braintree led to another EFL crack with Carlisle, prior to signing for Daryl McMahon’s men last year.
Played for Both
Former West Ham United youngster Paul McCallum may have not broken into the first-team at Upton Park, however successful loan spells at Wimbledon, Aldershot and Torquay, amongst others, helped the Streatham-born striker hone his predatory skills, prior to establishing himself at Leyton Orient, Eastleigh, and Solihull. After another loan stint at Barnet, a permanent return to the capital followed in August 2020, as he signed a three-year deal with McMahon’s side.
McCallum’s aforementioned stay at Plainmoor may have not come at the best time for The Gulls, who were enduring a taxing 2013/14 campaign, however Paul stood up to the task well, notching three goals in five league matches, and he has continued to prove a prolific striker wherever his travels have taken him, including notching 17 for his current side so far this term.
Previous Encounter
Dagenham 0 – 1 United , 21st December 2013
The two sides have shared a number of entertaining encounters over the past decade or so, with one particularly pleasing memory in the capital for the Yellow Army coming just before Christmas 2013.
On that occasion, it was current Gulls Assistant Manager Aaron Downes who headed the only goal of the game in a somewhat rare 1-0 away day success for Alan Knill’s struggling side. A similar result at the same venue tomorrow would be well received by United’s travelling supporters, and certainly by the Gaffer and Downes on the touchline too!