From our reporter in the field

So a lack of money and payday looking far too far away all conspired together, meaning I couldn't go down to Bournemouth for the game.


A family christening and a lack of appropriate clothing meant instead of sitting in with a cup of tea and a bacon sandwich, taking in the comedic and journalistic genius of Soccer AM, I had to go into Romford and buy a shirt and tie! Although I have to say I think I looked pretty nifty in my new threads (even if I did look more than a bit like The Undertaker!)

So with respectable threads in the bag I returned home for the game on Daggers Player.


So now over to our reporter in the field. The one, the only JerkFromTheCoach.


Saturday 11th September - AFC Bournemouth - Away
(report by JerkFromTheCoach)


I now find that I travel to most away games. Certain games I feel confident about, others I do not – but this was one game where I figured we would be able to come away with a point.
Sure, it’s worse than 3 points, but far better than the 0 we would get if we lost. Come kick off, it was clear we’d be extremely lucky to walk away with that point.


We all know home games are different to away games, and that generally you cannot play the exact same way. This meant that Darren Currie looked pretty poor again, as the game we played wasn’t as suited to his style of play (largely brought on by his lack of pace, but that’s forgivable at his age of 126 years) as the game we played last week, which was more to feet. Watching the battle between Darren Currie and Lee Bradbury was like watching two sloths drag racing. Superb stuff!


I don’t know why, but we seem to be exceptionally poor away from home – and it’s lasted some time. As far as I am aware, since February when we came from behind to beat Aldershot 3-2, we have won once on our travels (Wembley aside) – and that came at Darlington, the worst team in the history of football, ever.

Back to the game anyway, the fans turned up – I was very impressed at the number in attendance. We were quite vocal throughout even when we looked less likely to come away with anything than an armless thief in a swag bag shop. The team however, didn’t seem to be there.


Bournemouth played a half decent game, but looking at their fans comments online I am less impressed by them than their own fans seem to be. Despite however, both of us losing our main focus of attack in recent weeks (Pitman to them was what Benson was to us after all) it’s Bournemouth who seem to have stepped up their game and are coping better.

38 or so mins in, and we conceded to go 1-0 down when my distant relative Pearce scored. As I was thoroughly pissed off with what I had been watching up to that point, I decided that it was time to head downstairs to the bar area and have a think about things over a plastic tub of overpriced and poor quality Australian beer. Whilst down there, goal number two went in – watching the goals on the TV later that evening it’d appear to be the fault of Danny Green and a lack of concentration. The first half ended with us being 2-0 down. More beer was consumed, jokes were shared, and shutters were….shut, and then it was time to head out for the second half.

The second half started much in the same way as the first had ended. We didn’t particularly look like we were going to score until Jon Nurse was introduced. I found the partnership of Tomlin and Scott to be rather lazy. I am not known for being a massive fan of Josh Scott, and Tomlin needs to learn to chase the ball more. Another thing I find frustrating, and I’m sorry to say it because I love Peter Gain, is that when he loses the ball, rather than work to get it back he looks around and shouts at people. We almost came unstuck at one point because of that too. With regard to the second half, the entertainment of the first half had gone (there was a drunk rolling around on the floor cheering behind the temporary stand - I know I didn’t mention it until now, but it’s started to come back to me as one of the highlights of the day the more I think of it) and I was left to watch what remained of what was obviously going to be a defeat. We didn’t look like scoring, Bournemouth did, and as soon as they hit a third I did what I very seldom do and left early to go to the pub. I'll still follow you everywhere Dagenham, and I’ll be behind you 100% of the way - but can we please start picking up some points on our travels?


JerkFromTheCoach



Well I think that sums it up pretty well and sitting at home listening to the game was probably less entertaining.


After this game I came to a conclusion: I would rather be at a losing away game than listening to one. The reason I say this is at home you feel powerless, you cries of despair can't be heard on the pitch. As a travelling fan I tend to shoulder some of the burden of a loss but at home on my own a loss just slaps around the face and pulls the rug from my feet.


So yeah, I’m gonna try to get to the next away game!


Chin Up Boys!!! (hmmmmm saying that a lot this season)
COME ON YOU DAGGERS!!!! And that's an order!


FxMxD
On a side note I managed to enter a church without being struck down by the lord for owning Slayer albums!


Next - MrsMetalDagger's west-country cousins come to Essex for a family feud decided over a game of football!!