D & R 3 Imps 0 Leaves Daggers Drawn

Peter Jackson has started his key week in train crash fashion with a hammering at the hands of a Dagenham side that could have and should have had 5 or 6. We were totally outthought and outfought in the engine room and the inevitable lack of possession led to John Stills team totally dominating. Kerr and Butcher were not surprisingly missing in action and Oakes was given nothing as ex Imp Gain ruled supreme. Defence aside, we have little or no guidance, nor any inspiration from the older players. How can the youngsters bounce back from this? We have no rudder and a penchant for ugly ball that should not be shown before 10 p.m at night.

Hats off to Dagenham who at least play attacking football. They have the height, the pace and the power if not the panache from a purist perspective. It is however functional, particularly if the other side let you have the second ball. Fourteen minutes in the inevitable first arrived when Kerr (a cock up waiting to happen considering he has had three days training after injury) and Clarke got it wrong and Jon Nurse finished with aplomb. Benson then missed from 3 yards to allow the gaffer to at least turn around a first half horror show. He didn`t as Hutchinson replaced Jamie Clarke and got the same service – zilch.

Second half we huffed and puffed a little before Danny Green curled a peach into the top corner in the 57th minute. We then fell apart at a set piece when Arber headed downward and Nurse put it between Burch`s legs for his brace. They then hit the bar twice and Gain was unlucky with a glorious long-range drive. The Imps sit 17th, thanks to Bury being hammered by Rochdale and Maccs losing to the Cheats. Forget poor luck as we deserve even lower, for both Barnet and Bradford must have felt robbed in reality.

Jacko at the end suggested it would be a long tough season commenting that the board have backed him and that we have to make do with what we have. If that is true then where is the money, where is the ambition and where is the hope? This is our 125th anniversary, yet we are lumbered with our lot and a manager who has no ability to change the personnel even if he knew how. With bottom placed Darlo earning their first point of the season our two games in 5 days will fill us with woe and ominously our young side with fear. Saturday will see 2500 Imps and Darlo seal the fate of the Lord of The Imps.