TT MATCH PREVIEW – Dagenham & Redbridge (h) by Steve Harris

TT PREVIEW

Steve Harris – @steveharris84

Steve Harris previews the game at Plainmoor

TORQUAY UNITED VS DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE

Venue: Plainmoor

Date: Saturday 25^th March 2023

Kick-off: 3pm

CURRENT FORM

Torquay: L, L, D, L, L, D

Dagenham: W, L, L, W, L, D

TOP SCORERS

Torquay: Aaron Jarvis (13)

Dagenham: Inih Effiong (21) – 17 for Aldershot

HEAD TO HEAD

Torquay: 6

Draw: 7

Dagenham: 7

Kieffer Moore strikes for the Gulls

DAGENHAM FACTFILE

Year founded: 1992

Nickname: The Daggers

Last season’s league finish: 8^th in National League

Dagenham notable honours:

Conference/Blue Square Premier/National League

Winners 2006-07

Isthmian League Premier Division:

Winners 1999-00

MANAGER: BEN STREVENS

Ben Strevens was recently appointed as manager of Dagenham and Redbridge following the departure of Darryl McMahon.

After being appointed as Eastleigh manager in November 2018, following a spell as caretaker manager, Strevens guided the Spitfires into the National League play-offs where they were beaten by Salford City at the semi-final stage in the 2018-19 campaign and left the Silverlake Stadium in February 2022.

As a player, Strevens appeared for the Daggers in a career that saw him make his name as an attacking midfielder with Barnet and he also enjoyed spells with Crawley Town, Brentford, Wycombe Wanderers and Gillingham amongst others. He also had two playing stint with Eastleigh between 2013 and 2016 and 2016 to 2018 before serving as player-assistant manager under Chris Todd and Richard Hill prior to his appointment as Spitfires boss.

PLAYER TO WATCH: INIH EFFIONG

An experienced player at National League level, Inih Effiong joined the Daggers for an undisclosed fee in February 2023 from Aldershot Town after a prolific spell for the Shots. The 31-year-old also has experience of playing in League Two during a spell at Stevenage and he also appeared in the Scottish Premier League with Ross County.

He has found the back of the net four times in nine appearances for the Daggers since his move.

EFFIONG STATS:

Position: Striker

Date of Birth: 2nd March 1991 – 32 years-old

Place of Birth: Brent

Height: 1.93m

Former Clubs: St Albans, Boreham, Hitchin, Chesham, Hayes, Dunstable, Biggleswade, Barrow, Woking, Ross County, Dover, Stevenage, Barnet, Notts County, Aldershot

NL Stats 22-23: Played 39, Goals 18, Yellow/Red Cards 3/0

OLD BOYS

Torquay: None

Dagenham: None

LAST MEETING

Dagenham 0-1 Torquay United

Saturday 3rd December 2022

Torquay moved off the bottom of the National League with a 1-0 win at Dagenham.

Will Goodwin’s strike just before the break was enough to give the Gulls just their fourth league win of the season and leaves them three points from safety.

Goodwin bundled in four minutes before half-time when Dillon De Silva’s effort was saved.

George Saunders and Jay Bird hit the woodwork for the hosts, with Kieron Evans also striking the crossbar for Torquay in the second half.