The Daggers enter the Johnstone's Paint Trophy first round at the home of Charlton Athletic, the Valley, a ground they'll be visiting again in the Npower League One within the next month. This was one of the toughest draws the Daggers could have been given, which got a whole lot tougher when the Daggers faithful's worst fears were confirmed, when fans favourite and talisman, Paul Benson, made the move to South London. He made the move in time to be involved in this fixture, but whether he is or not is a whole different question. The Addicks certainly go into this game with the better form on paper, seven points collected so far in the league, with the Daggers only collecting the one point, in Saturdays 2-2 home draw with Tranmere Rovers, with both sides knocked out in the first round of the Carling Cup. But, the Daggers points collection doesn't tell the full story, some very tight games and good performances breeds optimism. The big question to be answered now is how will the Daggers get on minus Paul Benson? Tonight's game could give us some indication.
Follow all the live action from today's game here on the Daggers Clockwatch.
Starting Line-Ups:
Daggers (4-4-2) - Chris Lewington, Abu Ogogo, Will Antwi, Mark Arber (Captain), Gareth Gwillim, Danny Green, Romain Vincelot, Peter Gain, Damian Scannell, Jon Nurse, Josh Scott
Subs: Tony Roberts, Scott Doe, Darren Currie, Graeme Montgomery, Billy Bingham
Addicks (4-4-2) - Ross Worner, Simon Francis, Miguel Llera, Christian Dailly (Captain), Matt Fry, Scott Wagstaff, Therry Racon, Jose Semedo, Lee Martin, Paul Benson, Akpo Sodje
Subs: Conor Gough (GK), Gary Doherty, Alan McCormack, Kyel Reid, Pawel Abbott
Referee: P. Miller
Pre Match - Well, well, well...the big news from the Valley is Paul Benson STARTS for Charlton in this one, just a day after making the move to South London. Such a short time ago in fact, that the programme still has Benson as one of the Daggers "Danger Men" and as a Daggers player on the back of the programme. As for the Daggers themselves, five changes from the side that drew 2-2 with Tranmere Rovers on Saturday. Chris Lewington, Will Antwi, Gareth Gwillim, Jon Nurse & Damian Scannell all come into the team replacing, Tony Roberts, Scott Doe, Damien McCrory, Stuart Lewis & of course Paul Benson. Lewington & Gwillim making their competetive debuts, Scannell making his first start for the club, Antwi making his first appearence of the season. All like-for-like changes, the only question to be answered is whether Scannell or Nurse will start upfront and which will start on the left handside of midfield. With Charlton making four changes themselves, Gary Doherty, Alan McCormack, Kyel Reid & Johnnie Jackson drop out of the starting 11 replaced by Miguel Llera, Therry Racon, Akpo Sodje & Paul Benson. I feel neither sides line-up the way we'll see them lining up in the league just under a month from now.
Kick-Off 19.45
2 mins - Nervy moment for Will Antwi making his first start of the season. Misjudging a high ball that he attempts to nod back to Chirs Lewington, but under pressure from Akpo Sodje he under hits it and Lewington has to be alive to the danger to claim.
3 mins - First real chance of the game. A Daggers attack breaks down and Scott Wagstaff gains momentum down the left, with Abu Ogogo out of position the youngster cuts inside and strikes for goal but it's just wide of Lewington's near-post.
4 mins - Damian Scannell shows what he's capable of with a pacey run down the left and strike across goal, which Ross Worner in the Addicks goal palms away and Danny Green's attempted follow-up into an empty net is charged down well.
8 mins - Good ball in by Green from the right is touched into Nurse's path by Scott. The Barbados frontman lets the ball run across his body and then strikes for goal but it's well blocked by Matt Fry and behind for a corner.
9 mins - A cross is only half-headed clear and Scannell meets the ball on the volley from the edge of the box which has Worner worried, but it just lands on the roof of his goal.
10 mins - A moment that everyone had been waiting for, Paul Benson breaks clear after some poor defending and strikes at goal but a good save by Lewington to tip it over the crossbar prevents him from getting his first goal of the 2010/11 season.
12 mins - Benson breaks free again on the right handside of the penalty area but Lewington is down well to smother at his feet and claim the ball.
14 mins - Antwi has all the time in the world to control a hopeful looking ball forward, with no Charlton player within 10 yards, but he inexcplicaby handles the ball with his second touch and gives away a free-kick in a dangerous position 25 yards out. It comes to nothing as Simon Francis drives the ball straight into the wall.
19 mins - What a save by Lewington! It was that man Benson latching onto a Martin pull-back on the edge of the six-yard box and striking for goal, with Lewington making a sprawling save with his legs, Sodje was offside as he headed for goal from the rebound.
22 mins - Josh Scott charges down a poor defensive clearence from Miguel Llera but that ball ricochets away from the former Hayes & Yeading frontman, saving Llera's blushes.
39 mins -I haven't fallen asleep, there's just been no real action to report. The game's being played at a high tempo but not clear cut chances are being created by either side.
41 mins - Good defending by Scannell, taking the ball off Martin by the Corner flag and showing some neat footwork to backheel to Gwillim who clears long.
43 mins - Sloppy play by Green almost has the Daggers in trouble. He plays the ball into midfield without looking, with no-one there the Addicks break and Martin breaks through two challenges and hits an effort at goal from distance, which thankfully for the Daggers is a few yards over Lewington's crossbar.
45 mins - Worner's poor clearence finds Scannell 25 yards out with an empty net to aim at, but the former Southend man dallies on the ball and heads for the corner, the move comes to nothing.
47 mins - Right on half-time Antwi goes up for a header with Sodje, which the striker ducks out the way of, as Antwi goes over the top of him he falls awkwardly and is helped off the field by the Daggers phsyio.
Half-Time: Charlton Athletic 0 Dagenham & Redbridge 0. A fairly even first half which has been played at a high tempo but without any real clear-cut chances. Benson has got himself into some good positions on his Addicks debut and if the chances keep coming I'm sure he'll score a few goals for the club in League One.
51 mins - Good in-swinging cross from the left from Gwillim just evades the head of a Dagger and is away to safety.
55 mins - First booking of the evening. Ogogo's challenge on Wagstaff is mis-timed rather than malicious and the referee awards the former Arsenal youngster a yellow card.
57 mins - GOAL!!! The goal was kept patiently by Charlton until it came RACON just inside the penalty box and he spins to hit a low shot which strikes Lewington's right post but nestles into the bottom corner. Charlton Athletic 1 Dagenham & Redbridge 0.
59 mins - DISALLOWED GOAL!!! Fry's cross from the left right-footed is met by Benson who heads for goal, Lewington makes another fantastic save with Sodje on-hand to tap the rebound into the empty net, but the linesman's flag is up.
63 mins - Not for the first time in his career and I'm sure not for the last, Gain talks himself into the referee's notebook. The Daggers second booking of the evening.
65 mins - Scott takes a touch and turns on te edge of the box to hit an optimistic half volley which is high and wide of Worner's goal.
67 mins - SUBSTITUTION: It's the first change of the night for the Addicks. Akpo Sodje who went down a few minutes ago clutching his left side, is replaced upfront by Pawel Abbott.
70 mins - Martin does well to skip away from a couple of challenges and create a shooting opportunity for himself to strike for goal from all of 25 yards but its a yard or so wide of Lewington's right post.
72 mins - SUBSTITUTION: Daggers first change of the night. It's a straight swap as Damien Scannell comes off to be replaced by Graeme Montgomery. Scannell looked lively in the first half but is clearly lacking macth fitness and has barely been in the game second half.
76 mins - A cross into the area evades everyone, but strikes Benson, yet again Lewington is equal to it to get down low and make the save.
77 mins - Green is the third player in a green shirt to go into the referee's notebook. The referee didn't see it but the linesman is alleging an elbow and Green goes into the book for it.
78 mins - SUBSTITUTION: Second change for the Daggers. Darren Currie comes on to replace Danny Green on the right of midfield. A precaution following Green's yellow card moments ago I'm sure.
82 mins - Long ball forward from Dailly has the Daggers backline static and calling for offside but Abbot had made the run from deep and is on. It's 2-on-1 in middle but Abbot's ball in is poor and the Daggers clear the danger.
84 mins - SUBSTITUTION: Charlton's best player on the night by far, Lee Martin, if replaced on the right of midfield by former West Ham youngster, Kyel Reid.
86 mins - SUBSTITUTION: Third and final substitution. Jose Semedo goes off to be replace by ex-Southend midfielder Alan McCormack.
88 mins - Benson's in on goal not for the first time tonight, the ball bounces as he strikes it on the slide but Gwillim comes across and makes a fantastic last-ditch block.
Injury Time: 4 minutes.
90 mins - Ironic cheers as the Daggers are awarded a free-kick on the right, but it comes to nothing.
92 mins - The closest the Daggers have come to scoring. Currie sends the defender one way, then the other, before putting in a tastey looking shot which Nurse flicks goalwards at the nearpost. Worner palms away and pounces on it at the second attempt with Scott in close proximity.
Full Time - Charlton Athletic 1 Dagenham & Redbridge 0
Post Match - The Daggers won't be disheartened by this defeat in the slightest. A make-shift 11 which was made up of several squad players, more than matched a very experienced Charlton team throughout the 90 minutes. The stand-out performer was Chirs Lewington in goal who made a fantastic account of himself in his first game in professional football. Paul Benson will be missed and looked dangerous throughout but the Daggers will go into Saturday's game at home to local rivals Leyton Orient on a high with several first team players returning I'm sure.
Attendance: 4,630
