fbpx
Connect with us

Dagenham & Redbridge

Rob Elliot gives his reaction to Gateshead’s shock 7-1 defeat away at Dagenham

Manager Rob Elliot gives his reaction to Gateshead’s shock 7-1 defeat away at Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday evening.

The Heed Army’s unbeaten start to the National League season was ended as the overnight leaders just couldn’t handle a empathetic display from the Daggers.

There were two goals each for on-loan Luton midfielder Dion Pereira, Junior Morais and Josh Rees, with Josh Umerah also getting on the scoresheet.

An own goal from Paul Kalambayi was the only consolation for Gateshead.

Goals
Dagenham 1-0 Gateshead – D. Pereira (4′)
Dagenham 2-0 Gateshead – J. Rees (16′)
Dagenham 2-1 Gateshead – P. Kalambayi (31′ og)
Dagenham 3-1 Gateshead – J. Morias (64′, 72′)
Dagenham 4-1 Gateshead – D. Pereira (70′ pen)
Dagenham 5-1 Gateshead – J. Morias (72′)
Dagenham 6-1 Gateshead – J. Umerah (76′)
Dagenham 7-1 Gateshead – J. Rees (90’+8)

Interviewer: Rob, obviously a difficult score line for you to take at Dagenham today. How do you sort of assess that, really, from your point of view?

Rob: No complaints. We got to defend better in moments, especially when the ball come in our box and in transition moments as well. We knew that, you know, Pereira, like, they like to come inside, get their shots off. So the two things, you know, we probably needed to negate, we didn’t. And then we give players with their quality and obviously their physicality in the box. We didn’t deal with it and, you know, it’s a humbling experience for us. We have to take it on the chin and we have to really look at it and see that for all the good football that we play, there is a downside. And if we don’t do the defensive stuff or If we don’t play well enough, we don’t get the lockup right, we don’t do the little things that, you know, the little professional things, you know, in terms of the swinging round, the marking, getting contact from corners, etc. You can be punished and you get punished the most brutal way and, you know. Yeah, there’s not much else to say other than we have to accept that and we have to look at it and we have to go again. You know, I’m not going to criticise the lads too much. Hopefully we had to be better tonight and we had to be better in the big moments and there was big moments when the goals come. But it’s a really harsh lesson to be learned and I suppose the only challenge I’ve got for the lads is will they learn it? You know, that’s the harshest way to learn. I’ve been there myself as a player, comes down to now desire, and we’re never going to come away from the way we play, but doing the other side of the game is something we need to improve on. We’ve had a few scares recently against Barnet and against Eastleigh, which we was lucky to get away with. But tonight we got punished and we need to accept that.

Interviewer: I know you mentioned the defensive side. There was a bit of ruthlessness in an attack intent as well. Obviously. Dagenham scoring seven, but yourselves scoring the one still had a few chances up the other end. Even if you had scored a few more, it might make the scoreline a little closer. But obviously still, that defensive side is going to kind of outweigh that a little bit as well.

Rob: Yeah, of course. I mean, I watched the game back and I’ll see, I thought we probably dominated, most of the players. We always do. I thought we probably created more chances, ironically, in this game than we have done in the last two or three, which is. Yeah, when you actually look at It. But one, we’ve got to be more clinical to make sure that the score line stays tighter, but two, we can’t allow teams to go three, four, five, even at four, five, we’ve got to learn. We’ve never been in that situation before. A lot of young lads as well, and we’ve got to be able to manage the game better, to be able to stay at 3-1 or 4-1, to stay in the game and not let it get out of control. I mean, credit to the boys and the fact they kept playing, they kept probing, they kept creating opportunities. But probably through a little bit of naivety and not managing the game, we changed the shape a little bit to try and stem the tide. But even the goal at the end, you know, 30 seconds left, just do the simple thing, throw it down the line, block it off, don’t let them counter. And we can see that it really hurts, you know, it hurts anyway, being six, but seven and, yeah, all I can say is it’s probably the harshest lesson for us all to learn, myself included. The buck stops for me, I’m the one who takes the most responsibility. But I think it’s a good lesson for all of us to take on board and we’ve got to look forward to what’s going to be a really tough game on Saturday, but sort of the perfect game to respond to.

Interviewer: Yeah, I mean, you mentioned it being a situation that a lot of the boys, especially the ones who’ve been here for a while, haven’t really experienced before. How important now, I suppose, is the response that.

Rob: Yeah, it’s not just football, It’s life. You know, these things happen. You’ve been unbeaten all season, then you lose everyone. That’s the best thing about it, is it not only teaches you loads as a footballer, but it teaches you loads as a person and a human being. And, yeah, I think. I think the lessons from this will be more important longer term than maybe the last six or seven, not wins, but wins and draws and not being defeated. I think we’ll take more from tonight than we will do those games. So, yeah, we don’t ever want to think it’s acceptable to lose by that score line, and I don’t want to ever see it happen again, but the reality is it is happening. We have to understand why, and we have to look at ourselves, honestly, really look into it and understand that, you know, give credit to Dagenham 100%, but also for myself, how can we be better to stop that and then make sure that we. Make sure that we have a response.

Interviewer: Yeah. And i mean, I mentioned supporters at the end. I think if I ever heard the tannoys, just under 100 there tonight, obviously hurts them as well as yourselves, no doubt. But good to see at the end that obviously the lads still going over, shaking hands, but as well from the supporters end, you know, there wasn’t any sort of negativity or hostility or anything like that. It was all very much a positive sort of display from. From both sides at the end.

Rob: Yeah. I’ve got to say to the fans who come, like. not that they’re lust a credit all the time, but I think it really sums up the club in terms of the fact that we have our heaviest defeat for a long, long time away from home. One of the longest journeys, the late kick off, and then the fans react like that, clap the lads off, shake hands, and I think they understand it wasn’t through lack of effort, it wasn’t through lack of desire, it wasn’t even through playing badly. It was about us not dealing with moments well enough and Dagenham. They were ruthless and they punished us for it, I’ve got to say. Just a massive thank you to the fans. I think that was mentioned in the dressing room. What an amazing club we have In the fact that it’s great supporting Gateshead when things are going well, but it’s about your character and how you support a club when things are tougher. It’s only one defeat. Let’s not get too high or too low and get carried away because of the manner of the defeat. Sometimes it hurts more than it hurts more than it normally does, but to have fans clap you off and shake hands and tell you that the comments and the words of support, that’s what makes this place special. And, yeah, it’s definitely something that I’m really proud of, to say, proud of the fans, proud of the club tonight, in a weird way, even after a defeat, I think it highlights the club and it was mentioned a few times by Dagenham staff and supporters. So, yeah, thank you to the fans. I appreciate that It’s a tough night for the club, but it just shows the club’s more about. There’s a lot more to this club than just one result on a weekend.

Here’s how fans reacted as Rob Elliot gives his reaction to Gateshead’s shock 7-1 defeat away at Dagenham…

@TheDB30: Defeats putting it lightly. Everyone has to take responsibility there. Put in something of a defensive masterclass last week and looked like Scotland there today.

@nathancoulson98: Think we were second best but did well to get back into the game. Pen that wasn’t a pen caused heads to drop and from then on it was a hard watch. Hope we work on defending set pieces as a priority and maybe swap Storey and Tinks around perhaps. Hopefully we bounce back on Sat

@Toonpedro: Wow, we got to take our medicine and except this was a dismal performance, we go again against Forest Green on Saturday and we need a massive performance! I don’t think anybody will be hurting more than the Lads!

@Boyle_Thomas08: Well at least we scored. Oh wait

@mallibou82: Heads up man, it’s just a blip. We’ve been very strong this season so far, fortress international for the next 2 fixtures. Heed army 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻

@CTmazza004: A blip, move on. This squad will bounce back

@AndyTelfer21: Shit happens, only becomes a problem when the same player/players keep dropping the shit. Until then Heeds up and move on

@MickScully7: I’m sure the players & staff will take responsibility for that, but you can count on one hand the number of times they’ve let themselves down since getting promoted, so we move on. To fans saying they should be reimbursed or calling the players, perhaps football isn’t for you.

@JulesCassen: F..k me I had to double take at that result

@callumproud8: We deserve our money back for that shite

@OwenH04: Can I have my £9.99 back please lads absolutely disgraceful that

@RyanBro11591296: When we needed him most we abandoned Harry Moss. Gutted x

@Adams721411:
hahahaha good joke
Now what was the actual score

@Heed_Army: Tough one to take, we didn’t get going with much conviction today. Reset, restart and go again next week #heedarmy

@bluentangerine7: Wow! Gateshead are a class team at this level, imagine the odds you could have got on this!

@Taylor_93ktid: looking at the bigger picture, that’s 1 defeat in 8, not bad

Related Topics
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

More in Dagenham & Redbridge