30thjan05

Baptism of fire for caretaker bosses

FOLLOWING the resignation of Andy Ford earlier last week, caretaker bosses Steve McKimm and defender Paul McCarthy - who both played at Victoria Road - suffered a baptism of fire in their first game in charge, writes Stephen McCartney.

Gravesend & Northfleet - now 14th in the Nationwide Conference table - lost the cross-Thames derby at Dagenham & Redbridge by five goals to nil.

McKimm, who played 54 minutes of the game, told the Non-League Paper: "All the players knew what was expected from them today.

"We started brightly but it was Dagenham's second goal in the first half stoppage time that was the killer and really knocked the stuffing out of us.

"Their third goal ended the game just when we seemed to be getting back into it.

"From that point it was a question of damage limitation."

Meanwhile, Gravesend travel to the Avavan Longmead Stadium on Tuesday (7:45pm) to play a John Ullmann Kent Senior Cup quarter-final tie with Ryman Premier League strugglers Tonbridge Angels before the Fleet host Histon in a fourth round FA Trophy tie at Stonebridge Road next Saturday (3pm).