Beckenham Town 0-7 Dagenham & Redbridge - No one wants to get beat seven-nil but the difference in the two sides was massive, admits Beckenham Town assistant manager Billy Walton

Beckenham Town 0 – 7 Dagenham & Redbridge
Location	Eden Park Avenue, Beckenham, Kent BR3 3JL
Kickoff	15/10/2022 15:00

BECKENHAM TOWN  0-7  DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE
The Emirates FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round
Saturday 15 October 2022
Stephen McCartney reports from Eden Park Avenue

BECKENHAM TOWN assistant manager Billy Walton says their seven-goal FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round drubbing at the hands of a ruthless Dagenham & Redbridge was hard to take.

Beckenham Town attracted their largest ever crowd to Eden Park Avenue as 1,661 fans saw Daryl McMahon’s full-time outfit ease their way into the First Round as they dished out Beckenham Town’s heaviest FA Cup defeat.

Jason Huntley’s men kicked off their campaign with a 3-0 win at Horsham YMCA in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round on Saturday 6 August.

Another lower league side in K Sports were beaten here 3-2 in the Preliminary Round before league rivals East Grinstead Town were beaten 3-1 in the replay, after a 2-2 away draw.

Beckenham Town then pulled off a giant-killing act by going to Vanarama National League South side Dartford and coming away with a 2-1 win, before Isthmian League South Central Division side Binfield were beaten 5-3 here in the last round but they were outclassed by Dagenham & Redbridge in their first foray into the last qualifying round.

The Daggers arrived sitting in eleventh-place in the Vanarama National League table with 14 points from their 11 games (scoring 24 but conceding 30 goals) and there were 66 places between the two sides but the gulf in class was very evident immediately as McMahon’s men were a danger out wide.

The hosts went into the game sitting in seventh-place in the Isthmian League South East Division table with 13 points from six games and suffered their first home league defeat for 697 days when VCD Athletic won here 2-1 last weekend.

McMahon kept faith with the same starting eleven that came away from York City with a 1-1 draw in midweek and took only 149 seconds to open the floodgates, with winger Joshua Walker notching his fifth goal of the season.

Former Ebbsfleet United winger Myles Weston, 34, doubled their lead before the part-timers faced a mountain to climb going into the interval when Mohammed Sagaf slotted in the third finishing off a counter-attack.

The onslaught continued during the second half with substitute Omar Mussa placing a fourth into the corner, before striker Paul McCallum scored his fifth and sixth goal of the campaign.

Junior Morias – who made 47 Scottish Premiership appearances for St Mirren between 2019-21 – came off the bench to complete the annihilation.

“Listen, we’re obviously disappointed, no one wants to get beat seven-nil but the difference in the two sides was massive,” admitted Walton.

“It’s a great achievement to get this far, the old cliché, but it is and you’re coming up against a professional team that train every day and are well-organised.

“We just didn’t have the quality in the final third or in other areas of the pitch that could’ve hurt them.  When we did have the chances to get in, we didn’t have that quality to get in and some of the goals that we gave away were quite sloppy where we still didn’t do the right things.

“The first goal in particular after three minutes really, really just knocked us backwards.”

Any hopes of Beckenham Town causing a giant-killing act vanished as Dagenham & Redbridge scored following their first attack.

Centre-half Danny Waldren challenged towering striker McCallum but the ball ran through for Walker, who got in behind Callum Henry, skipped past the advancing goalkeeper Nick Blue and drove his right-footed shot into the far corner of an open goal.

Walton said: “It was a throw deep in their half and they threw it long to the big centre-forward (McCallum).  Danny Waldren actually done well, squeezed him and actually stopped him getting the flick on and Danny also called Callum Henry behind him to come and clear it up and Callum didn’t quite hear him or whatever and they just stood there and the lad ran in behind him and scored.

“It was just a lack of communication all round and it was a terrible start for us and when you’re up against a team like this, the worst thing you want to do is go one-nil down in three minutes but unfortunately after three minutes into the game it was an uphill struggle.”

Dagenham & Redbridge were dominating all over the pitch as Beckenham Town failed to keep hold of the ball and treated the ball like a hot potato.

Matthew Robinson’s long diagonal on the counter-attack released winger Walker and his cut back was half dealt with by the struggling Beckenham defence.

The second phase of the attack saw left-back Samuel Ling slip Weston in behind Brand and Blue smothered the ball low to his left to deny the winger from 12-yards.

Dagenham & Redbridge were to be denied a second goal in the 17^th minute, following their second corner.

If there is a consolation from this game, Beckenham won the corner-count 7-6.

Weston floated the ball in from the right and centre-half Harry Phipps jumped up and steered his free-header against the far post from six-yards out.

“When you play at a level where you’ve got a player that can put the ball in an area where you know it’s going to go and you attack that areas, it’s a massive difference,” added Walton.

“When you deliver a ball into that area and you work on it in training and you turn up on matchday and it gets delivered into that area and the centre-half makes a run into that area and he attacks it, he’s a big guy the centre-half, it’s very hard to stop.”

The Daggers bossed the key midfield battle ground with Lee Hedges, George Goodwin and Nick Curran struggling to make a mark and no one was pressing Phipps, who started many attacks from his central-defensive role.

“I keep saying it, there’s a massive, massive gulf and today on our pitch and these conditions, they’ve absolutely opened us up. I don’t think there was an awful lot we could do for most of it,” admitted Walton.

“We’re not going to come up against players like that in our league and also what we talked about was keeping possession of the ball when we got it, no we couldn’t do it and whether that’s a lack of quality or we’re playing against total better opposition.

“Not only that, I thought the occasion got to three or four of our players for some reason.  Instead of going out there and relish playing in front of a big crowd and enjoying the day, I thought quite a few of our players froze on the day and didn’t want to get hold of the ball and play.  It was just an aimless ball up to Louie Theophanous.”

Dagenham & Redbridge doubled their lead with 30 minutes and 30 seconds on the clock, courtesy of a quality finish and no pressing from Beckenham players.

Central midfielder Robinson switched the play over to the left for Ling, who played the ball inside to Weston, who cut inside and produced a high-quality right-footed shot in off the underside of the crossbar from 35-yards, aiming for the top far corner, giving Blue no chance.

“Another goal that was stoppable,” added Walton, who politely askes BT Sport to send the match footage to the home club.

“We didn’t get out and press the ball quickly enough. We just let him get a shot off.  We were just standing off of him, 10-yards off him. 

“I’ll be interested if they’ll be good enough to give us the video of the game, which would be a very good thing for us to watch it and point things out.”

Beckenham Town were hit on the counter-attack as Dagenham & Redbridge strolled into a three-goal lead with 35 minutes and 33 seconds on the clock.

It came from the home side’s third corner of the game, as Freddie Nyhus’ left-wing corner was plucked out of the air by goalkeeper Elliot Justham.

He launched the ball upfield from the edge of his box and there was only Archie Johnson and Walker inside the Beckenham half, other than goalkeeper Blue, of course.

Walker beat the left-back to the ball and no one tracked Sagaf, as he sprinted down the heart of the pitch and Walker put it on the plate for Sagaf, who placed a clinical first-time low shot past Blue from 16-yards.

Walton said: “Luke Hedges gets injured (dead leg) just before, we get a corner and then the ball gets played in and who have we got at the back? Most probably our slowest player in Nick Curran and Luke Hedges, who is injured.

“We don’t do the corner routine that we’re supposed to be doing for a start, their goalkeeper who is six foot two, just plucks it out of the air, passes it up the pitch and the guys got one guy whose injured and Nick, who shouldn’t be there and they literally broke from the edge of the area, he’s crossed it and squared it and he was in, so it’s just so, so poor from us, which is unusual.”

Beckenham Town struggled to create any openings during the first half as Emmanuel Onariase kept Louie Theophanous in his pocket.  The Beckenham striker has scored 11 goals this season, eight of them in The FA Cup.

Beckenham Town created a half-chance on the stroke of half-time, however.

Nyhus’ right-wing corner was cleared.  Substitute, defensive midfielder, Ishmael Erskine was in space and his speculative 35-yard drive was blocked inside a crowded penalty area.  Steven Townsend played the ball out to Nyhus on the right and the winger got in a low cross from within the channel and Waldren’s swept shot from the corner of the six-yard box hit his defensive partner Henry and was cleared.

“We had a few sniffs there that could’ve gone for us, unfortunately, I didn’t think we created enough real gilt-edged chances to score,” added Walton.

“We just said (at half-time) we’re not going to sit back and defend and keep the score down. Let’s try to get back in the game.  We brought on our attacking players to give us more going forward and it didn’t quite work for us.”

McMahon was forced into subbing Dean Rance through injury and his replacement Omar Mussa played a role in the Daggers creating a chance 192 seconds into the second half.

He split open the two-centre-halves to put in Walker, but Beckenham got men back to ensure the winger stabbed his shot just past the foot of the right-hand post.

Blue, who is rated as having the best distribution of a goalkeeper in the Isthmian League South East Division, was guilty of giving the ball away straight down the middle of the pitch to Mussa, who drove forward and Waldren got his keeper out of jail with a shoulder-barge on the edge of the Beckenham penalty area.

Nineteen seconds later, the ball was worked back into Mussa, who swept his right-footed shot past the left-hand post from inside the D.

Dagenham & Redbridge notched their fourth goal of the game, with seven minutes and 27 seconds into the second half.

A clinical 30-yard through ball along the carpet split open Henry and Johnson to find McCallum on the right-hand side of the penalty area and he played the ball into the middle for Mussa to place his left-footed shot into the left-hand corner from 15-yards.

“That’s just their quality, that’s their quality on the ball and the way they move the ball around,” said Walton.

“What I was witnessing today and what I was thinking off, the quality between them and Dartford.  They had quality all-round the pitch, Dartford had it in one or two, maybe three areas.”

Dagenham & Redbridge’s fifth goal arrived as early as 10 minutes and 32 seconds on the clock.

Waldren gave the ball away close to the half-way line and Weston released right-back Josh Hare in behind and his cross was met by McCallum on the volley, although Blue got a hand to the ball, he couldn’t prevent the ball crossing the line in the centre of the goal.

Walton said: “I think it bobbled up over Nicky Bluey’s head, so it was a volley into the ground and spun up over Nick’s head.  It was a great ball in though. When you’ve got that sort of quality coming in and you know where it’s going to go, you attack that area and it comes in your way and you score.”

Blue made a morale-boosting save in the 62^nd minute when Hare switched the play from right to left to release Ling charging down the left.  His cross was headed away by Waldren and Mussa’s right-footed dipping drive from 20-yards was held by the Beckenham keeper.

Hare released Weston, who easily cut inside Johnson and substitute Jamarie Blissett to get into the penalty area before pulling his shot wide of the near post.

Beckenham Town created an opening in the 64^th minute when Waldren advanced and fed Blissett, who cut inside and curled a right-footed shot from 22-yards around the far post.

Hare’s quality pass split Johnson and played in Weston in behind and his cross from within the right channel was met by McCallum’s deft-flicked shot at the near post, which flashed across Blue and past the far stick.

Beckenham Town’s only shot on target came with 23:45 on the clock and was the start of a brief recovery period.

Theophanous worked the right channel and his cross was controlled by substitute number 10 Bradley Goldberg inside the final third and he teed up Erskine, who cut the ball onto his right foot and his 22-yarder was comfortably saved by Justham.

“I think when we changed shape to a diamond in midfield, we got on the ball a bit and passed it a bit more and got forward a bit more,” said Walton.

“But listen, we’re under no delusions, I’m not upset one bit at the result.”

Dagenham & Redbridge’s sixth goal then followed with 26 minutes and 5 seconds on the clock.

Johnson went out to press Weston close to the half-way line and the 34-year-old played a 20-yard pass in behind to Hare, who whipped in a cross into the corridor of uncertainly and McCallum dinked the ball over Blue from six-yard out.

“What can I say? It’s just another really good goal from them. The game’s stretched by then, I think the fitness at that stage of the game was very, very clear to see and they just dominated the game to be honest with you,” said Walton.

The heavens opened for the final 15 minutes of the game with most of the large crowd trying to head for cover, but this was a very professional and ruthless display from McMahon’s men.

Battered Beckenham Town missed a sitter to grab a consolation goal inside the final seven minutes.

Nyhus left-footed free-kick came in from the right, Theophanous flicked the ball on at the near post and Goodwin’s free header at the back post was steered back across goal and past the far post.

“Oh mate! How he ain’t scored! How he ain’t scored,” added Walton.

An unmarked Hare hit a 35-yard drive screaming past the left-hand post at the other end just 58 seconds later.

Waldren’s searching long ball out of defence gave Theophanous his big chance but Onariase managed to get back into position and stuck out a leg and the deflected shot was easily gathered by visiting keeper Justham.

Dagenham & Redbridge swiftly went up the other end and just 23 seconds later scored their seventh goal of the game (42:44 on the clock).

A long ball released Morias down the left channel and he turned Brand before drilling a clinical left-footed angled drive across Blue into the far corner from 15-yards.

“We’ve committed so many bodies up the pitch by then, just to try to get a goal and they caught us out again.

“The fella they brought on, we’re not going to play against someone like that in our league, never in a million years!

“Harvey Brand never, ever, I can assure you, never gets turned like that in our league, he never gets turned inside out like that and the guy’s a top drawer player. That’s the difference, the difference in class and the league you’re playing against.”

Morias had a couple of late chances to make it eight and nine but both attempts went over the crossbar but Walton is keen to get their league campaign back on track with a trip to Hythe Town on Tuesday night.

Steven Watt’s men came away from Chichester City with a 1-0 defeat today and go into the Reachfields Stadium clash sitting in fifteenth-place in the table with two wins, two draws and two defeats this term.

“Fair play to all those boys in there, they’ve one exceptionally well (to reach this round) and I’m not going to be disappointed. We don’t want to get beat in a football match but I’m not going to be disappointed,” said Walton, who was then asked what the club has taken out of this FA Cup run.

“All the money we’ve earned (£16,944 in prize money plus all off the gate receipts).

“I might get a free drink off them.  I don’t know if (club secretary) Peter Palmer will buy me one but getting beat 7-0 and being the manager for the day, it’s not very good is it, on my CV?

“I’m old enough and ugly enough to take that on the chops and hopefully come April we’re talking again and we’ve won promotion from this league, that’s our main aim.”

Walton is keen for his squad to bounce back as they return to the bread and butter of Isthmian League football in front of a crowd of around 200 on the Kent coast.

“That’s what we’ve just talked about and we’ve got to dust ourselves down and go to Hythe and put in a good performance and get a result,” said Walton.

“We’ll go there with a good side and try to get a result and get us back on the road.

“Seven-nil is a bit of a drubbing and hard to take if you’re a sportsman. It’s going to hurt you but we’ll get over it tomorrow and we go to Hythe. Listen, we’ve only lost one game in the league so far so we’ll go to Hythe and hopefully bounce back and get a good result and get us back in contention.”

Ramsgate are top of the table with 20 points from nine games, while the play-off places are currently occupied by VCD Athletic (17 points from nine games), Ashford United (16 from seven), Chatham Town (14 from seven) and Sittingbourne (14 from nine).

Whitehawk were without a game as opponents Sevenoaks Town were involved in FA Cup action, losing 2-0 at unbeaten National League South leaders Ebbsfleet United, while Beckenham Town remain in seventh-place in the pecking order.

Beckenham Town: Nick Blue, Harvey Brand, Archie Johnson, George Goodwin, Callum Henry, Danny Waldren, Freddie Nyhus, Luke Hedges (ishmeal Erskine 40), Louie Theophanous, Nick Curran (Jamarie Blissett 46), Steven Townsend (Bradley Goldberg 60).
Subs: Alfie Bloomfield, Baldwin Kaluya,Mudiaga Wanogho, Tyler Anderson.

Booked: Danny Waldren 25, Steven Townsend 45, Freddie Nyhus 57

Dagenham & Redbridge: Elliot Justham, Josh Hare, Samuel Ling, Dean Rance (Omar Mussa 46), Emmanuel Onariase, Harry Phipps, Myles Weston (Frankie Franz 75), Matthew Robinson, Paul McCallum, Mohammed Sagaf, Joshua Walker (Junior Morias 65).
Subs: Yoan Zouma, Ansu Janneh, Jack Dixson

Goals: Joshua Walker 3, Myles Weston 31, Mohammed Sagaf 36, Omar Mussa 53, Paul McCallum 56, 72, Junior Morias 88

Booked: Dean Rance 8

Attendance: 1,661
Referee: Mr Gary Parsons
Assistants: Mr Shaun Farrer & Mr Daniel D’Urso
Fourth Official:  Mr Richard Myers