FOR the first time this season, Dagenham & Redbridge manager John Still was critical of his own players after they were defeated 2-0 at Barnet on Tuesday night. The visitors put in a poor performance as they were easily overcome by the Bees, and Still was

by MIKE SIMMONDS

FOR the first time this season, Dagenham & Redbridge manager John Still was critical of his own players after they were defeated 2-0 at Barnet on Tuesday night.

The visitors put in a poor performance as they were easily overcome by the Bees, and Still was quick to admit to point out his team's failings.

"We were poor, it was probably our worst performance of the season and the only time I've looked at it and thought we haven't done anything that's helped us win the game," he said.

Tough

"It was a tough evening and I thought Barnet were better than us, but I didn't think they played that great.

"I don't think Tony (Roberts) has had many saves to make, in fact I find it hard to think of a save he's made.

"They were better than us because we were particularly poor and every credit to them because they were the best team and deserved to win, but I don't think it was a great game."

Daggers were up against a defence including the experienced Gary Breen, but although the visitors are usually known for their willingness to get in behind defences and attack, they found it extremely difficult on Tuesday night.

"I thought our ball forwards were poor, I knew 'Breeny' would play and I thought we could get behind him, I really did," admitted Still.

"Our quality wasn't there all over the pitch, but I can understand that because sometimes it doesn't go for you and your quality isn't good.

"But our decisions were poor, we made the wrong decisions and that needs to be better."

Young full back Scott Doe endured a tough night at the hands of Yannick Bolasie and brought down the winger for a penalty on the stroke of half time.

The 20-year-old has still only played a handful of games in the Football League and his manager insists mistakes will always be made.

"Bolasie has done okay, but did he do okay because he had a particularly good game or because Scott had a particularly bad one? I don't know," said Still, who withdrew his defender after 75 minutes.

"I took him off when he got booked as I thought it was the right thing to do, but Scott's done remarkably well.

"He's another young one learning, and hopefully this will be something he will learn from. Lots of these players, Danny Green, Josh Scott, and even the likes of Graeme Montgomery are going to go through this season learning.

"They aren't going to play every game fantastically well and I understand that."

Although Daggers were well beaten on the night, Still was rightly looking at the positives, as they have taken 20 points from their opening 10 games.

The old adage is that two points a game is promotion form, and the boss knows just how far his young side have come.

Context

"If I look at it in context, we have done unbelievably well and the players have done unbelievably well, at Barnet they haven't and that's football," he said.

"We aren't going to go blazing a trail all over the place, but we've lost one in six and that's our second loss of the season away home against a team that's doing okay and Notts County.

"That's fantastic form. I'm not stupid, we're not the biggest team in the league and if people expect us, which they don't, to blaze a trail every week, its not going to happen.

"We'll go back to work on Thursday have a look at what we've done and look at the reasons where we can make it better."

If you would like to comment on this story, email: mike.simmonds@archant.co.uk

The Post is now on Twitter, so if you follow twitter.com/Post_DagRed then you will get up to the minute updates on goings on at Victoria Road.