Dagenham & Redbridge keeper grateful for game time after helping club to first league win

Dagenham & Redbridge goalkeeper Liam O’Brien says he is enjoying his run in the first team after helping the club to their first league win of the season at Northampton Town.

Having gone behind in the 23rd minute, two goals before the break from Matt McClure put Daggers in front.

O’Brien produced several brilliant saves in the second half to keep the visitors in front and could arguably have been named man of the match.

The match at Sixfields was the first time the goalkeeper had played four consecutive matches in over a year, something which he is enjoying massively.

“I’m loving every minute of playing and I feel like since I’ve been at Dagenham, this is the best spell I’ve had,” said O’Brien.

“I’m just looking forward to every game I play.”

Dagenham’s back five this season has seen several variations already, with the club having named three different centre back pairings in their first four league games.

O’Brien himself was also brought into the squad having started the season as understudy to Mark Cousins, who was dropped after conceding 12 goals.

But Wayne Burnett now looks to have settled on his first choice defence, something which O’Brien feels will only help the team improve further.

“We had a few new lads at the start of the season and they took a few games to gel,” he added.

“Now we’re four games unbeaten, have our first win in the league and two wins on the bounce so it’s all coming together nicely.”

One of the reasons O’Brien may have replaced Cousins in the starting line-up is his superior kicking as Daggers looked to have switched to a more long ball game in recent weeks.

The goalkeeper has the 6’2” frame of Christian Doidge to aim for up top, and O’Brien says it’s great for the team to have someone like the Welshman as a target man.

“Christian wins everything in the air so it’s nice to know that if you do hit it long, you’ve got someone there.”