STILL’S MEN ARE OFF TO A FLIER

JOHN STILL heaped praise on his Dagenham & Redbridge side after making a winning start to the new camapign with a hard-fought victory over Barrow.

First-half goals from Corey Whitely and Michael Cheek did the damage for the Daggers, although Dan Jones’ goal back for the visitors set up a nervous finale.

“I’m really pleased,” Still said. “I thought we was very good first half, we know Barrow are a good side they’re effective side, they play lots of long throws and balls into the box. I thought we defended them fantastic.

“Second half we probably sat back too much, but it’s early days yet and you’re always pleased when you win the first game.”

Whitely found the target from the penalty spot on 18 minutes when he fired home into the top left corner after striker Morgan Ferrier was brought down in the box. Dagenham kept pressing and two minutes later Michael Cheek’s hard work in the opening frame was rewarded as he grabbed hold off a loose ball and surged forward before letting fly just outside the box and picking out the bottom right to make it 2-0. Barrow came out looking a different side in the secondhalf but their over-zealousness resulted in three yellow cars in the space of five minutes, the latter being a nasty challenge on Fejiri Okenabirhie, who was brought down inside his own half by Jack Barthram. Striker Adi Yusuf almost clawed one back for the visitors, denied by Mark Cousins from close range, but the eventually struck on 84 minutes when leftback Jones slotted home from six yards. Bluebirds boss Paul Cox said: “You can never be satisfied with losing a game, especially on the first day if we learn from it, we can build on that second half performance then it doesn’t have to be a massive problem. “We looked disjointed in the first half but in the second half we looked galvanised and can consider ourselves unlucky in the end.”