As I’m sure you’re aware, Joe and I like to do something a little different every now and then.  Rugby League, SPL, and visits to Wembley have complemented the non-league season well.

Today was trip to our local League Two club, Dagenham & Redbridge, who were taking on Rochdale.  The match itself may not have seemed particularly special, but the occasion was.

“Daggers Against Racism” seeks to combat racism not only in football, but through the community, by encouraging people of all ages and ethnic backgrounds to come along and support their local side.

It’s done through vastly discounted ticket prices if purchased in advance.  Just a fiver secured us both a berth in the main enclosure.  It was worth it for the mascot alone!

Also there was the one and only Mike Jones, in his role as matchday announcer, and his plug for Phoenix FM was much appreciated.  It all added up to us looking forward to the day’s proceedings:

And so the match started in, well not quite a carnival atmosphere, but a fairly decent one.  We weren’t expect anything other than a competitive, close game, with both sides mid-table in League Two.

The first 20 minutes or so bore that out:

It continued in that vein up until half time, unspectacular, but low on errors, with one or two great saves from the odd chance that was made.

The Daggerettes then did their half time dance routine, having been held up in traffic prior to the game.  Local singer Ryan Green also regaled the crowd with a song on two.  There was also a few dozen kids wandering around the pitch with their ‘Daggers Against Racism’ flags, met with applause by everyone.

The second half then began, and it seemed to be a carbon copy of the first 45 minutes.  A thought was going through my mind – ‘0-0 draw written all over it’.  As we approached the last 20 minutes, we didn’t hold out much hope of a goal.

Of course, having thought that, Rochdale then go and score!  It was a good ‘un, too.

No sooner had that happened, though, than the Daggers responded!  Me being me, of course, I missed the goal completely, trying to send a match update via twitter at the time.  My trusty companion Joe saw it all, though.

With time ticking away, the teams began cancelling each other out.  To almost everyone in the 2,300 strong crowd, it seemed a draw was inevitable.  Bearing in mind the station’s reputation for being there when there’s last minute or injury time equalisers and winners, Joe and I were just as certain another goal would come.

Sure enough, as the 91st minute became the 92nd, there was yet another dramatic late twist!

And there it was, the prefect end to a perfect day for Dagenham & Redbridge.  As we wandered along the terraces and out towards Dagenham East station and home, this was how we saw things.

So there we had it, a day out at our local Football League club.  Dagenham & Redbridge may not be up there with their Premier League neighbours, they may not have any glamour, but they are a truly ‘local’ club, and have many things about them to be proud of.

Make no mistake about it, seeing all the smiling faces, all standing together to will their team onto victory, from such varied ethnic backgrounds, ‘Daggers Against Racism’ was a great success.

So much so that Joe and I can’t wait for the next time.  Well done Daggers!

Dagenham & Redbridge 2,  Rochdale 1

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Footnote:  It has since come to light that Rochdale player Bobby Grant is currently the subject of a police investigation after an allegation of – of all things on a day like this – racist abuse from him towards Dagenham & Redbridge’s Gavin Hoyte.  Words fail me.