Death by Dagger(s)

Beckenham Town are getting rather used to ‘firsts.’

They were first in the SCEFL Premier when the 2019-20 campaign came shuddering to a halt. First in the Combined Counties Premier when last season came to an end, earning promotion. This is their first season in Step Four, and they’ve already experienced the delights of being first in the table- although their cup exploits see them lower down now, albeit with lots of games in hand. Their win against Dartford a few weeks ago was the first time they’d beaten a Step Two side in the FA Cup, and the first time they’d progressed beyond the Second Qualifying Round of that competition. Striker Louie Theophanous is ranked joint first in the FA Cup goalscorer list this season.

Today, Dagenham & Redbridge came to call- a side in the first tier of the Non League game. Another win for Becks and they’d be in the First Round of the FA Cup.

Whatever happened this afternoon, the quality shown by the side from Eden Park Avenue so far this season has made them amongst the favourites to earn another first next season- a first season at Step Three.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. After all, since the Daggers were drawn, it’s looked as if today’s cup tie was the first thing on the mind of the first team. VCD Athletic took their unbeaten league record, and Ramsgate knocked them out of the Kent Senior Cup on penalties after a four-four draw. That was the first time this season they’d failed to win for two matches in a row.

The visitors today have been in mixed form. Unbeaten in three, but when they lose, they often lose big. Dorking Wanderers- it only seems ten minutes since they were competing at Step Four themselves- defeated them five-one earlier this month. Notts County also got five. Wrexham got four. And, of course, there was that incredible five-four win over Barnet last month. You could imagine Theophanous fancying his chances against the Daggers defence- but his own defence would also need to be in tune, too, as the East London side scored three against Chesterfield, four against Altrincham, four against Bromley. There has been an unpredictability about them which must be frustrating for their supporters, if exciting for the neutral.

King Louis, as the Becks faithful call him, has been in truly magnificent form. We don’t know if he’s the King of the Swingers (and let’s be honest, we wouldn’t like to ask), but he is certainly a Beckenham VIP. With eleven goals so far this season, the former Staines Town, Bromley, Farnborough, Sutton United, Chelmsford City, Woking and Kingstonian (amongst a long list) striker looks as sharp as he ever has- and he’s scored goals everywhere he has been. Becks are the latest beneficiaries, and how they have benefitted.

We were about to find out whether his eight FA Cup goals could be added to. It would certainly be something if he could be the top scorer in the competition when it came to an end, in June.

An hour prior to the match the ground was filling up nicely. Programmes were flying out of their box, the chap selling 50/50 tickets was promising winners to all comers (they all do that, it’s the law, apparently), the bar was heaving and a sense of excitement was in the air. It was tempered with realism (“we’d only beat them ten times in a hundred”), but in truth the away fans seemed to be the ones afflicted with pessimism. That said, their side had all the pressure. Lose, they would be mocked. Win, they’d be doing as expected. The hosts could play with freedom.

Greatest Hits radio was being piped through the tannoy, entertaining the early arrivals. Perhaps that might have been an omen- a win today would certainly be the Becks greatest hit. There was a BT Sport camera present, too, ready to broadcast any upset to a national audience.

Dagenham got us underway, kicking into the sun, and were ahead after just three minutes. Joshua Walker charged down an attempted defensive clearance, Nick Blue came out to try and block his run but in truth had no chance of getting near the ball, and the Daggers number seven went around him and fired into his empty net. It was the worst possible start for the hosts, and the visitors should have been two up four minutes later, only a brave block denying Paul McCallum.

The hosts then applied some pressure of their own, earning the first corner of the game, but it was over hit, quickly cleared, and forced some more desperate home defending followed by a decent save from Blue. The first home chance came to Theophanous, for some reason wearing sixteen whilst listed as nine, but his bustling run was relatively easily marshalled by his marker and came to naught. The hosts seemed more settled as we reached the fifteen minute mark, but such was the speed of the Dagenham break that they were in danger every time they lost the ball- as proved when Harvey Phipps headed against the post.

Another chance for the visitors came on twenty minutes. McCallum received the ball thirty yards out, advanced, and every defender backed off. His shot cleared the bar, and in truth he should have done better. A chance for the hosts, as a long ball out of defence almost found Steve Townsend, their most industrious player so far, but his right leg would have needed to be two inches longer. Or both legs, perhaps, he’d have been even further away had he needed to run with one leg longer than the other.

On the half hour the second goal arrived. Myles Weston got the ball to the left of the box, and, virtually unchallenged, cut in along the eighteen yard line . His strike was a beauty, the ball kissing the underside of the bar before rippling the top corner of the net, and what was already an uphill struggle got steeper still.

You couldn’t fault the hosts endeavour. There were bodies thrown into challenges left, right and centre. No shirking, and no hiding. Hard work earned them their third corner of the game ten minutes before the break, but where the first two were over hit this one went straight to the keeper, and within fifteen seconds it was three-nil. Released, a quick pass, and Mohammed Sagaf couldn’t miss. That uphill struggle was now the size of Ben Nevis, and the home support silenced to the extent that the sound of a train passing behind the clubhouse filled the stadium. The sun went in, and a cold breeze blew across the pitch, as if the elements were mirroring the emotions of most watching on.

Just before the break Town finally caused concern in the visitors defence. Good work- and persistence - from Freddie Nyhus saw the ball arrive in the box, low and hard, Danny Waldren almost, almost reached it, with the defence scrambling, but it was cleared and the Becks skipper looked dejected. Half time arrived, and three- nil didn’t flatter the visitors.

Three minutes after the restart Walker, undoubtedly man of the match on his display so far, took the ball into the box, was crowded out, but still managed to shoot- luckily, wide. Omar Mussa, on as a sun, then also fired wide for the visitors. Mussa then did better, side footing home to make it four nil on fifty three. It looked as if it was going to be a long second half.

Becks tried to respond. A marauding run by Harvey Brand down the right deserved a better end product, but the ball was send straight back up the other end and it was five, McCallum once more beating the home defence.

On sixty five minutes, with the hosts on top for the first time, Jamarie Brissett cut in from the left and fired just wide of the far post. They deserved a consolation, and pushed forward, a run and cross from Archie Johnson making the visitors work, Theophanous just unable to control the ball on the penalty spot. Erskine then worked himself a shooting opportunity and forced a save. Sadly the next goal also came at the other end, McCallum getting number six, and the heavens opened.

As we approached the last five minutes it was the hosts doing the pressing. Corners and free kicks were earned, but not finished, and then Theophanous got the ball and ran. Could he? No. A save, a clearance…and a seventh for the Daggers, Morias getting in on the act. Still, at least the referee fell over and gave us all a laugh. We needed one.

Three added minutes, and that was that. The away fans celebrated, whilst the home fans applauded their side, beaten but still with much to be proud of.

Whilst we’d have loved a giant killing, once the dust settles we suspect that Becks won’t be too downhearted. There are more important things than the FA Cup for them this season. The run to this stage will have swelled the coffers, as will the large crowd present today. But perhaps more importantly, that crowd will have included many first time visitors, who, even if the team were unable to deliver, can’t have failed to be impressed by the welcome they received, the quality of the pitch, the fabulous bar, great burgers, brilliant paper programme, and more. Perhaps some of them might become regular fans.

And if they do, there’s a good chance they’ll still have some glory to revel in this season.