Strevens: Chesterfield deserved victory over Dagenham & Redbridge

Daggers returned to their Victoria Road base buoyed by a 1-0 win at Boreham Wood on Good Friday.

But the promotion-chasing Spireites took the points thanks to a 70th-minute header from Liam Mandeville, which Strevens felt was fair.

“They played really well, they moved the ball really well, caused us all sorts or problems without the ball,” he told the club website.

“We had to try and change our shape to try and match them up and stop them.

“It was a tough game and credit to them, they deserved the three points.

“It was one little lapse in concentration when they’ve ended up getting the goal.

“They had lots of final third entries in possession but with no real glaring chances.

“At the end of the first half we had breakaways where we could’ve done a bit better.

“We wasn’t as good on the ball as we was on Friday. We gave it away a little bit too much, needed a bit of bravery to get out foot on it to make some passes.

“But all in all I think they deserved the victory, it’s just tough the way we conceded the goal.”

It meant a third defeat in six matches since taking charge for Strevens, who praised his side for their effort but felt they showed a nervous side at times.

He added: “The workrate and the endeavour is there, but it’s knowing when to press when we can, the communication when we can let players run off of us, onto other people, so we pass people on rather than going back with them and getting deeper, because we don’t want to get deeper.

“It’s having that bravery to bring the ball down and make some passes.

“Against Boreham Wood we competed really good in the physical duels but then we actually got the ball down and moved it, whereas today we were a little bit nervy with the ball.

“Maybe that was because they were getting a lot of possession of the ball, because we were turning it over because we were tired or maybe because we’re a little bit worried about playing at home.

“We haven’t won the last couple of games at home, so maybe that was it as well, I don’t know.

“I’m learning about them every single game, every day in training, and I just felt they looked a bit nervous to give the ball away, rather than go in ‘I’m not going to give the ball away, I’m going to keep it and move it for us’. It probably would’ve built us into the game a bit better.”