Strevens: Dagenham & Redbridge win at Torquay was ‘real collective’

Daggers fell behind in first-half stoppage time, as Aaron Jarvis beat Josh Strizovic with a stunning effort.

But Inih Effiong levelled from the penalty spot after substitute Sydney Ibie was fouled, then netted a winner in the fourth minute of injury time to ensure a happy journey back to east London from Devon.

“Delighted with the collective, the boys coming off the bench making an impact, how hard the starters worked and even the coaching staff behind me, making my job easier, saying ‘what about if you do this?’ and their information they were giving me and the trust I’m putting into them helped get the three points,” Strevens told the club website.

“It was a real collective, squad, staff, everyone that has come here, even the fans sticking with the boys when we went 1-0 down before half-time.

“You could tell they were sticking with the boys and for all of us we got a nice memory at the end.”

Strizovic turned a shot from Jack Stobbs behind in a fairly lacklustre first half, but was beaten by Jarvis just before the break.

And Strevens was pleased to see his players bounce back from that blow, adding: “It was a blow just before half-time and it could’ve been easy for them to go under and feel sorry for themselves, but I saw a positivity in them that they didn’t want to let that happen.

“And that gave me the positive feeling that if we get one, then we’ll get a second. I didn’t know it was going to come in the 94th minute but I was positive that we’d be able to get into the game and maybe come away with the three points.”

Ibie made an instant impact after coming off the bench to replace Jay Bird, with a driving run into the box drawing a foul and allowing Effiong to convert from 12 yards.

And Strevens admitted it was a ‘real good feeling’ to see Effiong hit the net again with time almost up to secure his first win in charge of the club.

“We looked in the week and said as the game gets stretched, because of the position they’re in, they’ll want to pick up three points all the time so we said there will be moments for our attacking players to get one-v-one,” he said.

“It’s all very well saying you’re going to get those moments, it’s what the boys do with those moments.

“As soon as Inih got it in that left channel, the way he does, it was an amazing feeling to see it hitting the back of the net and nearly the last kick of the game, a real good feeling.”