Toun army on march towards play-off places

NO YOU DON’T... Cedric Evina’s attempt to make progress ends as he is sent tumbling by Abu Ogogo.

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Dagenham 0, Athletic 1
ATHLETIC’S effort in claiming a third victory in succession, in a campaign that keeps rolling on agreeably, was embodied by one player.

Step forward, Oumare Tounkara.

The strapping forward was described in the Huddersfield press last week as a “wrecking ball”.

But while reflecting his physical stature – Dagenham’s defenders were the latest to discover they need to hire a taxi to get around him at times – that metaphor doesn’t do the player justice.

The 20-year-old has the thighs of a Norse god, true, but he also possesses a deft touch.

And that was never more in evidence than in setting up Athletic’s winning goal at Victoria Road, which came from nothing.

Tounkara brought a difficult high ball under his control and set off from the left touchline towards goal shortly before the hour mark, exchanging a one-two with Chris Taylor and powering between defenders before having his shot at goal blocked by Will Antwi.

Debutant winger Aidan White was on hand to run onto the loose ball and slam it into the unguarded net with his unfavoured right foot, giving the visitors three more points to further raise hopes that a place in the end-of-season play-offs is a distinct possibility.

While the on-loan Tounkara’s contribution at the top end of the field effectively won Athletic the game, it was his work-rate which really impressed.

Like his manager Paul Dickov, this is a player who doesn’t know the meaning of the phrase ‘lost cause’.

With half an hour gone in the first half, Tounkara lost possession but then raced fully 40 metres, past his coaching staff on the sidelines, to help out full-back Carl Winchester and regain possession.

The praise heading his way from the dug-out was earthy and direct. Tounkara’s efforts show what Dickov’s Athletic are all about.

This game wasn’t pretty, to say the least. Dagenham have progressed up the league ladder playing percentage football – as in, there is only a very small percentage of people who can possibly enjoy watching long balls hoofed incessantly from back to front.

Still, however it is accomplished, huge credit has to go to this club for the achievement of reaching this level of professional football, only 10 years after they were playing in the Isthmian League. Manager John Still’s tactics are clearly very effective.

The home team’s approach forced a very youthful Athletic side into a physical battle and the response was excellent.

After a few early scares, captain Reuben Hazell and centre-back partner Jean-Yves Mvoto were impeccable at the back and saved goalkeeper Dean Brill from making any significant saves to add to his block of Romain Vincelot’s close-range shot in the fifth minute.

In midfield, Ritchie Jones – playing in a central role from the start in place of the suspended Dean Furman – battled away gamely alongside Dale Stephens, while Cedric Evina and White provided the pace out wide to threaten Dagenham on the break.

And alongside Tounkara up front, Taylor put in a huge shift and showed a handful of elegant touches.

The hardy band of 400 away fans will have left the ground pleased at a difficult job well done.

Dagenham started the brighter and forced five corners in the opening 12 minutes before Athletic found their feet.

Tounkara almost scored the opening goal on the quarter-hour.

Winchester – who you almost forget is only 17, such was his composure at right-back in only his second start – put in a timely block and the ball fell in front of the striker.

Charging into the penalty area, Tounkara was forced wide to the right and his shot from a tight angle was deflected and then palmed away by Daggers goalkeeper Chris Lewington.

Vincelot might have done better with a far-post header when impeded by his own player Medy Elito and Athletic dug in, content to play on the counter-attack.

The only other action of note in the first half was a brief switching of wings by White and Evina as Dickov tried to bring his wide men into the game.

Back on his natural left for the second half, Evina’s low cross was deflected narrowly over his own crossbar by Antwi as Athletic pressed.

Soon after came White’s crucial goal. It was well-taken and provided just reward for the on-loan Leeds player, who showed some very neat touches and looks to be a livewire.

Athletic grew in confidence after scoring and could easily have gone two up but for a good save by Lewington.

White came up with an excellent flick over the defence to tee up Taylor, who waited for the ball to fall to the perfect height before smashing it towards goal with topspin and dip. The Daggers goalkeeper acrobatically tipped the ball over.

Hazell produced a good saving tackle as striker Kayleden Brown bore down on goal and Antwi failed to bundle home at the far post from the resulting corner.

Evina wasted a good three-on-two opportunity for Athletic by going on his own and having a right-footed shot blocked and there were a couple of other occasions on which the killer final ball wasn’t quite there for the visitors.

Tounkara then went down clutching his face after apparently being caught by a stray boot of Antwi, who later directed a strong header straight into Brill’s midriff.

But despite plenty of bluster from Still’s side, it was the only real blow landed on Athletic by Dagenham on another good afternoon for Dickov.