Boss unhappy with display and Stags lose in East London.
Manager Paul Cox was left frustrated as goals from Luke Howell and Abu Ogogo condemned us to a 2-0 defeat to Dagenham & Redbridge at the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham Stadium.Howell fired home just before the half-time interval to put the Daggers 1-0 up, before Ogogo made it 2-0 with a good finish on the hour mark.
"We had a good chat [in the dressing room] with the players," said Cox. "I don't think we got going today and it's my job to find out why."
âWe just didnât arrive at the party. In all three sections, defence, midfield and attack, we were a million miles off the pace. No one is going to feel sorry for us. It was a lacklustre performance.â
Our boss continued: âWe probably passed the ball around the back three, or back four, more than anywhere else on the field and thatâs not going to be effective.
âWe can talk about all different facets of the game today, but I just thought with the ball we werenât good enough, and without the ball we werenât good either.â
With 25 minutes remaining, Cox opted to make a tactical âdoubleâ substitution in an effort to change the course of the game as Fergus Bell and Sam Clucas were introduced as we switched to a 4-4-2 formation.
âWe went [to a] 4-4-2 formation in the second half, but there were just too many gaps,â added Cox. âWhen Sam [Clucas] and Fergus [Bell] came on, they affected the game well, but they were just too many players that werenât at the races today.â
One positive for Cox is that other than 'injured pride', our boss has no fresh injury worries following today's match.