After two weeks without football following FA Cup heartbreak in Gillingham, the Daggers returned to the pitch in the FA Trophy - this time victorious at home to Uxbridge. 

Finally, attention can now turn back to the National League where Maidstone await at Victoria Road in the first of the back to back matches over the festive period. 

It’s also the last of the calendar year and at a time of reflection I think we can say that the Daggers have had a mixed but overall positive start to the new campaign. 

At Christmas, Daryl McMahon’s men sit 13th and four points adrift of the play-offs with a game or two in hand on their rivals. 

There have been necessary improvements made in defence, as was largely shown in the run of matches prior to the FA Cup exit and Torquay defeat - much down to the introduction of Harry Phipps at the back. 

However with him forced out through suspension over the Maidstone matches he must wait until the new year to rediscover his form. 

That’s something the team will have to do more immediately, however, as Maidstone sit in a perilous position above the drop zone and there is an expectation that they are seen off comfortably by the Daggers. 

The second of the two fixtures marks almost three years to the day since McMahon took charge at Victoria Road, a three years of progress but not success. 

As we head into 2023, we face a pivotal five months of the season but also McMahon’s tenure. Having come as close as possible to the play-offs last time round, can he prove himself to be the man to get us over the line this time round? 

We’ve become accustomed to mid-season signings over the past three years to give us that boost and keep us in the play-off picture, the star signing last year being Junior Morias. This season could it be our new signing, 20-year-old, six foot six inch winger Sydney Ibie who has come in on a deal until the end of the season with an option of a further year? 

Ibie joins largely unknown from the lower reaches of non-league but could be the spark to really light up the season which has never quite got going with a lengthy run of positive results. 

Whether we’ll see him on Monday or quite what his involvement will be is unknown as other attacking options fight to return from the sidelines - the likes of George Saunders now back into the fold and Paul McCallum up top. 

It will be interesting to see how he handles the step up and how he is utilised in this team by McMahon who prefers the 3-5-2 wing-back system. 

On that we’ll have to wait and see, hopefully if Saunders continues to perform and McCallum gets back among the goals there’ll be a healthy competition for selection in a team that’s flying high. 

So, we go into the festive schedule full of optimism for a winning return to the league and hope that it is backed up by securing all six points. 

Until then, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Come On You Daggers!