Elliot urges Gateshead to learn after unbeaten record is blown apart by Dagenham and Redbridge

Rob Elliot has called on his Gateshead players to learn from their 7-1 hammering at the hands of National League rivals Dagenham and Redbridge.

The Heed made the long trip to the capital looking to preserve an unbeaten record and build on impressive home wins against Eastleigh and Barnet over the last fortnight. However, they made a poor start against the Daggers and found themselves two goals down inside quarter of an hour thanks to goals from Josh Rees and Dion Pereira. Owen Oseni got Elliot’s side back into the game before half-time but the hosts romped to all three points with a devastating second-half performance. Junior Morais bagged a brace before Pereira and Rees both matched that feat, with the latter netting after former Hartlepool United striker Josh Umerah had grabbed his side’s sixth goal of the game.

Elliot described the heavy defeat as ‘a humbling experience’ and delivered a brutally honest assessment of his side’s performance as their unbeaten record for the season was completely blown apart by the Daggers.

Speaking after the game, Elliot told the club website: “No complaints, we have to defend better in moments, especially when the ball is coming into our box and in transition moments as well. We know that Morais and Periera like to come inside and get their shots off - so the two things we had to negate, we didn’t.  It’s a humbling experience, we have to take it on the chin, we have to look at it and for all of the good football we play, there is a downside and if we don’t do the defensive stuff, or we don’t play well enough, get the lockup right, or we don’t do the little professional things, marking, getting contact, you can be punished in the most brutal way.

“We have to accept that, we have to look at it and we have to go again.  I’m not going to criticise the lads too much.  We had to be better tonight, we had to be better in the big moments but it’s a really harsh lesson to be learnt and the only challenge I have for the lads is will they learn It?  That’s the harshest way to learn.”

The Heed are back in action next Saturday afternoon when Forest Green Rovers are the visitors to the International Stadium.