The departure of your in-form top goalscorer whilst embattled in a play-off race is less than an ideal scenario, but far from fatal. 

Josh Walker’s deadline day move sees him as the latest Dagger to go to the Football League to try and make his name and you certainly can’t blame the 25-year-old.

The transfer also sees a nice financial reward for Dagenham, an undisclosed fee from Burton Albion likely to be a comfortable one with Walker contracted until 2025. However, it comes at the expense of goals, a striker in his best form since joining the Daggers in 2021.

Therefore, the responsibility to get the goals to propel Daryl McMahon’s men into the top seven falls onto the shoulders of Junior Morias, Paul McCallum and co.

This is perhaps more of an issue than it would have been previously, since both are struggling for form, but as some supporters have pointed out we still have in them two quality strikers capable of getting the goals necessary.

There is no doubt that when in form these two could get us over the line. Morias can perhaps now to go back into the middle - spearheading the attack - now Walker has gone.

However, I still believe a replacement is required in the form of a top quality striker to rejuvenate the side and also get the goals we’ve lost with Walker’s exit.

Whether we’ll get that player in is a different matter with McMahon reiterating his confidence in the players we’ve got and cautioning against any rash spending.

Whilst taking pride in his and his staff’s ability to develop players, he only wants players he feels he can see fitting into the current team and enhancing the current side’s performances.

Only time will tell whether the current strikers can step up to the plate and this time next week, two more games will have been played - after trips to Wealdstone and Oldham - so we will have a clearer picture.

On this week’s schedule, we begin with a tough trip to Wealdstone who are a different side to when we defeated them 4-1 earlier in the season.

The Stones are now just a point behind the Daggers but with just one win in five McMahon’s men should go into this one confident of getting a result.

However, that’s not to say Dagenham have boasted great form of late, a similar record continuing after an uninspiring home defeat to Yeovil - down to 10 men after Harry Phipps’ dismissal. 

So, with key players at the back and in attack missing, it won’t be a straightforward task.

The Tuesday night trip to Oldham will also test the Daggers’ resolve in a busy schedule that fills the back end of this season; two away trips where results are needed to get back on track.

Hopefully the likes of Morias and McCallum can get on the scoresheet this Saturday and on Tuesday night at Oldham to keep the play-off hunt alive - nullifying the impact of Walker’s departure.

Until next week, Come On You Daggers!