Scott Doe believes Daggers cannot continue to leave it until the second half to turn up in games. Pic: Dave Simpson/TGS

Dagenham & Redbridge central defender Scott Doe insists they have got to stop giving teams a head start.

Dagenham & Redbridge defender Scott Doe says they have to stop giving themselves a “mountain to climb” after consecutive losses over the festive period.

Daggers conceded two early goals on Boxing Day against Southend, on their way to a 3-0 defeat, and then repeated the mistake when high-flying Port Vale were the visitors on Saturday.

That was followed by a 3-1 defeat at Northampton on New Year’s Day and although they improved in the second half of the matches, 24-year-old Doe knows they have to make sure individual mistakes become a thing of the past.

“It was disappointing because we gave ourselves an uphill struggle again as we did against Southend,” said Doe.

“It wasn’t like we were outplayed, we gave them the goals through mistakes, lack of communication, just silly things which we have got to cut out.

“For myself that is the most disappointing thing. We conceded eight goals previously at home and now it’s six in two games.

“It’s not always just the defence, but for the back four and the goalkeeper that is the most disappointing thing for us because we have done so well of late.

“We’ve come out and done a lot better, but we can’t keep giving ourselves a mountain to climb in the first half, we just can’t do it.”

Doe scored his first goal of the season against the Valiants and doubled his tally with the consolation at Northampton.

And despite comebacks never materialising, he believes Daggers will never have a problem scoring goals.

He added: “We are always going to score goals, we just conceded early goals in the two home games, they kill you in games and we have given ourselves too much to do.”