Dagenham & Redbridge boss Daryl McMahon admitted there is 'lots to tighten up on' ahead of their trip to Woking this weekend.

Daggers began the new National League season with a 2-2 draw against Gateshead on Saturday, after coming from two goals down at Victoria Road.

The visitors struck twice in the first 12 minutes and then saw James Montgomery save a Paul McCallum penalty.

But McCallum headed home before the break and Junior Morias salvaged a point in stoppage time to the relief of McMahon.

"The main thing we've seen is the character and belief in the players. We've got an abundance," McMahon told the club website.

"There's lots of things we need to tighten up on, which we'll highlight and we know going to Woking, they've lost [2-0 at York City], it'll be a difficult game.

"They're a very, very big side. Physically, it's going to be a different game to today, but we'll worry about that Monday morning.

"Sometimes it gives you a livener at the start of the season. We know we've got a decent group, we want to be at the top end of the table competing this year, we won't make any bones about that. We want to be a team that wins promotion this year.

"Sometimes it gives you stuff you need to work on. You haven't got to be perfect on day one, you need to grow into the season and we'll do that, I've no doubt about that."

Paul Blackett and Adam Thompson netted inside the opening quarter of an hour to put promoted Gateshead on top, but McCallum headed home from captain Matt Robinson's cross six minutes before the break.

And Morias made his mark off the bench in the closing stages to ensure the hosts had something to show for their efforts on a hot day.

"Definitely a point gained from the position we were, it wasn't what we wanted before the game, of course not, but football doesn't go like that," added McMahon.

"It throws up different problems and I thought what we saw in the team was a real desire to get back into the game.

"We showed a real calmness, we didn't panic, we didn't shell the ball forward and struggle, we created momentum in the second half, and penned Gateshead in and made it hard for them.
"That's down to the players' belief in how we play and what we do."

McCallum netted 20 times last season, while Morias claimed 13 goals after joining from King's Lynn in November.

And McMahon paid tribute to his strikers, saying: "We've got three top strikers for the level. Macca, Josh [Walker] and Junior are three excellent players and I thought the three of them had a decent game.

"Macca scored, Junior scored, Josh worked really hard, running channels, had chances himself again.

"We know we're strong and can score goals, we've got to get the bit behind right as well."