Dagenham & Redbridge v Gravesend & N

GRAVESEND skipper Steve McKimm and Paul McCarthy have been placed in temporary charge for Saturday’s Nationwide Conference derby at Dagenham & Redbridge.

The two take the helm in the absence of long-serving manager Andy Ford, who quit the club on Tuesday after eight years in charge at Stonebridge Road.

Chairman Brian Kilcullen admitted that Ford would be a hard man to replace.

He said: “The appointment of his successor will be a crucial decision in shaping how the club progress and is not a decision we shall rush into.”

Tuesday’s match was watched by was watched by Garry Hill, the former boss of Saturday’s opponents Dagenham, but Fleet officials were quick to refute speculation linking him with an immediate appointment.

Fleet have been in sharp decline in the last few months. They have slipped from third on October 2 to 14th in the table, 10 points above the relegation zone.