Justin Hoyte believes Dagenham & Redbridge will win their fight to remain in the Football League as long as they keep playing like they have over the past week.
Daggers ended 2015 with a fine win at Stevenage before starting the new year in similar fashion as they won 2-1 at Exeter City on Saturday.
The results lifted the east Londoners out of the relegation zone at the foot of League Two and they are now two points above Yeovil Town who occupy 23rd.
After taking the lead through Joss Labadie in Devon, Dagenham showed superb resilience to overcome conceding an equaliser and a sustained period of pressure from the Grecians before Ashley Chambers scored the winner.
Hoyte praised the team’s defensive display. saying they showed great fight, and knows the only way to survive in the Football League is to continue playing to a similar level.
“It was a great win at Exeter. We got the first goal and after that they scored, but we just kept battling,” said Hoyte.
“We defended well as a team and a unit and it was a great start for the new manager coming in.
“We’re going to continue to battle hard and hopefully we’ll get the results if we keep playing like that.”
Hoyte has had a new position in recent games, with new boss John Still choosing to play the full back as a sweeper in a 5-3-2 formation.
The move appears to be working, with Hoyte performing well at Boro and pulling off a late goal line clearance against the Grecians to prevent them scoring an equaliser.
At 31, it’s unusual for a player of Hoyte’s experience to be learning a new position, but the defender says there is one reason in particular why he is enjoying the role.
“I don’t mind playing there, it’s less running for me!” he added. “The two next me, Ayo Obileye and Clevid Dikamona, are doing a fantastic job and everyone in front of them is doing an even better job.
“For me, I’m not having to do as much because they’re doing most of it for me, which I’m happy for. Wherever I play I’m happy, it’s just wherever’s best for the team.
“I’m happy to play wherever as long as the team are playing well, I’m playing well and we’re winning as a team. I’m enjoying my football, so wherever John puts me I’ll play.”