Dagenham & Redbridge loanee Jake Sheppard hopes to make debut at Tranmere Rovers

Defender Jake Sheppard has joined Dagenham & Redbridge on loan from Reading until the end of the season (pic: David Simpson/TGS Photo) ©TGS Photo tgsphoto.co.uk +44 1376 553468

Defender was thwarted in his attempt to make first Daggers appearance by a frozen pitch last weekend

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Dagenham & Redbridge new boy Jake Sheppard hopes to finally make his debut at Tranmere Rovers on Saturday, after being frustrated by the weather last weekend.

Sheppard has joined on loan from Reading until the end of the season, with the news announced last Friday.

On the same day, the Essex club confirmed a deal had also been done for Jake Howells, with the free agent agreeing an 18-month deal.

Both, however, were unable to make their debut on Saturday after the match at home to Bromley was called off because of a frozen pitch at Victoria Road.

But with no such problems expected this weekend, Sheppard may well get his chance to shine for Daggers at Prenton Park and the young full-back says he is looking forward to pulling on a Daggers shirt.

“Tranmere get a good following and a good crowd, so it’ll be nice to play in front of quite a few thousand at their ground,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to that game, and hopefully I can get a game there!”

Daggers suffered a first postponement at home in almost six years last weekend, with the match against Bromley called off just two-and-a-half hours before kick-off.

Speaking to the press after the decision to call the game off was made public, Daggers boss John Still revealed had the match gone ahead, Sheppard would likely have started.

Sheppard admitted he was annoyed the cold weather kept him from making his Daggers debut, but said he had a feeling the game would fall foul of the freezing conditions.

“Training on Friday, the pitches were frozen over as well and it’s just a shame that I’d driven quite a way to get to the ground, but I knew in the back of my mind it wasn’t going to be on,” he added.

The postponement does mean Sheppard can have more time on the training ground with his new Daggers team-mates before making his debut.

But the Scotland youth international is settling in fast with the Essex club it seems.

“At first, it took a few days to settle in, but now I’m training with them every day, I’ve settled in quite nicely,” he said.