Dagenham & Redbridge returned to winning ways with an excellent all-round display, capped off by a second-half header from Conor Wilkinson to give the home side a 1-0 victory over Sutton United.
The impressive victory over promotion play-off challenging Sutton lifts the Daggers seven points clear of the relegation zone and manager Peter Taylor recognized the magnitude of victory in his post-match comments.
“I think everybody knew how important this game was. We had a fantastic run, then all of a sudden we haven’t won for a month, lost our last two matches, so we’re desperate to get back.
“Now, all of a sudden, we’ve got 42 points, which now you can see that tunnel – you’re thinking you can get to 50 points now. We’ve still got some big games to go, but we’ve given ourselves a great chance [of staying up] today.”
Honours Even
After an attritional opening phase in which neither team fashioned any clear-cut chances, the game burst into life 12 minutes in when Wilkinson picked up a loose ball and fired at goal from 20 yards, drawing a good low save from Ross Worner in the Sutton net.
Terrific last-ditch defending from captain Kenny Clark blocked a goal-bound effort from Jamie Collins in the 15th minute as the Daggers were forced to retreat into their own defensive third to keep the early Sutton pressure at bay.
The U’s again threatened from a long ball forward, with the flicked-on header setting up a wayward volley from Craig Eastmond in the 22nd minute.
After surviving that early Sutton pressure the Daggers began to assert themselves, and McQueen drew a sharp save from Worner with the opening half an hour’s best opportunity, before volleying his second effort wide of the mark.
Just after the half hour mark the returning Tomi Adeloye fired wide after cutting in to beat his man at the byline.
Towards the end of the first half a well-worked corner routine saw Jack Munns strike the post. McQueen’s low ball found the midfielder on the edge of the box, but his strike couldn’t quite find the back of the net, smashing off the base of the upright.
Left wing-back Liam Gordon was next to go close for the Daggers, firing against the post when free on the left side of the area in first-half stoppage time.
After surviving the first quarter of an hour with strong, resolute defending, the Daggers could count themselves unfortunate not to go into the break ahead, after controlling much of the game and seeing efforts from Munns and Gordon strike the woodwork.
Impressive Improvement
After seeing missed first-half chances come back to haunt them a week ago against Gateshead, there was a fear that the same might be the case against Sutton United. However, with victory sealed over the second 45 minutes, Taylor commended his side for not letting the missed chances define their performance.
“If you don’t score, if you create chances, but don’t take them, sometimes you get punished. So you’re always worried about that. But that’s probably where I was quite pleased with the attitude today. I thought the boys kept going.”
Wonderful Wilko
Early on in the second half the Daggers were given a reprieve when Gime Toure ran at goal, cut inside, and hit his curling effort just wide from 10 yards.
The Daggers had the ball in the net in the 56th minute, Gordon heading home from a delightfully chipped Wilkinson cross, but the celebrations were halted by the linesman’s raised flag.
The Daggers again went close just after the hour mark when McQueen’s free-kick was nearly headed home by Wilkinson, before Manny Onariase saw an effort blocked in the ensuing goalmouth scramble.
The home support breathed a sigh of relief in the 67th minute when a Dobson free-kick from 25 yards whistled just wide.
Adeloye was then left holding his head in his hands after seeing a goal-bound effort blocked by the Sutton defense in the 69th minute.
All the Daggers pressure finally paid off in the 71st minute, and it was top-scorer Wilkinson heading his side into the lead. Smart passing between Munns and Robinson saw Robinson find McQueen with space on the right flank. The wing-back hung a cross into the box and Wilkinson rose highest to loop his header over Worner and into the back of the net for a priceless lead.
Not satisfied with the one goal, the Daggers continued to attack and Onariase saw a header cleared off the line from a corner in the 75th minute.
It was so nearly 2-0 in the 79th minute when Goodliffe headed over from a pinpoint Munns free-kick.
Elliot Justham, seeing relatively little second-half action, was forced to stay alert at his near post to keep out second-half substitute Tom Bolarinwa’s shot in the 81st minute.
Justham did exceptionally well to save late on after a Sutton effort came through a crowd of bodies as the match entered stoppage time.
The Daggers survived a late onslaught from Sutton United to claim a massive three points at the Chigwell Construction Stadium.
Daggers XI: Justham; Gordon, Clark, Onariase, Goodlife, McQueen; Loft (Wright 86’), Munns, Robinson; Adeloye (Kandi 86’), Wilkinson
Sutton United XI: Worner, Bennett, Beckwith, Collins, Davis, Toure, Ayunga, Eastmond, Deacon, Williams (Bolarinwa 65’), Dobson (Kearney 75’)
Attendance: 1322 (192 away)
