Muhammed Mustaqim reports from Victoria Road as the Daggers are blunted…
Chris Zebroski’s 90th-minute header, rising to steer Andy Sandell’s cross into the net, meant Newport County beat Dagenham & Redbridge in a Sky Bet League 2 match.
The result was seemingly harsh on Dagenham who were aiming for a second win on the bounce after beating Accrington Stanley in Lancashire.
Ade Yusuff was making his first start for the Daggers after scoring twice in their previous game. Justin Edinburgh made one change for Newport as Andy Sandell started in place of the injured Robbie Willmott.
The Daggers started the better in the first half and they almost took the lead. Ashley Hemmings won the ball and passed it through to George Porter who was through on goal but hit the side netting.
Yan Klukowski went close for the Exiles half an hour into the game but had his shot saved at close range.
Newport were dominant after the break, with Joe Pigott hitting the bar five minutes after the restart, then Zebroski firing straight at Mark Cousins as the game increasingly tipped in favour of the away side.
Daggers manager Wayne Burnett substituted Ashley Hemmings for Jamie Cureton and the move was almost decisive. The number seven thought he had given Dagenham the lead but his shot hit the bar and bounced on the line, and the referee failed to award the goal.
The Daggers went down to ten men in the 80th minute after a foul on Lee Minshull by captain Abu Ogogo. This proved to be a switch of momentum as ten minutes later Sandell crossed from the left for Zebroski to head home the winner, and sparked wild celebrations in front of the Newport fans.
Dagenham drop to 19th in the league while Newport move up to ninth.