DAGGERS DISAPPOINTMENT
Dagenham & Redbridge were left to rue a floodlight failure when their game against high-flying Exeter City was abandoned at half time, when the home side were winning 1-0.
Paul Benson’s header on 32 minutes was just what John Still’s team needed, but five minutes later a power cut ripped through the main stand.
At half time electricians could not mend the fault and, with darkness falling rapidly, referee Craig Pawson had no choice but to call the game off.
The visitors began the brighter in the damp conditions, winning the lion’s share of possession but finding it hard to create a meaningful effort in the final third of the pitch.
After half an hour the Daggers tested away ‘keeper Paul Jones. His double save was his first real action on the chilly afternoon.
The chance for Still’s team came on the counter-attack when Ben Stevens beat the offside trap, and pulled back for the onrushing Sam Saunders. He sent a stinging effort goalward and Jones did well to palm the shot out.
From the rebound the ‘keeper was quickly on his feet to save Stevens’s header.
But Jones’s team did not heed the warning and were a goal down less than a minute later when they conceded a corner. Saunders swung the ball in from the left, forward Benson rose highest and his header deflected past Jones.
Dagenham had his tails us going in to the interval, but when it became apparent that the electrical problem could not be fixed. The game will be rearranged – and is likely to be played in the New Year.
Manager Still said: “There was not much the referee could do, but it is disappointing. We had rattled them with the goal.
“And the way we were going we could have really punished them in the second-half. The lads were really up for it.
“But we will just have to concentrate on next Saturday now.”
The Daggers sit in 11th in the table and travel to Macclesfield next weekend.
Teams (and ratings):
Dagenham & Redbridge (4-4-2)
Roberts 6; Foster 5, Okuonghae 7, Arber © 6, Griffiths 6; Saunders 7, Taiwo, Gain 6, Ritchie 7; Stevens 6, Benson 7
Subs: Hogan, Huke, Southam, Nurse and Nwokeji
Exeter City (4-4-3)
Jones 7; Tully 6, Edwards 6, Seabourne © 6, Moxey 7; Panther 7, Gill 7, Harley 6; Saunders 6, Stansfield 6, Basham 6
Subs: Marriott, McAllister, Obsersteller, Sercombe and Bennett
Match rating: 2/5
Referee rating: Mr Craig Pawson 7/10
Dagenham & Redbridge were left to rue a floodlight failure when their game against high-flying Exeter City was abandoned at half time, when the home side were winning 1-0.
Paul Benson’s header on 32 minutes was just what John Still’s team needed, but five minutes later a power cut ripped through the main stand.
At half time electricians could not mend the fault and, with darkness falling rapidly, referee Craig Pawson had no choice but to call the game off.
The visitors began the brighter in the damp conditions, winning the lion’s share of possession but finding it hard to create a meaningful effort in the final third of the pitch.
After half an hour the Daggers tested away ‘keeper Paul Jones. His double save was his first real action on the chilly afternoon.
The chance for Still’s team came on the counter-attack when Ben Stevens beat the offside trap, and pulled back for the onrushing Sam Saunders. He sent a stinging effort goalward and Jones did well to palm the shot out.
From the rebound the ‘keeper was quickly on his feet to save Stevens’s header.
But Jones’s team did not heed the warning and were a goal down less than a minute later when they conceded a corner. Saunders swung the ball in from the left, forward Benson rose highest and his header deflected past Jones.
Dagenham had his tails us going in to the interval, but when it became apparent that the electrical problem could not be fixed. The game will be rearranged – and is likely to be played in the New Year.
Manager Still said: “There was not much the referee could do, but it is disappointing. We had rattled them with the goal.
“And the way we were going we could have really punished them in the second-half. The lads were really up for it.
“But we will just have to concentrate on next Saturday now.”
The Daggers sit in 11th in the table and travel to Macclesfield next weekend.
Teams (and ratings):
Dagenham & Redbridge (4-4-2)
Roberts 6; Foster 5, Okuonghae 7, Arber © 6, Griffiths 6; Saunders 7, Taiwo, Gain 6, Ritchie 7; Stevens 6, Benson 7
Subs: Hogan, Huke, Southam, Nurse and Nwokeji
Exeter City (4-4-3)
Jones 7; Tully 6, Edwards 6, Seabourne © 6, Moxey 7; Panther 7, Gill 7, Harley 6; Saunders 6, Stansfield 6, Basham 6
Subs: Marriott, McAllister, Obsersteller, Sercombe and Bennett
Match rating: 2/5
Referee rating: Mr Craig Pawson 7/10
Labels: Dagenham and Redbridge, Exeter City, League Two
