Match Report

Two goals in the last three minutes of what had been an evenly contested first half were enough to extend Dagenham & Redbridge’s unbeaten run to nine Vanarama National league games and dash Sutton’s hopes of a second consecutive home win. The defeat dropped U’s down to 19th place in the table, four points above the relegation zone but equally only four points below the play-off positions in what has become a very tight division.

Both goals were poor goals to conceded defensively, and they gave Dagenham an advantage for the second half which they defended well, Sutton unable to find a way through a well-organised line-up to test Elliott Justham in the visitors’ goal despite having the majority of possession.

There was an early opportunity for U’s when, inside the first minute, David Ajiboye got free on the right and pulled the ball back for Tommy Wright, whose shot on the turn was heading for the corner of the net until deflected just wide by a defender. Another fine Ajiboye cross just evaded Aaron Jarvis but landed at Harry Beautyman’s feet as Will Wright failed to clear, but Ajiboye was unable to turn the low return cross in from a narrow angle.

At the other end Angelo Balanta almost continued his good form at Sutton with a shot from the edge of the penalty area which was deflected just wide, but when Craig Eastmond, returning after suspension, met a half cleared free kick with a volley on the turn which flew just wide with Justham beaten U’s were entitled to feel that they had had the better of the first half. However the three minutes immediately before the interval saw Dagenham take a grip that wouldn’t be loosened.

The first goal came as Bagasan Graham took on Tom Bolarinwa on the Dagenham left and was eventually fouled by the stand-in full back near the corner flag. Alex McQueen drilled a free kick in to the six yard area, Jamie Butler, possibly impeded by a team mate, failed to gather it cleanly and Reece Grant bundled the ball over the line. Worse followed in the only minute of first half stoppage time when Balanta seized on a poor header from Jamie Collins and played the ball out to James Dobson on the right. The former Sutton winger’s task was made easier as Jon Barden and Rob Milsom collided as they tried to halt his progress, and cutting in to the penalty area Dobson curled his shot beyond Butler and inside the far post.

Stung by this double setback Sutton came out strongly at the start of the second half and Eastmond sent an early chance over the bar, but while that set the tone for a half in which U’s had plenty of possession, it was difficult to break down a well organised line-up in front of them, and when U’s tried the more direct approach Dagenham’s defence dealt comfortably with the high ball, with a groin injury robbing U’s of the option to introduce the more powerful Omar Bugiel alongside Jarvis. Dagenham showed little going forward, with Butler a spectator for long periods, but with the two goal advantage they didn’t need to, and apart from Bolarinwa’s 20-yard shot just over the bar their first win at Sutton under their present identity was rarely in doubt.

Dagenham: E Justham, W Wright, M Robinson, M Onariase, L Croll, K Clark, J Dobson, A McQueen, A Balanta(sub J Luque 80), R Grant(sub J Quigley 77), B Graham(sub H Odametey 57). Subs n/u L Gordon, J Strizovic.

Referee: James Bell