Rochdale 0 Dagenham 2 - FullTime Report

Photo: Jon Coluccio

Tony Roberts celebrates Dagenham's opening goal.

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An abysmal performance from Rochdale allowed Dagenham and Redbridge to take the three points with consummate ease.

Goals in either half from Paul Benson, his fifth in six games, and Matthew Ritchie was all it took against a Dale side that offered absolutely nothing in front of goal.

Keith Hill said it was the worst performance in his 79 game Dale managerial career. “I can not defend a performance like that. There was some criticism today from the crowd and I fully understand that.

“The performance was woeful and the result was just as bad.

“If we had been on a bad run that performance would have been a sackable offence. Fortunately there have not been too many of them while I have been here.

“We did not turn up, every player across the pitch. For where we are in the league, to give a performance like that for ninety minutes stinks.”

Benson could have had a hat-trick. It was his header from point blank range that Dale keeper Sam Russell somehow saved to leave Ritchie with the simple task of nodding home. Minutes earlier Benson latched onto a Sam Saunders free-kick and the striker’s free header cannoned off the crossbar.

Rochdale, meanwhile, did not offer a single shot on goal in the second half until injury time.

Dagenham led at half time thanks to Benson’s simple finish. A well worked move brought the Daggers their just rewards as Saunders worked the ball out to Ritchie who whipped in a low cross to present Benson with a simple finish.

An abject half from Rochdale saw them offer practically nothing in front of goal. Tony Roberts was only twice tested in the Dagenham goal. He failed to keep hold of a low Adam Rundle cross but was not made to pay for the error as Jordan Rhodes fired the loose ball straight at the grounded keeper.

Roberts was in better form by the time Adam Le Fondre rifled in a curling effort from the edge of the box during stoppage time at the end of the half, Roberts diving full length to turn the ball away.

Other than that Dale’s performance was as below par as that of the officials, who made some frankly bizarre decisions against the home side and he was not helped by his two assistants.

Never the less Dagenham were good value for their lead and could have been further in front had Magnus Okuunghae converted at the back post after a corner was flicked on.

Peter Gain also came close for the visitors, drilling a shot just past the far post after being given far too much time to shoot from a generous Dale defence.

If the Dale supporters thought it had been bad in the first half then they were in for a world of pain in the second.

They did not offer a single effort on goal until the final minute, when Will Buckley volleyed Joe Thompson’s cross back across goal, only for it to be cleared off the line by Mark Arber.

Attendance: 2566

Rochdale: Russell, Wiseman, Kennedy, Stanton, McArdle, Rundle, Jones, Keltie, Buckley, Rhodes, Le Fondre.
Subs (not used): Dagnall, Toner, Holness, Thompson, Spencer.

Dagenham: Roberts, Foster, Taiwo, Arber, Gain, Benson, Saunders, Strevens, Okuunghae, Ritchie, Griffiths.
Subs (not used): Thomas, Nurse, Thompson, Uddin, Southam.