Dagenham 1 (Gain 3) Rochdale 2 (Higginbotham 70, Dawson 72)

Photo: Jon Coluccio

Dawson celebrates as his goal ends Dagenham's unbeaten home record.

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Rochdale travelled to league leaders Dagenham and, like when they went to table toppers Bournemouth three weeks ago, came away with all three points.

It was an outcome that did not look likely at the break as the home side laid siege to the Dale goal but Dagenham lost their way in the second period and two goals in as many minutes turned the tide. Kallum Higginbotham rifled them level and then Craig Dawson hit his third goal in four games, turning the ball in at the far post to send 300 travelling Dale fans wild.

Dagenham had to find an injury time winner with ten men as Wesley Thomas was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Chris Dagnall but Dale had survive a couple of set pieces for which veteran goalkeeper Tony Roberts came forward. The defence endured and Dale held out for another remarkable three points in the tenure of Keith Hill.

Things could have been a lot worse for Dale at the break as they survived a penalty shout, a shot against an upright and numerous other efforts raining in on their goal. They offered next to nothing of their own in attack, although they did find the net with their one foray, Chris Dagnall adjudged offside as he prodded the ball home, a decision that would definitely have been worthy of a second look had the technology been available.

The opening minutes were all played in the Rochdale half and there was little surprise when Dagenham took the lead in the third of them. Danny Green whipped a ball in from deep on the right and the Dale backline stood static as the cross evaded Josh Scott and Paul Benson to find Peter Gain at the backpost, criminally unmarked and free to head home.

The home side showed no sign of letting up the early pressure. Young Manchester United goalkeeper Tom Heaton did well to hold Adam Miller's low show and then pulled a save right out of the top drawer to deny Scott as the striker turned 25 yards out and rifled a drive destined for the top corner before Heaton intervened.

Dale couldn't get the ball out of their own half in the opening fifteen minutes and things did not look like getting much better for the visitors with Chris O'Grady and Chris Dagnall receiving zero service up top. In search of the ball O'Grady almost cost his side a penalty. The referee had a decision to make as Benson beat Wiseman and was seemingly floored by the covering striker inside the box; the official waved away the strong claims.

Will Antwi should have doubled Dagenham's lead as he stole a march on his markers to meet Green's corner and bullet a header just past the upright.

The game was 25 minutes old before Rochdale did something meaningful in the Dagenham half. An eagle eyed linesman denied them what would have been an undeserved equaliser. Dagnall latched onto O'Grady's flick into the box and slid the ball beyond the onrushing Tony Roberts but the flag was raised against the striker, definitely one that the Dale supporters would like to see again.

It was a brief moment of respite for a Dale defence that had been given a thorough workout in the opening period. The visitors desperately needed half time so that they could reorganise but the whistle did not come before they survived another scare. Green's set pieces were more than Dale could handle and Antwi looked certain to find his range when he latched onto another corner, only for the ball to bounce back off the post.

Keith Hill introduced Will Buckley from the bench at half time but the home side picked up where they left off and again came close to doubling their lead. Miller marched too easily into the Dale box and Heaton produced a fine stop at close quarters to deny the Gillingham loan man.

Buckley showed signs of what he could do and his presence on the left wing instantly allowed the visitors to play higher up the field. The youngster ran at the Dagenham defence, forcing them backwards, and one run nearly brought a leveller as he cut the ball back from the byline and only Nana Ofori-Twumasi denied Will Atkinson a tap in.

As the game opened up Scott had the perfect chance to leave the resurgent visitors with a mountain to climb as he sprung the offside trap to race clear. The striker could have pulled the ball back to Miller for a tap in but chose to go it alone and got his finish horribly wrong, firing the ball out almost for a throw in.

With the scoreline still at one Dale were always in it and Hill brought Kallum Higginbotham on in place of Atkinson to try and exploit a Dagenham side that appeared, inexplicably, to be losing their way. Higginbotham tore around the pitch like a young winger possessed. Dagenham were stretched but Roberts was not extended until he had to pick the ball out of his net from absolutely nothing. Higginbotham gathered the ball on the right hand edge of the box and, with a wall of defenders in front of him, unleashed an unstoppable low drive into the far bottom corner.

Within a minute the 300 travelling supporters were in dreamland. Having been under the cosh for an hour somehow they went ahead. Dale took a corner quickly, catching the backline unawares, Dagnall flicked the ball towards goal, Roberts scrambled it away, only for Craig Dawson to rifle home from point blank range.

Dagenham had showed no sign of getting back into it in the final twenty minutes and Dale had to survive four minutes of injury time to end home side's unbeaten record at Victoria Park. Dagenham would have to find an equaliser with ten men as subsitute Wesley Thomas received his marching orders for a high tackle on Dagnall. A corner and a free kick deep into the seventh minute of time added on had to negotiated, both with goalkeeper Tony Roberts up from the back, but Dale clung on for a three points that at half time they never looked liked getting but by full time they fully deserved.

Attendance: 2235

Dagenham: Roberts, Ofori-Twumasi, Doe, Green (Ogogo), Thurgood (Nurse), Scott (Thomas), Benson, Lockwood, Antwi, Miller, Gain.
Subs (not used): Lewington, Nurse, Thomas, Demetriou, Ogogo, Tejan-Sie.

Sent Off: Thomas.

Rochdale: Heaton, McArdle (Buckley), Wiseman, Dawson, Holness, Atkinson (Higginbotham), Taylor, J. Kennedy, T. Kennedy, O'Grady, Dagnall (Toner).
Subs (not used): Taberner, Toner, Spencer, Higginbotham, Brown, Flynn, Buckley.

Booked: T. Kennedy.

Attempts (on target): Dagenham 11 (7) Rochdale 5 (2)
Free kicks: Dagenham 19 Rochdale 16
Offside: Dagenham 1 Rochdale 6
Corners: Dagenham 8 Rochdale 5