Dale held to draw at Dagenham

Photo: Jon Coluccio

Higginbotham shoots to open the scoring

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Dagenham & Redbridge 1 (Strevens 32)
Rochdale 1 (Higginbotham 27)

Rochdale and Dagenham played out a draw in horrible conditions at Victoria Road. Kallum Higginbotham opened the scoring with a superb strike for the visitors but it was cancelled out minutes later by an equally impressive Ben Strevens effort.

Rochdale had their chances to claim victory in the second half but a draw was ultimately a fair result. The draw now makes it difficult for Rochdale to get to third place, with Hereford and Stockport both winning.

Dale boss Keith Hill thought it was a point gained rather than two points lost. He said: “We were not quite at our best today. We’ve played a lot of games in a short space of time. It was too much of a battle. We needed to show a little bit more composure and play more football.

“It wasn’t easy. The pitch was rock solid at the start of the match so the players wore rubber boots but within five minutes there had been a deluge and it is was soaked through.

“We cannot win every game, but I expected a bit more from the players and for them to be a bit more competitive.”

Hill bought the ‘Motorway Three’ back into the starting eleven. Nathan Stanton, Rory McArdle and Ben Muirhead came back into the team, after failing to make the kick off against Notts County on Tuesday. Marcus Holness, Nathan D’Laryea and Joe Thompson made way.

The opening was a scrappy affair in horrible conditions, with hail and heavy rain soaking the large travelling support in the open terrace behind the goal.

Tommy Lee was forced into a fine save from the first attempt of the game on 15 minutes. Peter Gain drilled a low shot from the edge of the box that was well palmed out by Lee.

The home side should have opened the scoring minutes later when a long throw fell to Jon Nurse eight yards out but he blazed well over the crossbar on the volley.

Dagenham kept up the pressure and they almost scored a freak goal on 20 minutes. Paul Benson completely miss-hit a volley high into the air but the ball held up in the wind and in the end Lee was forced to turn it over the bar.

Rochdale opened the scoring against the run of play. It had been Rochdale’s only venture into the Dagenham box but unlike the home side they made it count. Kallum Higginbotham scored the goal and in some style. He controlled a long punt up-field from Lee and rifled a volley into the top corner. The ball hit the net before Tony Roberts even saw it.

Dagenham hit back immediately and got the goal they deserved. Ben Strevens marched into the box after receiving a pass Anwar Uddin and unleashed a finish that was the equal of Higginbotham’s into the top corner.

The home side continued to dominate. Simon Ramsden was booked for a late tackle with the home fans baying for a red card as the full back was the last man but the ball was heading away from goal.

The next chance came to Glen Southam who should have done better than to drill well wide after Lee had spilled a high Uddin cross.

The visitors were forced into a change early in the first half after Adam Rundle suffered a clash of heads with Shane Huke. Adam Le Fondre replaced the winger and almost created a second goal instantly for Dale. His flick on found Howe, who rifled a shot just over the crossbar.

Howe showed a considerable improvement after doing nothing in the first half. He drew a good save from Roberts when he turned and shot after a long throw from Ramsden.

At the other end Paul Benson nudged the ball just wide from Strevens’ low cross as the game began to open up.

Rochdale twice tore the Dagenham defence open in the space of a minute. Higginbotham should have done better after his touch took him away from the last defender but he was slow to shoot and eventually fired over.

David Perkins put Dale substitute Chris Dagnall in the clear as Dale began to get on top. Roberts was quick to close the striker down and got a touch to push his shot wide of the far post.

Dagnall gave Dale added impetus and nearly scored a superb solo goal when he beat three men to get in on goal once more but the ball stuck under his feet on the difficult Victoria Park surface and Roberts was able to save.

With Dale on top the game petered out but Roberts almost gifted Dale a late winner when he dallied on a back pass with Le Fondre in close attendance. In the end the keeper could only hack the ball out for a corner.


Attendance: 2.032

Dagenham: Roberts, Huke, Southam, Nurse, Rainford, Griffiths, Benson, Uddin, Strevens, Gain, Arber.
Subs not used: Hogan, Sloma, Boardman, Saunders, Taiwo.

Booked: Nurse, Gain.

Rochdale: Lee, Ramsden, Kennedy, Stanton, McArdle, Muirhead (Basham 63), Jones, Perkins, Rundle (Le Fondre 50), Howe (Dagnall 63), Higginbotham.
Subs not used: Button, Holness.

Booked: Ramsden, Higginbotham, Basham.

Attempts (on target): Dagenham 10 (6) Rochdale 8 (4)
Free kicks: Dagenham 20 Rochdale 18
Offside: Dagenham 3 Rochdale7
Corners: Dagenham 6 Rochdale 4

Referee: R East