Rochdale 0 - 1 Dagenham & Redbridge

Perennially hardy opponents Dagenham and Redbridge completed the double over promotion chasing Rochdale at a wind swept Spotland today, and if the conditions were difficult the Daggers proved even more so with a highly disciplined performance which left the home team totally frustrated.

After surviving Rochdale's bright early start during which George Donnelly should have done better than poke the ball over the bar from six yards in the fourth minute, the visitors became increasingly comfortable without offering any threat of their own.

That is until the sixty third minute when Rhys Murphy arrived at the far post to convert a low cross from the left after Dale had failed to clear a free kick.

It was a typical smash and grab from the visitors and Dale were left to reflect on their first half dominance, which failed to yield any success.

It is one of football's truisms that you need to score when on top and that Dale went in at half time without scoring was a result of a couple of missed chances and a terrific save by Daggers' goalkeeper Chris Lewington, who finger tipped Donnelly's header from under the angle of bar and post in the eleventh minute.

He also thwarted Matthew Done at the near post three minutes later but, as the half progressed, Dale became less threatening despite controlling possession, although Ian Henderson, sliding in, just failed to connect with right wing cross a couple of yards out.

The second half was more even, with Dale unable to sustain any pressure and it was hardly a surprise when the visitors took the lead with their first effort on target.

Manager Keith Hill had already indicated his concern by replacing Donnelly with Scott Hogan in the 59th minute. Later substitutions in the form of Graham Cummins and Joe Bunney followed as Dale re-doubled their efforts to get back into the game.

Hogan's near post header was cleared near the goal line but it was the visitors who came closer to scoring when Murphy had his close rang effort smothered by Josh Lillis.

Dale abandoned their precise passing game in the later stages as they became more and more frenetic, and the day was just about summed up in the final minute of added time when Michael Rose sent a 25 yard free kick high into the stand.

After the game Hill reflected on how fine margins often decide games while bemoaning his team's less than clinical finishing in the first half. He was right to do so but equally correct when pointing out that his young team is a developing one and there are bound to be disappointments along the way.

Rochdale: Lillis, Bennett (Bunney 73), Eastham, O'Connell, Done, Vincenti (Cummins 66), Kennedy, Lund, Rose, Henderson, Donnelly (Hogan 59).
Subs not used: Thomson, Rafferty, Porter,Allen.

Dagenham & Redbridge: Lewington, Hoyte,Wilkinson, Doe, Connors, Elito, Ogogo, D'Ath, Hines (Dickson 83), Norris , Murphy (Bingham 94).
Subs not used: Seabright, Shields, Obafemi, Illsanmi, Saah.