Dagenham's excellent league form continued with a 3-0 victory over fourth place Burton Albion at Victoria Road. The win, combined with results elsewhere, moved the Daggers to within 2 points of leaders Oxford, and 8 points clear of the sides in 3rd place.
It was Dagenham who started the game well and applied the early pressure. Despite this Burton looked dangerous on the break at times, and ex Boston scummer Darryl Clare, sporting some very camp gloves, had two volleys which both went wide. The Burton back 4 looked vulnerable against the pace of the Daggers and it was a fast flowing move involving Sam Sloma and Paul Benson which released CMS just after the half hour mark. His first touch took him clear of the defence and he calmly beat veteran keeper Kevin Poole to give the Daggers the lead. The rest of the half was played out in the middle of the park, and the home side went in happy with their 45 minutes work.
Burton started the 2nd half in determined fashion but never really got behind the solid Daggers defence. Robbo only had one real save to make, an easy take low at his near post. It was the Daggers who looked more dangerous on the counter. CMS headed wide after a free flowing move and Paul Benson escaped the defence in the right hand channel but had his cross shot blocked. The game should have been decided with ten minutes to play. Sam Sloma was put through and was being pulled all over the place by defender Rowett. Sloma finally shrugged off the ex Everton defender and looked set to score before he heard the whistle of the referee................who had given a free kick against him!?!?!?!? It was one of many laughable decisions by the official throughout the game!!! The game was decided 5 minutes later though. Danny Foster's high left wing cross reached Paul Benson and his downward header bounced in front of Poole in the Burton goal and went in. In injury time CMS was pulled over in the box to hand Dagenham a penalty. After much debate over who would take it, Glen Southam stepped up and struck yet another poor penalty which was saved by Poole!!!! From the resulting corner, Big Cliff was tripped on the edge of the box. The referee originally gave a free kick, but after consulting his assistant, awarded yet another penalty!!! This time Dave Rainford stepped up and showed how it should be done, easily beating Poole to make it 3-0, as the full time whistle was blown.
All in all a very comfortable afternoon for the Daggers, but they will surely face a sterner test next week when they visit York City.
