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Bradford City 0 Dagenham & Redbridge 2 |
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Written by Administrator
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Saturday, 01 March 2008 |
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| Bradford City
0
| Football League 2 Valley Parade Saturday 1st March 2008 | Dagenham & Redbridge
2 Arber 30 Strevens 79
| Dagenham made it 5 wins from 5 at a windswept Valley Parade on Saturday and gave themselves a huge boost in the fight against relegation.
Before kick off, Bradford made a pitch presentation to Dave Andrews commemorating our first visit to Valley Parade and the hospitality didn't end there as the Bantams allowed Dagenham to boss the opening period. It was a Daggers side that had one change from the midweek win over Hereford, Danny Fosters groin causing him to miss the trip, Shane Huke came in at right back. From the off, the Daggers made use of the wide open spaces, and keeping possession well, kept their opponents camped in the final 3rd of the pitch. Although clear cut chances were at a premium, it was only to be a matter of time before they came. Mark Arber had the first of these on 15 minutes when unmarked on the far post, he missed his kick. Next it was the turn of Jon Nurse to go close, the ball not quite dropping for him to finish from close range. This was followed by a cross shot from Southam that went wide but you sensed Daggers would soon get their reward. It came on the half hour from an unlikely source. Nix was penalised for handball and from the resulting kick, Arber headed home at the far post. Before the half was out, Arber had an appeal for a penalty turned for handball and Ross Smith should have doubled the lead, glancing a header wide. Daggers had a scare on half time as confusion between Roberts and Smith almost let in an opposition forward but the danger was averted.
Dagenham fans and players alike expected an onslaught at the start of the second period but they really should have been 2 goals to the good before the Bantams got started. Neat play down our right between Huke and Nurse saw Southam released into the area. After getting the ball under control, he sliced against the foot of the post with just the keeper to beat. City sensed they had a chance and piled forward attacking the massive kop behind the goal. Roberts in goal hadn't been forced to work to hard but that owed much to the determination of the boys in front of him, typified by Scott Griffiths who made 3 outstanding block inside the space of a minute. The pressure on referee Taylor was intensifying from the home crowd as he waved appeals for penalties against Wetherall and Colbeck, the later guilty of an outrageous dive.
At this point, McCall the Bantams boss showed his hand, throwing Topp and Conlon into the fray and they were to play a pivotal part in proceedings. Topp was fouled in the Daggers area, according to referee Taylor and after the Daggers protests at the harsh appeal had died down, Conlon stepped up to take the kick with his first touch since coming on. Conlon hit the ball to Roberts right who pulled off an excellent stop and Arber prevented any score from the follow up with a brave block from Alex Rhodes. It emerged after the game that Arber had advised Roberts on where Conlon may place the kick.
Conlon had a chance to make amends soon after but failed to latch onto a cross from Colbeck. Moments later, Daggers killed off the game. Rainfords flick on from a Roberts kick fell kindly to Griffiths in plenty of space down the Dagenham left. His driving run took him into the box and his cut-back was gleefully tucked home by the on-rushing Strevens.
All that remained now was for Daggers to play out time and confirm their status as one of the divisions form sides.
| Dagenham vs Bradford: Match Report | Match Day Report | Player Ratings | Photos | Match Photos |
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