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Daggers sharpen up to beat Bulls
Hereford United suffered their first away defeat in eleven months yesterday evening. Dagenham & Redbridge on times out classed United and were deserved winners. A goal two minutes into injury time killed off the Bulls as they went 3-1 down at Victoria Road.
Tony James returned to captain the side in place of the suspended Tamika Mkandawire and David Brown regained his place at the expense of Adam Stansfield. Jamie Pitman was once again missing through injury.
Neither side really got going in the first half as there was few clear chances. The dangerous Chris Moore hit a twenty yard drive wide of Johnathan Gould's goal before Brown shot over from a similar position after good work by Simon Travis. Paul Bruce went close with a free-kick on the edge of box for the Daggers and then at the other end Lee Mills headed a Graham Hyde cross wide.
Andy Tretton made a brilliant interception at the far post to deny Moore, who then clattered into Tretton, who collided with the post. Hereford created their best chance of the half soon after. Hyde crossed for Mills, who headed the ball into the path of Brown but he couldn't direct his shot on target and it flew wide. Mark Robinson forced a save out of Tony Roberts from a free kick twenty five yards out just before the break.
Dagenham looked a far better side when they returned for the second half and were unlucky not to take a lead a minute into the half. Moore was played one on one with Gould after a fast attack but the 'keeper made a good low save. Just a minute later United found themselves in the lead and Dagenham were rueing their missed chance. Travis found Brown on the right and he cut inside before playing a pass across the six yard box that Mills met and placed in the bottom right corner.
The Daggers should have pegged United back immediately but Craig Mackail-Smith lifted the ball over the bar when one on one with Gould. Hereford then had to defend three corners in succession after the defence had blocked two shots before Dagenham equalised in the fifty sixth minute. James conceded a corner after a good run by Moore and following a scramble in the area Mackail-Smith headed the ball in off the post.
If Mills had been quicker getting a shot away, once Brown had played him through on goal, then Hereford may have celebrating a second, but a superb saving challenge by Ashley Vickers denied him. Dag & Red then broke wonderfully down the left and Moore scored a freak goal. From a very tight angle Moore hit in what looked like a cross, but the ball must have taken a deflection as it evaded everyone in the box and beat Gould at his near post.
Graham Turner made his first change in the sixty seventh minute, Danny Williams, who was disappointing, was replaced by Adam Stansfield. Two minutes after, Mills was forced to be subbed when he received a blow to the head. Rob Purdie was his replacement. The Daggers then enjoyed a good spell of pressure but didn't really create much in front of goal. Tom Smith created an opportunity for Purdie after a corner, but Purdie's volley was blocked. Another counter attack saw another golden chance for Moore, but he sliced wide from inside the box with just Gould to beat.
It was in the second of the three minutes of injury time when Dagenham finished Hereford off. A magnificent solo run by Mackail-Smith saw him ease past a defender and lift the ball over the advancing Gould and into the far corner.
Hereford can have no complaints about the result, and to be honest were lucky that the score line was only 3-1. There will have to be a big improvement by next Monday, when United travel to Accrington Stanley. With Sky cameras present, the players will surely be up for the game ; something that seemed to be lacking last night.
HUFC Team: Gould, Travis, Tretton, James, Smith, Robinson, Hyde, Stanley, D Williams, Brown, Mills. Subs: Scott, Purdie, Stansfield, A Williams, Carey-Bertram
D&RFC Team: Roberts, Foster, Cole, Uddin, Vickers, Janney, Southam, Mackail-Smith, Flynn, Moore, Bruce. Subs: Barton, Bussey, Blackett, Boot, Hill.