Dagenham & Redbridge held by Newport County

Dagenham & Redbridge were held to a goalless draw at home to Newport County in a match that will be in contention for one of the worst of the season.

In a match of few clear cut chances, Daggers rarely made the visiting keeper work with their shots regularly failing to hit the target.

Perhaps the only positive for the east Londoners would be that the result allowed them to record their first league clean sheet of the campaign.

Zavon Hines was handed his first start since February 2014, taking the place of Ashley Chambers in an otherwise unchanged XI from the loss at Carlisle United.

Thre Exiles players were also making a return to Victoria Road, with former Daggers Medy Elito, Nana Ofori-Twumasi and Matt Partridge named in the visitors’ starting line-up.

Hines and Partirdge found themselves in the thick of the action inside the first minute after Ayo Obileye cleared the hosts’ lines.

The former West Ham attacker latched onto the long ball, flicking it past his former team mate before poking just wide of the post from inside the box.

Newport themselves had a glorious chance to take the lead in the 16th minute when young Aaron Collins broke clear.

But the attacker hadn’t counted on the pace of Josh Passley, who tracked back brilliantly to put in a great last ditch tackle before the ball was cleared.

The game was low on chances and action but Obileye gifted Newport a great chance to go ahead in the 33rd minute.

His poor control of a long ball forward allowed Lenell John-Lewis in behind but his cross-shot went across goal with no one to turn it in.

But overall it was a dreadful first half of football, with either keeper hardly tested between the sticks.

That changed swiftly in the second half though when two minutes after the break, Zak Ansah forced Liam O’Brien to tip the ball over from 20 yards.

Daggers themselves had a good opportunity to take the lead 11 minutes into the second half through substitute Jamie Cureton.

Ashley Hemmings delivered a delicious cross from the left but the veteran striker could only put his close range volley narrowly over the bar.

The hosts followed that up two minutes later when Passley played in Hemmings down the right.

Hemmings beat two defenders before squaring for Matt McClure, but again the effort was off target, letting Newport off the hook.

In an effort to boost their chances of scoring, Jodi Jones was introduced and looked lively with his first involvement.

The winger broke down the left before crossing, with the ball finding its way to Cureton who could only push his effort wide of the left upright.

Cureton had a great chance again less than a minute later, when Hemmings crossed from the right.

The striker was unmarked at the back post but could not get any contact on his header and Joe Day was able to easily collect.

Jones was again heavily involved for Daggers with little under 15 minutes remaining when he was fouled in the middle of the pitch after a bit of trickery.

Andre Boucaud took the subsequent free kick, which was met at the back post by Nyron Nosworthy who could only head over.

With the clock having ticket past 90, Jones crossed from the right for Cureton who headed at goal but saw Day in inspired form to palm over.

That was the last chance in a match that Daggers could rue not getting more from when the season reaches its conclusion in May.

Daggers: O’Brien; Passley, Nosworthy, Obileye, Widdowson; Hines (Jones 70), Boucaud, Ferdinand, Hemmings; Doidge (Cureton 46), McClure

Unused subs: Cousins, Connors, Dikamona, Chambers, Hamalainen

Referee: Graham Salisbury